yoga for panic attacks

Yoga for stress and anxiety

Navigating Stress and Anxiety with Yoga: A Path to Calm and Clarity

In today’s fast-paced world, stress and anxiety have become nearly inevitable for many of us. Whether it’s the demands of work, relationships, or just the constant stream of information we’re exposed to, it can feel overwhelming when we begin to struggle to navigate.

a way to calm the nervous system, regain balance, and reconnect with a sense of inner peace

Adopting a Yogic lifestyle or a simple daily Yogasana practice, offers us a powerful antidote—a way to calm the nervous system, regain balance, and reconnect with a sense of inner peace. If you’re looking for a way to manage stress and anxiety, yoga could be just the practice you need.

Understanding the Impact of Stress and Anxiety on the Body

Stress and anxiety are natural responses to life’s challenges, but when experienced too frequently or intensely, they can take a toll on us mentally and physically. Chronic stress can lead to tension, shallow breathing, fatigue, and even physical pain. Anxiety often brings feelings of restlessness, worry, and an inability to quieten the thoughts.

deep belly breathing activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes relaxation and reduces the “fight or flight” response

In yoga, we practice cultivating a sense of awareness to notice these responses as signs that our body and mind are out of balance. The beauty of yoga lies in its ability to address both the physical and mental components of stress, offering a holistic accessible approach to healing and restoring equilibrium.

How Yoga Helps to Alleviate Stress and Anxiety

Yoga provides several key benefits that can help reduce stress and anxiety:

1.Breathing Techniques (Pranayama)

One of the most effective tools in yoga for calming the mind and soothing the nervous system is conscious breathing. Techniques such as Ujjayi breath (victorious breath), Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing), and deep belly breathing activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes relaxation and reduces the “fight or flight” response. By focusing on your breath, you can create a sense of calm and clarity, no matter how chaotic your surroundings might be. Pranayama plays an important role in my yoga classes in St.Helens

2.Mindful Movement

Through yoga poses (Yogasana), we release physical tension that can be stored in the body due to stress. For example, gentle backbends like Camel Pose or Sphinx Pose can open the chest, helping to relieve feelings of tightness or constriction. Forward bends like Child’s Pose or Seated Forward Fold have a calming effect, signaling to the body that it’s safe to slow down and rest. These movements not only promote physical well-being but also help ease the mental strain that often accompanies anxiety.

3.Cultivating Presence and Awareness

Yoga invites us to be present in the moment, allowing us to break free from the cycle of worry and rumination. Yoga brings a release to the attachment of identifying with thoughts and feelings. As you focus on the sensation of each pose or the rhythm of your breath while in asana, the mind naturally becomes less distracted by thoughts of the past or future. This practice of mindfulness (awareness) helps shift your focus away from anxiety-inducing thoughts, fostering a sense of peace and isness.

4.Restorative Yoga and Relaxation

If you’re feeling particularly stressed, restorative yoga is an excellent way to calm the nervous system. This gentle practice involves long-held, supported poses designed to deeply relax the body and mind. Poses such as Legs Up the Wall, Supported Child’s Pose, or Reclining Bound Angle Pose are ideal for releasing tension, restoring energy, and soothing the nervous system. I offer guidance through restorative yoga classes in St. Helens please come join us!

5.Meditation and Visualisation

Meditation is another powerful tool in managing stress and anxiety. Even just a few moments of seated meditation can help slow down the thoughts and create mental space. In my yoga classes in St.Helens I offer guided imagery or visualisation practices—where you imagine a peaceful, safe place or visualising your breath as a calming force—these can also help bring the body/mind to a place of calm and balance.

Practical Tips for Incorporating Yoga into Your Routine

1.Set Aside Time for Your Practice

Even if it’s just 10-15 minutes a day, making yoga a regular part of your routine can help you build resilience against stress. Try to practice at a time when you can be undistracted and truly focus on yourself—whether it’s in the morning, during lunch, or before bed.

2.Create a Calming Environment

Set the mood by dimming the lights, lighting a candle, or playing soft instrumental music. A calm environment helps signal to your body that it’s in a safe space to relax and let go of tension.

3.Use Props for Support

Props like blankets, bolsters, and blocks can be incredibly helpful in restorative poses. They offer support and comfort, making it easier for your body to fully relax and release tension.

4.Be Kind to Yourself

Remember, yoga is not about perfection. If you don’t feel like you’ve “done it right,” that’s okay. The beauty of yoga lies in the practice itself, not in achieving a specific outcome. Approach each session with patience, self-compassion, and an open heart.

The Power of Yoga in Creating Lasting Change

The more consistently you incorporate yoga into your routine, the more you’ll begin to notice its effects—not only in your physical body, but in your mental and emotional state as well. Yoga is a journey, a lifestyle. With each practice, you become more skilled at navigating stress and anxiety with a sense of ease and clarity.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or anxious, remember that yoga offers a sanctuary. It’s a practice of self-care and healing, and no matter where you are in your journey, it’s always available to guide you back to a place of peace.

