Teen Yoga for Anxiety

Teenagers have a lot of pressure on them, whether it is about their careers, their relationships with friends and family members, their changing bodies, or the unfulfilled desires they have. Sometimes this stress seeps in so deep that it generates anxiety among them. This anxious behaviour may give rise to physical problems like restlessness, sleeplessness, and loss of appetite. The solution is straightforward: to deal with the root cause, i.e., anxiety! Yes! It is yoga! Yoga for teenage anxiety has been proven effective, and teenagers can dedicate a few minutes every day to calm their mind and body. 

Read on to get the details in this blog. 

When Should Teenagers Try Yoga?

Yoga for kids with anxiety can be done at any time of the day. However, it is not necessary to start doing the poses or the breathing exercises only when the teens start feeling anxious. Taking out some time during the day for this purpose will help them stay calm and manage stress on a daily basis. 

Here are some moments when the teens can do yoga:

During study hours

The teens should take out a few minutes in between the long study hours to perform some simple neck and shoulder rolls or stretching of hands and legs and straightening the spine which will help them feel refreshed, and they will be able to concentrate better when they will feel relaxed. Also, some basic yoga for kids with anxiety poses like the Tree Pose could also be done for improving concentration.

Before going to bed or in the evening

After an entire day of stress and anxiety due to being involved in various activities, their body needs to relax and that is why doing yoga is the best solution. One of the best yoga poses for teenage anxiety include the Child's Pose which has been proven to calm the body and mind. 

When they feel irritated

Stress and anxiety often lead to irritation among teens but not everyone is aware that yoga helps in lowering the irritation levels too. While stress and anxiety about even the smallest scenarios can lead to irritation among teens, the best solution is to do some yoga to get out of that phase and see things from a new perspective after they are calm and composed.

When they feel pressurised

Whether it is for getting good grades, or for a competition they are preparing for, teens always feel the pressure of performance and excellence. This pressure can be from the expectations of their near and dear ones, or the ones created by themselves. Whatever the reason, the solution is simple, Yoga! When they do the yoga poses that have been proven effective for stress and anxiety that is felt due to this pressure, they will be able to calm their nervous system and perform their best.

When they face digestive issues

Teenagers often suffer from digestive issues and even upset stomachs. Yoga is helpful in this too! Yoga poses like the Child’s Pose can help get rid of the discomfort as the pose stretches the abdominal muscles and relieves tension from the gut. 

 When Else Can Yoga for Teenage Anxiety be Done?

Some other instances when yoga for kids with anxiety can be performed:

• When they are feeling fatigued
• When there are frequent instances of headaches
• When they are struggling to get sound sleep
• When they show anger quite often
• When they start eating less

Yoga For Teenage Anxiety: Poses to Try

Here is the yoga for teenage anxiety poses that teenagers should include in their daily lives and also in scenarios that are mentioned above:

1. Child’s Pose

How to do the pose:

1. They need to kneel on the mat with knees and palms flat on the mat and fingers spread out.
2. They need to stretch their back forward in a way that their hands stretch and spread in front of them.
3. Rest the forehead on the mat. Their torso needs to touch their thighs.
4. They should take 5-10 deep breaths while holding the pose. 

2. Seated Forward Bend Pose

How to do the pose:

1. They need to sit on the mat in a way that their legs are straightened out in front of them.
2. They should inhale while lifting their arms straight up.
3. They should bend their hips to extend forward while resting their straightened hands on the body.
4. 5-10 deep breaths need to be taken while holding the pose.

3. Hero Pose

How to do the pose:

1. The teens need to kneel on the mat in a way that their knees are together and their feet slightly wider than their hips.
2. The tops of their feet should remain flat on the floor.
3. They need to sit back in a way that their bottom touches the floor in between their feet.
4. Their hands should be placed on their thighs, and they should straighten their back.
5. They need to take 5-10 deep breaths while holding the pose.

4. Tree Pose

How to do the pose:

1. They need to stand straight on the mat.
2. They should place the palm of one foot on the inner thigh of the other leg.
3. They need to raise their arms over their head and join the palms of both hands in the prayer position.
4. 5-10 deep breaths need to be taken while holding the pose.
5. They need to repeat with the other leg.

5. Standing Forward Bend Pose

How to do the pose:

1. The teens need to stand on the mat with their feet about hip distance apart and take a deep breath while placing both their hands on their hips.
2. Exhale while bending forward at the hips to fold forward while only slightly bending their knees.
3. As they bend forward, they should try touching their toes if possible.
4. They should repeat the process for at least 5-10 breaths.

Note

If at any time the teens feel that while performing these poses their mind is wandering off to the stressful situation, they took a break from and started doing yoga, they need to bring all their attention back to the pose that they are doing. 

While performing yoga for teenage anxiety, it is important to build a connection between their muscles and mind and concentrate on taking deep breaths while doing the poses. This way they will be able to perform the poses better and will get the advantage of doing these poses in the form of relaxation and calmness.

Summing Up

Yoga helps the teens to concentrate on the present. Yoga for kids with anxiety helps them to focus on the movements and connect their mind with the muscles, all while initiating deep breathing. By doing just a few simple yoga for teenage anxiety poses every day, teens can feel calm and relaxed.

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Do you know kids and teens can indulge in yoga too and get its advantages? Check out this blog: A Parent’s Guide to Mindful Kids Yoga: 5 Practices for a Balanced School Year