Signs of General Anxiety
Signs of General Anxiety:
- Irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Easily fatigued
- Restlessness
- Being on edge
- Feeling “wound-up” and easily emotional
- Uncontrolled worry
- Difficulty falling asleep / waking up and not being able to get back to sleep
- Breathing rapidly
- Trembling
- Sweating, to name a few……
Most of us at some point will experience anxious moments in times of stress, and in particular over the past couple of years. If you are experiencing debilitating anxiety, please contact a medical professional in conjunction with your practice.
The question remains – how do we deal with the stress we encounter and still live a healthy productive life?
Everyone is different, with varying levels of anxiety but I have found for my own anxiety, that time spent on the mat is a great reset for the mind and the nervous system. A great quiet space to observe your mental climate and your thoughts, to slow down and give ourselves time to breathe. Sometimes that’s all we need.
Many times we fail to observe these signs if we are not self-aware of ourselves and our behavior. A correctly sequenced yoga practice can help interrupt the symptoms but even more help you to spot them so you can do something to adjust and reset your mental and emotional body.
The nervous system engaged in fight or flight mode can run amuck, spiraling out of control in a continuous loop. Finding a way to disengage from that strong pull will help you see from a new perspective, and gain clarity around what’s going on for you. Sometimes it’s as simple as being aware of the breath and slowing it down with longer exhalations.
Once you can see there is something happening automatically without your conscious decision, you have the powerful choice to do something about it & break the pattern. You are then better able to make healthy choices that will put you in charge of your emotional and mental well-being.
One way to take charge is through your continuous yoga practice and time with yourself. Give yourself permission to look at the fear or anxiety in the face and trust that you can lead yourself out of the darkness into lightness and space.
This sequence includes:
Sukhasana ( Easy Pose )
Tadasana ( Mountain Pose )
Uttanasana ( Forward Bend )
Adho Mukha Svanasana ( Downward Dog )
Prasarita Padottanasana ( Wide Legged Forward Bend )
Viparita Dandasana ( Inverted Staff Pose )
Utthita Trikonasana ( Triangle Pose )
Ardha Chandrasana ( Half Moon Pose )
Ustrasana ( Camel Pose )
Adho Mukha Virasana ( Forward Hero Pose )
Janu Sirsasana ( Head to Knee Pose )
Paschimottanasana ( Seated Forward Bend )
Forward Upavistha Konasana ( Forward Wide Legged Seated Forward Bend )
Supta Virasana ( Reclining Hero Pose )
Viparita Karani ( Leg up the Wall )