Yoga expert Sunaina Rekhi shares 5 asanas that help her de-stress and feel calm

You are a slave to stress. I was too…

I had been married for 10 years before my husband and I filed for divorce. We had been through many things together, like any couple I guess. But during all these years my emotional needs were not met, at least a big part of them. He is a nice man and a very good father, but when it came to being married–we were not compatible. 

My daughter was 5-years-old at the time. I felt emotionally abandoned and was terribly unhappy. I tried to talk to him, to fix what was missing, but he was not receptive. Everyone around me questioned my decision, my action to end it. How could I give up on my marriage!

My friends and family attacked me while I was combating my own self-doubt. I lacked the courage to end things back then and it took me five years to end the relationship from when I started.

That’s when yoga rescued me
Yoga changed my life. You could even say that it saved my life. Yoga helped me free myself from the prison of my own mind and fully inhabit my body and love myself.

Whenever I would be on my mat, I would feel happy and calm. Today, when stress lingers in my body, I know how to cope with it. Let me teach you how.

Here are five yoga asanas that I personally perform to beat stress and stay calm

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1. Anilom vilom or alternate nostril breathing
Although it is a breathing technique, anilom vilom really helps me relax. So whenever I feel anxious or panicked I sit comfortably and practice this technique.
And if someone practices anilom vilom continuously for 12 weeks i.e. three times a week for 30-minutes, then it also helps in controlling the heart rate and blood pressure.

2. Diaphragmatic breathing or abdominal breathing
This technique has helped me calm down whenever I feel a sudden rush of emotion. Science also proves that abdominal breathing helps in reducing cortisol or stress hormone in our body, and that’s why you feel a sense of calm.

3. Balasana or child pose
I think this is one of the best stress-relieving poses in yoga and I practice it every morning without fail. It helps me induce feelings of calm and helps me put my mind in a meditative state.

4. Supta Badhakonasana or reclined butterfly pose
This pose is known to expel toxins and negative energy from the body. All you have to do is focus on the fluttering movement of your legs to feel better. And it will take care of the rest!

5. Shavasana or corpse Pose
This one is for total relaxation. I just lie comfortably on my mat and focus on my breath. This asana is an essential part of yoga nidra meditation and is a must if you want to de-stress yourself. You should do this pose after any kind of workout to relax.

With these asanas I built automatic responses to stress and broke my escapist habits completely. You can also use these yoga poses and let this practice help you declutter and de-stress.