Yoga is happiness! 5 poses to boost your mood
Yoga, no matter the pose, has the power to change your mood. As both an internal and external exercise, yoga helps you connect with your body and mind. By connecting with your body, it helps you check in with yourself, and how your body is feeling, the physical activity of each pose can also boost serotonin levels, improving your mood. It also connect with your mental state, and helps you clear your thoughts and focus in the moment.
The above being said, there are inevitably specific asanas that can help boost your mood, whether it is by providing a soothing feeling, an empowering one or by simply providing you with a calm moment to focus on yourself.
Below we’ve put together some of our favourite asanas that help lift our spirits:
Happy baby (Ananda Balasana)
Ideal for beginners, this is a soothing, gentle, restorative pose that involves lying on your back while you hold the soles of your feet above you - just like a happy baby!
Physically, it gently opens your hips and stretches your hamstrings. Mentally it helps reduce the feelings of anxiety and stress, and improves tiredness and fatigue.
How to do it:
Start lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground
On your next exhale bring your knees to your belly
Inhale, and grab hold of your soles, on the inside or outside.Have the feet a little wider than hips distance apart and bring your knees towards your armpits. If you can’t reach your feet use a yoga strap over each foot and hold onto those.
Flex your heels with your hands, so they are parallel to the ceiling, and rock from side to side like a happy baby. Stay in the pose for several breaths.
To come out of the pose, let go of your feet and bring your knees to your belly, then slowly lower your feet back to the ground.
Tree pose (Vrksasana)
Feel a whole body stretch, while standing tall and strong! Tree pose provides the perfect balance between stretch and strength, and through practice, it can help you find focus and stability when you might feel a little “unbalanced”. It also has an added feeling of grace and peacefulness that is bound to improve your mood.
While this asana focuses primarily on the lower body, you can also incorporate your upper body in different variations, as long as you feel comfortable doing so.
How to do it:
Start in mountain pose, standing straight, looking forwards and with your hand by your side and feet facing forwards.
Slowly transfer your weight to your right foot, then lift your left foot and bring its sole to rest against your right leg. Depending on your level and balance this can be against your ankle, your calf or your thigh.
Continue to stand strong on your right leg and actively press your left foot against it. Only draw the knee back to the extent that you keep your hips squared.
Put your palms together in front of your chest and look forwards. Alternatively, you can lift your arms up on your next inhale and breathe deeply. If you feel there is a risk of falling do hold onto a wall or chair.
Hold the pose for a couple of minutes.
To come out of the pose, bring your left foot down slowly down
Repeat on your left leg
Goddess pose (Uktata Konasana)
This asana will bring out your strength and confidence, as well as some flair and individuality. It stretches thighs and opens your hips, whilst also stretching your spine.
This is a perfect pose for all levels, because you can always increase or decrease the intensity of the pose through different variations, responding to your energy levels and how your body feels in the moment. The key is alignment, but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with our Form Grid!
How to do it:
Start in mountain pose
Take a big, open step with your right foot toward the back of your mat. Turn your toes out to a 45 degree angle.
Bend your knees so they land directly over the ankles, sending the knees outwards slightly (like a plié squat).
Drop the tailbone down and sink the hips while engaging the core. Lift up on the pelvic floor & draw the navel in toward the spine.
Open your arms out, elbows bent, and spread your fingers, allowing your pinky fingers to rotate inward. Hands can face each other, allowing shoulder blades to glide down your back.
Lift through the heart center and take the floating ribs in, lengthening through the spine.
Take five deep breaths, allowing your exhalation to grow longer than the inhalation.
Repeat as many times as you’d like, enabling your body to feel grounded and open.
To make the pose easier, keep your hands on your hips or don’t go too deep on the squat. You can always hold a chair or the wall for balance and support.
To make the pose harder, try lifting your heels to work on your balance, or even closing your eyes (if you trust yourself!). You can also go deeper or longer, separating your feet as far as possible while maintaining your thighs parallel to the floor.
Dancer pose (Natarajasana)
Dancing is always fun, so why not mix it into your yoga practice? An intermediate asana, the dancer pose improves balance and focus, whilst also giving you the opportunity to work on this pose and grow with it. This is a pose that allows you to go as far as you can and track your progress. It increases your self-belief and satisfaction at the end of your practice.
Give it a go with our guide to Dancer pose
Downward dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Downward dog is the perfect pose for beginners and advanced yogis alike. One of the most widely-recognised poses, it is a great full-body stretch that also works your core. It is also a mild inversion and so it had to make our list!
Inversions help you see things and approach situations from a different perspective. The blood flow towards the head can help regulate hormones and boost endorphin production, such as serotonin - increasing attention and improving your mood!
How to do it:
Start on all fours with a flat, neutral spine
Tuck your toes, lift your hips, bring your ears between your arms and look down at your legs.
From there, bring your heels toward the ground and pedal your feet. This wakes up your calves and hamstrings.
Hold the pose for three breaths and then come back down your hands and knees.
Repeat, or move on to the next pose.
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