Yoga for joy: 5 poses to promote happy hormones, beat stress

Yoga can be a great stress buster in modern times as it helps promote secretion of happy hormones like endorphins and beat stress. Here are 5 poses to try.

In modern lifestyle, when stress has become a new normal and relaxation has become a luxury, it is difficult to find blissful moments and experience joy. As mind gets accustomed to unending workload and worries about future, one may find it difficult to sit back and enjoy even in free time. Excessive screen time further eats away time and wreaks havoc on mental health. Yoga can be a great stress buster in modern times as it helps promote secretion of happy hormones like endorphins and beat stress. By practicing Yoga regularly, one is able to be more mindful, beat stress and lead a more purposeful life. All these things add to the joy and give our life a meaning. (Also read: 3 amazing meditation techniques to boost happy hormones)

Yoga for joy: 5 poses to promote happy hormones, beat stress(Unsplash)

"Yoga is a guaranteed stress buster and a mood enhancer. There is plenty of research to support the fact that even 15-20 minutes of yoga practise on a regular basis can increase endorphins. These are feel good chemicals within the body which instantly decrease cortisol levels which are indicators of stress. If you want a holistic and safe solution to effectively improve your mood, the answer is yoga. Yoga also regulates your emotions as the brain gets activated and releases chemicals like dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins," says Himalayan Siddha, Akshar, Founder, Akshar Yoga Research and Development Centre.

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Here are some Yoga asanas one can try to add more happiness to their lives.

1. Sukhasana

• Sit with legs stretched forward

• Fold your right leg and drop your right knee to the proper side

• Fold the opposite leg and form a cross together with your calf muscles

• Straighten your back

• Place your palms on your knees

• Repeat the same with the opposite leg

2. Vrikshasana

• Begin in Samasthithi

• Lift your leg off the floor and balance your body weight on your standing leg

• Place the foot on your inner thigh close to your pelvis

• Join your palms in Pranam Mudra

• Straighten your elbows

• Repeat the same with the alternate leg

• Repeat 3 sets of 30 seconds each

3. Halasana

• Lie down on your back

• Place your palms on the floor beside your body

• Using your abdominal muscles, lift your legs up 90 degrees

• Press your palms firmly onto the floor and allow your legs to fall back behind your head

• Let your middle and lower back to lift off the floor so your toes can touch the floor behind

• Try to bring your chest as close to your chin as possible

• Bend the arms and hold the back with your palms for support as per your level of comfort

4. Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bending)

• Begin with Dandasana

• Ensure that your knees are slightly bent while your legs are stretched out forward

• Extend your arms upward and keep your spine erect

• Exhale and empty your stomach of air

• With the exhale, bend forward at the hip and place your upper body on your lower body

• Lower your arms and grip your big toes with your fingers

• Try to touch your knees with your nose

• Hold the asana for a while

5. Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)

• Begin by lying down on your stomach

• Bend your knees and hold your ankles with your palms

• Have a strong grip

• Lift your legs and arms as high as you can

• Look up and hold the posture for a while

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