I hope this post helps you begin to navigate the challenges of stress and anxiety with the transformative power of yoga. Take a moment today to breathe deeply, move with intention, and create space for peace within. I would love nothing more than for you to join me in practice so please click on this link here to book your space for practice with me in my yoga classes in St Helens and various other UK venues

Yoga for anxiety

Is yoga an amazing all-over workout? Heck yes! But that’s only one benefit. Yoga is a combination of physical movements and postures along with meditative movements, breathing, and mindfulness. It can provide you with an approachable way to reduce anxiety, stress, and depression.

If the panic attack has already hit

Let’s get to the nitty-gritty. If you’re reading this, it is highly likely you have experienced or even right now, are experiencing an anxiety attack or panic attack. Know you are not alone and that nobody has ever died from an actual panic attack as much as your nervous system may beg to differ at the time!

Panic attacks are nothing to be ashamed of. They can happen to literally anyone, regardless of their lifestyle. In these sweat-inducing, tremor-producing moments, your body preps for fight or flight even if there’s no real danger. Panic attacks can be scary, especially if you’ve never had one before.

Symptoms of a panic attack

pain or tightness in your chest
a sense of impending danger
trembling and shaking
dizziness or faintness
shortness of breath
a pounding heart
numbness
sweating
nausea
impaired vision

You can use yoga to ease anxiety and panic attacks. Although, before you jump into a new routine, take some time to calm yourself. The breathing techniques below are a great way to begin recalibrating the nervous system.

Try to take deep, slow breaths that fill your belly (not just your chest). Draw air in through your nose and exhale through your mouth. You can also try alternate nostril breathing. Focus on your breath until you begin to feel relief.

Entering a simple yoga pose can also help. Pick one that promotes a sense of grounding but also helps you relax. Some good choices are Child’s Pose and Bridge Pose. This can open your lungs, slow rapid breathing, and decrease your heart rate.

Best yoga poses for anxiety

I have put together a sequence of yoga poses (asana) that will help the body to relax, transferring over to the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest) as opposed to the sympathetic system (fight or flight). These yoga poses for panic attacks can help promote a sense of safety, relaxation, and overall stillness.

The practice is for all levels, including beginners, and takes around 60 minutes from start to finish. Each pose should be sat in for around four nourishing belly breaths. If you are struggling with reoccurring anxiety such as GAD ( Generalised anxiety disorder) I would suggest you practice this sequence at least twice a week to keep your nervous system in check, rather than waiting for it to become overstimulated and burnt out.

Click the link here will take you to the free Yoga for Anxiety and Stress sequence, all you need to do is press play and follow its lead.

If you have any questions, need some additional advice or guidance, or would like to attend a 121 or one of my morning online sessions, please click on the link here to get in touch and to find out more or book straight on here

Meditation & breathing exercise for anxiety/panic attacks

This meditation is particularly good for women and essential at times of worry, unease, and irrationality. Normally, we breathe at a rate of 15 breaths a minute, but when we’re able to rhythmically slow down our breath to only 4 breaths per minute, we have indirect control over our minds. This eliminates obnoxious behavior, promoting a calm mind regardless of our surroundings. This is a very effective method of balancing the functional brain.

Please bear in mind that this meditation, and breathing exercise, is an advanced practice. It stabilises the pranic body (energy body), resulting in an increased sense of self and elimination of anxiety. Conscious and subconscious fears negatively impact our judgment and self-trust every day. This meditation removes our reactions to those fears and makes us steady. Follow the Nadi Shodhana link above if you feel this is too advanced for you at the moment.

Try It

Sit in Easy Pose with your eyelids 1/10th open, gaze focused at your brow point. Hold your right hand 4–6 inches in front of your body at the level of your throat. Curl your fingers into a fist. Extend your thumb straight up. Hold your left hand directly below your right fist. Curl the fingers of your left hand into a fist. Extend your thumb straight up.

Adjust the position of your hand so your left thumb tip is about 2 inches from the base of your right fist and your thumbs are aligned with each other. The base of your left hand to the top of your right thumb should cover the space from the level of your diaphragm to your mouth. Hold your elbows so that your forearms are parallel to the ground.

Regulate your breath in this pattern: Inhale deeply and quickly, then exhale immediately, powerfully, and completely. Lock your breath out. Suspend your chest and keep your neck locked. Keep your thumbs stiff and in perfect position.

Hold your breath out for a rhythmic count of 26. With each count, gently apply mula bandha. Visualize as you count. See and feel the energy and awareness going up your spine, vertebra by vertebra. The count of one is the first vertebra at the base of your spine and the count of 26 is at the top of your spine at the center of your skull. Continue for 3–11 minutes

I do hope these tools and techniques help in some way. Always remember…

All is well, and I am safe.

I inhale strength and exhale fear

I’ve survived this before, I’ll survive now

and my favourite…

Let go of the fear, only love is here

I do hope this post brings some relief to you and wish you peace and stillness.