4 easy yoga poses for stress relief

Stress is a natural part of life and plays a role keeping us physically and mentally ready for almost anything.  However, too much stress has the opposite effect and will eventually wear us down. Fortunately, yoga can help with these 4 easy stress-relieving poses.

Life comes with a lot of stress and yoga is a great, healthy way to reduce it. Stress definitely has a function in your body. It's meant to kick you into gear and get your mind and body alert and prepared. However, too much stress can wreak havoc on your body, leaving you anxious, sleepless, agitated and with a host of other physical and psychological issues. Yoga is a great cure for stress and can help to alleviate its symptoms. Here are some of the best yoga poses for stress relief.

• Namaste is one of the most traditional yoga poses.
• Start by standing with your feet together and your arms hanging by your sides.
• Take a deep breath and raise your arms up and out until they meet over your head.
• Then exhale and bring your arms back down to your sides.
• This will help get your body aligned with your breath.

• Start by getting down on your hands and knees and then slowly sit back onto your heels.
• Stretch your arms out in front of you as far as you can reach on the floor.
• Take a number of deep breaths with your forehead on the floor and let your body relax.
• This helps to stretch the muscles in your torso.

• Stand next to a wall and reach the arm that is closest to the wall out, pressing your palm against the wall.
• Then twist your body away from your arm so you feel a slight stretch on the shoulder.
• Hold this pose for several deep breaths and then repeat with the other arm.
• This pose will release tension from your neck and shoulders.

• Start the pose by sitting next to a wall with your knees bent and your side up against the wall.
• Then twist your body around and slide your legs up the wall until they are straight against the wall. Take a few deep breaths in this position with your arms by your side and feel the stretch along the back of your legs.
• These are just a few yoga poses that can drastically reduce the feeling of stress in your life. Introduce a yoga practice into your daily routine in order to help keep stress levels down.