Wedding anxiety? Try these yoga postures & breathing techniques

Without a doubt, the wedding is one of the most important days of a person's life. To ensure everything is memorable, comes with its own set of pressures and anxiety This can take a toll on your mind and body, leaving you stressed. A great way to combat wedding anxiety is with yoga.

The ancient practice offers scientifically proven solutions to everyday problems both physical and mental. Yoga lowers the stress hormones and also strengthens the nervous system while stimulating the lymphatic system which is responsible for removing toxins from the body.

Yoga also calms the mind and can contribute to deeper regulated sleep which is crucial for wellness. We all are aware how good sleep can help heal and maintain a healthy body. With so much to tend to at a wedding, sound sleep helps you stay fresh the whole day.

Kaavita Das, Founder and Yoga Expert at The Pink Lotus Academia shares yoga poses to help unwind and find your peace:

Sukhasan

Sukhasana refers to a cross-legged, seated position, and one of the most basic poses used in yoga practice and meditation. It is also a calming pose and it is one commonly used for meditation and practicing breathing exercises.

• Sit on your padding in a comfortable, cross-legged position.

• Slide the shoulder blades down your back so your shoulders move away from your ears. The crown of your head should rise towards the ceiling.

• Your hands can rest in your lap or on the tops of your thighs.

• On your inhalations, feel your spine grow long. On your exhalations, root down through your seat.

Uttanasana

Standing Forward Bend stretches and lengthens the hamstrings and calves. It is regarded as a relaxing and stress-relieving pose. Traditionally, it is said to help relieve insomnia.

Steps:

• From Raised Hands Pose, sweep your arms down on either side of your body to come into a forward fold from your hips.

• Bring your fingertips in line with the toes. Press your palms flat to the mat if you can. You can use blocks under your hands here if they don't reach the floor.

• Bend the knees a little bit so that they are not locked.

• Bring your weight a little bit forward into the balls of your feet so that your hips stay over your ankles.

• Let your head hang.

• Inhale and place your hands onto your hips, press your tailbone down and contract your abdominal muscles as you rise up slowly.

Bhujangasana

Cobra Pose increases the mobility of the spine, strengthens spinal support muscles, and can help relieve back pain. It opens the chest and the front of the body.

Steps:

• Place your palms flat on the ground directly under your shoulders. Bend your elbows straight back and hug them into your sides.

• Pause for a moment looking straight down at your mat with your neck in a neutral position.

• Inhale and lift your chest off the floor. Roll your shoulders back and keep your low ribs on the floor. Make sure your elbows continue hugging your sides.

• Keep your neck neutral. Your gaze should stay on the floor.

Setu Bandhasana

As you perform SetuBandhasana, also known as Bridge Pose, you will become more alert in both body and mind. This rejuvenating backbend will open your chest up and keep your spine flexible.

Steps:

• Lie on the floor, bend your knees and set your feet on the floor, heels as close to the sitting bones as possible.

• Exhale and, pressing your inner feet and arms actively into the floor, lift the buttocks off the floor.

• Keep your thighs and inner feet parallel. Clasp the hands below your pelvis and extend through the arms to help you stay on the tops of your shoulders.

• Lift your chin slightly away from the sternum and, firming the shoulder blades against your back, press the top of the sternum toward the chin.

• Firm the outer arms, broaden the shoulder blades, and try to lift the space between them at the base of the neck up into the torso.

• Stay in the pose anywhere from 30 seconds to 1 minute. Release with an exhalation, rolling the spine slowly down onto the floor

Shavasana

Corpse pose is essential to practice at the end of every yoga practice. This posture rejuvenates the body, mind and spirit while reducing stress and tension.

Steps:

• Spread the legs one to two feet apart, the toes are turned outwards, the heels facing each other, a comfortable distance apart.

• Bring the arms a little away from the body, palms turned upward.

• Relax the neck and allow it to turn to the side if it is more comfortable.

• Close the eyes and focus the attention on the body, breathing normally.

• Begin focusing each body part and relaxing it, then moving on. Keep the mind focused on relaxation, the breath should be normal. Relax the whole body.

Breathing properly, contributes to the stress response which worsens with anxiety. Do not take breathing for granted, take out the time in the beginning and the end of any yoga session or just once in a day breathe deeply for at least 2-3 minutes and you can see the difference without moving a muscle. The short time effects of yoga can be felt though breathing techniques by learning to deeply breathe you not only allow your muscles to relax but you also feel equipped with other relaxation techniques like meditation.