Practice Yoga to reduce stress

Strike these poses for a calmer and happier you.

Hypertension is not just common, in a strange twisted way it's a status symbol. It shows you have arrived, are busy and lead a stressed life. However, it takes a toll on your heart, spikes your blood sugar and insulin levels and that's bad news.

Recent studies show that yoga brings about a balance in your autonomous nervous system and regulates your blood pressure by stabilising your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.

As a yoga practitioner, I have experienced the calming effect that this alternative therapy can provide. Being static, yoga postures are less demanding and require less oxygen. This causes minimal strain during exercise and keeps your muscles relaxed. Here are a few postures that you can practise to keep your stress levels under control.

Vajrasana
Sit with your legs extended, hands by the side of your body and palms resting on the floor. Bend your right leg at the knee and place your foot under the right buttock keeping your soles tucked in. Do the same with your left leg. Rest your hands on your thighs, keeping your back straight. Hold for some time, come back to the starting position.

GomukhasanaSit on the floor stretching your legs forward. Slightly bend both your knees and place your left leg under your right thigh. Take your right leg over your left leg, making sure your left knee is under the right one. Now take your right hand behind your back with your palm facing downwards and place your left hand behind. Try clutching your palms together, making sure your back is straight and aligned with your neck. Hold for some time and come back to the starting position.

Ardha shalabhasana
Lie in prone position (on your stomach), bring your legs together, toes pointing outward, hands by your body, fists closed and chin on the floor. Then slowly raise your right leg without bending at the knee, do not tilt the pelvis. Hold for some time and come back to the starting position. Switch sides and repeat.

Padmasana
Sit on the floor, stretch your legs and place palms along the side of the body. Now hold the sole of the right foot and place it on the left thigh. Take the left foot over the right. Keeping your back straight, place your palms on the knees and slowly close eyes, focussing on your breath. Hold for some time and slowly come back to the starting position.

Anulom-vilom pranayama
Sit straight and close your right nostril with your right thumb and inhale from the left nostril. Then close your left nostril with your right index and middle fingers and exhale from the right nostril. Now do the reverse. Inhale with the right nostril, close your right nostril with your right thumb then exhale with the left. This forms one round of anulom-vilom pranayama.