Fear, stress, anxiety and depression are the four most common emotions humans feel. With every change in our situation, our emotions also change. Fear is the biggest contributor to stress, as an innate human nature the first emotion experienced by the mind is fear. What if things do not work out the way I want them to, what if I fail, what if I get a disease, what if I die — these are a few common questions that run through our minds.
And when we do not find answers to these questions, we start getting stressed up which results in excessive sweating, palpitations etc. This in turn causes anxiety and depression.
Yoga is the only form of exercise that can help fight and break this vicious cycle. In yoga we teach the mind and body to combat fear so that we become so mentally strong that we can face any situation calmly.
NAUKASANA (Boat posture)
This yoga posture works on the abdomen region. In dealing with anxiety and depression, the gut of the body is most important. As anxiety increases the gut gets weaker. One of the first steps that need to be taken to fight anxiety is to keep the gut strong.
Procedure
1. Begin with lying down flat on your back with your hands by your side.
2. Inhale and raise your hands over your head.
3. As you exhale raise both your hands and legs off the mat balancing on your tail bone and putting load on the abdomen. The posture resembles a boat .
4. Breathe normally here and hold the posture from 10-30 seconds.
5. Repeat the whole posture 2-3 times for best results.
Benefits
1. Strengthens the abdomen, hip flexors, and spine.
2. Stimulates the kidneys, thyroid and prostate glands, and intestines
3. Helps relieve stress.
4. Improves digestion.
Caution: People with lower back problems can keep their knees slightly bent while doing this posture.
