"Whenever this spiral occurs, I've found that certain yoga poses for anxiety—or at least, poses that ease my anxiety—help stop the madness. And they do so in very little time. Dropping into my favorite shapes quickly slows my mental chatter, slowing my sense of urgency to far more reasonable and manageable levels."
"The particular pose that helps depends on the day and my mood. Some afternoons call for more chill restorative poses that help me breathe through the moment. Others require a posture with a little more oomph, the sort that gets my blood flowing and distracts me from the defeating (and also untrue) sense that there aren't enough hours in the day."
"Savasana is medicine. Breathe deeply here for 1 minute, 5 minutes, or 20 minutes. Eagle Pose, with its twisted limbs and one-legged balance, demands all your attention. While some yogis dread Eagle, I find comfort in the pretzel pose, almost as if I'm giving myself a very complicated hug."
Afternoon anxiety often strikes around 2 p.m., creating a sense that the day has been wasted despite morning productivity. This triggers spirals of task reconfiguration and panic. Certain yoga poses provide quick relief by slowing mental chatter and reducing urgency. The most effective poses vary by day and mood—some restorative poses encourage breathing through the moment, while others with more intensity get blood flowing and counteract the false belief that insufficient time remains. After several deep breaths in these poses, a more rational mindset emerges, enabling productive continuation into the next phase of the day.
#yoga-for-anxiety #afternoon-mental-health #stress-management #mindfulness-practices #restorative-movement
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