We all know about the benefits of exercise. Sport helps us not only escape from the daily routine, but also become stronger and healthier..

People who practice yoga claim that it has a positive effect on overall well-being because yoga helps to unite the body and mind into a single whole.. Smooth movements calm your mind and make you more peaceful.

In this article, you will learn how effective yoga is in treating mental illnesses such as anxiety disorder and get acquainted with the basic postures that you can add to your workouts..

Study 1.

Chris Streeter, a professor at the Boston University School of Medicine, and her colleagues conducted a study comparing the positive effects of yoga and walking on the human brain..

In a preliminary study, Streeter and her team found that yoga reduced anxiety, improved mood, and increased levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid, a neurotransmitter that has a calming effect in the brain..

The study participants were divided into two groups: one was engaged in yoga, and the second - walking.

Each group worked out for an hour 3 times a week for 12 weeks.. MRI scans of the participants' brains were taken before and after the study, and levels of anxiety and mood were measured throughout the study..

results.

Participants in the yoga group had higher levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid, as well as a greater improvement in mood and anxiety than those in the walking group..

Study 2.

Another experiment was conducted by researchers from the University of Utah, which demonstrated how yoga affects a person's response to stress.. A preliminary study has shown that people who are more responsive to stress are also more sensitive to pain..

42 people took part in the experiment: 12 of them were professional yoga practitioners, 14 people suffered from fibromyalgia (a disease characterized by increased sensitivity to pain and arising, according to experts, due to stress) and 16 healthy volunteers.

results.

Participants in the Fibromyalgia Experiment had a more acute reaction to pain under the same conditions as other participants. The MRI also showed that they had the highest levels of activity in areas of the brain that control pain..

Participants who practiced yoga endured pain better than anyone else, study finds.

Both studies show that yoga helps reduce stress and anxiety, regulates pain tolerance, and boosts mood-boosting hormones in the brain..

Anti-anxiety medications increase the level of gamma-aminobutyric acid in the brain, but at the same time have a number of side effects that, in fact, stop many people from taking them.. On the other hand, the only possible side effect of yoga is the likelihood of injury if the postures are performed incorrectly..

And here are the poses that will help you reduce your anxiety level:.

Child Pose (Balasana).

The child's pose helps relieve tension in the muscles of the back, neck and shoulders.. These are just the areas where a lot of stress accumulates.. Also, this pose helps to relax, focus on breathing and feel your body more deeply..

Get on your knees, put your big toes together and sit on your heels. Lean forward so that your body touches your hips, stretch your arms forward and touch your head to the mat.

Stay in this pose for as long as you like.. Most importantly, breathe slowly and deeply..

Tree Pose (Vrikshasana).

Tree Pose is one of the main yoga poses done while standing, which helps improve concentration by shifting your attention to maintaining balance..

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and shift your weight onto your right foot. Then bend the left leg at the knee and press the foot against the inside of the thigh of the right leg so that the toes are pointing down. Straighten the body and join the palms in front of you “in prayer”. Look ahead or up, whichever is more comfortable for you.. Take 2-3 inhales and exhales, and then repeat with a change of leg.

Warrior Pose 3 (Virabhadrasana).

This pose is a little more difficult than the previous two, but it does a good job of relieving anxiety by stimulating the abdominal cavity.. Research proves a link between healthy digestion and mental health, and this pose is exactly what improves digestion.. Also, the warrior pose helps to improve the sense of balance, posture and coordination..

Place your feet shoulder-width apart, then turn your body to the right and spread your legs a little wider so that the toe of your right foot is pointing forward. Then bend your right leg at the knee and align your torso so that it is centered.

Raise your arms up and shift your weight onto your right leg. Then lean forward while lifting your left leg off the floor.. Your body should be parallel to the floor. Fully straighten your right leg at the knee and look down. Stay in this pose and take 2-3 breaths in and out.. Slowly lower your left leg to the floor and repeat on the other leg..

Headstand (Shirshasana).

This is an advanced pose so don't try it if you are new to yoga..

This pose promotes blood flow to the head, which in turn helps cleanse the kidneys, improve mood and lower blood pressure.. To assume this pose, first get on all fours, place your hands shoulder-width apart and rest your forearms on the floor.. Keeping your elbows in place, close your hands in front of you so that the little fingers touch the floor. Touch your head to the floor, wrapping your arms around it from behind.

Slowly begin to lift your hips using your abs until your legs are straight and perpendicular to the floor.. If this pose is difficult for you, do it next to a wall that you can lean on.. Stay in this position for as long as you can..

After it, it is recommended to take the pose of a child and take a few breaths..

Feet on the wall (Viparita Karani).

This pose helps to relax and reduce the symptoms of anxiety, as well as relieve back pain and menstrual cramps..

Put a pillow under your lower back, it will help you relieve back pain. Sitting against the wall, lift your legs up on it and straighten them. Lying on the mat, press your buttocks against the wall. Close your eyes and try to relax.

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