6 Best Yoga Exercises to Relax Your Mind

Best yoga exercises to relax the mind (Image via Pexels/Ekaterina Bolovtsova)

Yoga exercises are some of the most sustainable and effective ways to relax the mind.

A competitive environment, the hustle-bustle of city life, high workload, and various other factors can contribute to the feeling of being overwhelmed, restless, tired, and frustrated.

Yoga exercises with gentle and restorative movement can help you relax your mind to better deal with stress by providing tranquility.

Yoga Exercises for Relaxed Mind

We have curated a list of the six best yoga exercises you can do to relax your mind:

1) Lizard Pose (Utthan Pristhasana)

The lizard pose opens up the pelvic region along with stretching the upper body that help in relaxing the mind.

How to do it?

Start off in the position of a downward facing dog with your hips pointed towards the ceiling along with the feet and hands pressed onto the ground.
Assume a deep lunge position on the ground by stepping on your right foot to the front and dropping the other knee to the ground.
Make sure the soles of the foot in the front are pressing onto the ground.
Bring your hands to the front, and clasp them together.
Slowly release after a few moments, and repeat.

2) Easy Pose (Sukhasana)

The easy pose has a simplest movement that can help you relax the mind by opening up the pelvic region, bringing better alignment of the spine, and strengthening the back.

How to do it?

Start off in an elongated sitting position, with your legs straightened in front of you.
Cross both legs in front of your shins, beginning with the right one.
Keep your knees wide position, with both feet under the opposite knee.
Fold both legs in front of the body.
Position your palms on their respective knees while maintaining proper alignment of the neck, spine, and head.
Keep your gaze straight, or you may even close your eyes.
Release after a couple of moments.

3) Wide Legged Forward Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana)

This is a dynamic yoga exercise that can help in relaxation by stretching the muscles and relieving tightness from the posterior chain.

How to do it?

Start off in an elongated standing position, with your feet wider than shoulder-distance apart.
Slightly turn both toes outward before hinging at the hips to fold forward from the hips above.
Position both palms on the ground directly underneath your shoulders.
Slowly assume the standing position. Repeat.

4) Sphinx Pose (Salamba Bhujangasana)

The sphinx pose can calm the mind through decompressing movements and strengthen the spine.

How to do it?

Start off by lying down on your belly with your face towards the floor.
Position your elbows just underneath your shoulders, and keep your legs together.
Slowly raise your chest off the ground while rolling your shoulder blades backward and pressing onto your forearms.
Keep your gaze forward, and slightly drop your chin. Release after a few moments.
Repeat.

5) Reclining Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)

This is a dynamic yoga exercise that can help soothe and relax the entire body along and stretching the lower body.

How to do it?

Start off by lying down in an elongated position on your back.
Bring the soles of your feet together by bending the knees to their respective sides.
Reach with both arms overhead by positioning one palm over the other.
Try to relax with your eyes closed and deep breaths.
Gently release, and repeat.

6) Supine Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)

The supine twist can help relax the mind by decompressing and detoxifying the body.

How to do it?

Start off by lying in an elongated position on your back, with your feet flat on the ground, arms on the side, and knees bent.
Bring both knees towards your chest, and wrap your arms around them.
Straighten your right leg towards the floor with the other knee drawn towards the chest. Straighten the left arm towards the floor at shoulder height.
Position your right hand on the outside of the left knee, with the left hand resting gently on your right knee.
Drop your left knee over the right side of the body.
Twist your head towards the right side. Release.
Change sides, and repeat.

Bottom Line

The aforementioned yoga exercises can soothe and relax the mind. Regularly practicing them can enhance mental well-being by rejuvenating the body, manage stress, soothe anxiety, ease tension, ward off insomnia, and more.

Considering the benefits of the aforementioned exercises, you should consider incorporating them in your workout routine.

Edited by Bhargav