Can Kids Yoga Help Relieve Stress

Kids today live active as well as stressful lives. The pressure of getting excellent grades, staying involved in extracurricular activities, and the stress of living up to the expectations of parents and teachers make their lives quite exhausting. Additionally, some of them have to deal with difficult situations like the divorce of their parents, bullying, various illnesses, etc. Further, dealing with emotional, psychological changes caused due to puberty may not be easy on them. Majority of kids go through a lot of stress and turmoil at an early age. They need to break free from it in order to improve their overall wellbeing. The positive effects of yoga on stress in adults are well documented.  Similarly, there is no better way to heal the kids than the science of yoga.
 
The practice of yoga that includes yoga asanas, breathing techniques, and meditation helps relax their bodies and soothe their mind. The deep breathing techniques quickly alleviate the feeling of anxiety and stress in mind of the kids that in turn slows down the negating psychological arousals in their body. As children immerse themselves in regular yoga practice, they become more aware of their breath and body. Through yoga, we can teach them a mechanism to cope up with stress and to focus on the present moment. Kids derive many other benefits from consistent yoga practice in addition to stress and anxiety relief such as physical strength, better balance, enhanced motor functions, and heightened awareness.
 
Here is a list of easy, fun yoga postures that your kid can practice to beat the stress:

1.Tree Pose or Vrikshasana: Stand on a yoga mat with feet and ankles together. Move your body weight to your right leg and try to balance the body. Now, raise your left, bend your knee and hold the left foot with your left hand. Place the sole of the feet on the inner right thigh. Fold your hands in prayer position in front of the chest. Remain in this pose for 10-15 seconds.
 
2.Downward facing dog pose or Adho Mukha Svanasana: Begin on your fours. Align your wrists under your shoulders and knees under your posterior. Exhale; lift your knees off the floor. Gently, straighten your legs and come into an upside down position. Relax your head and gaze between your legs. Hold this pose for 15-20 seconds.
 
3.Warrior Pose or Virabhadrasana: Begin in mountain pose. Upon an exhalation; spread your feet 3-4 inches apart. Keep your arms perpendicular to the floor. Turn your left foot to 45-degree and right foot to 90-degrees. Bend your right knee and slightly turn your torso towards the right. Keep your shin perpendicular to the floor. Stay in this pose for 30 seconds.

4.Cat-Cow Stretch or Marjaryasana-Bitilasana: Kneel on the yoga mat with your wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Inhale, curl your toes inwards, draw your belly and navel in. Gaze up towards the sky. This is cow pose. Breathe out, curve your spine, bend your head down and bring your chin close to your chest. This is cat pose.
 
5.Happy Baby Pose or Ananda Balasana: Lie on your back on the ground and bend your knees. Raise your legs high and bring your knees close to your stomach. Hold the feet with your hands. Try to open your knees wider than your torso. Align your ankles over the knees and place your shin perpendicular to the floor. Retain this pose for 15-20 seconds.
 
6.Corpse Pose or Savasana: Lie in a supine position on a yoga mat. Extend your legs in front of you and rest your arms beside you. Keep your eyes closed and take deep breaths. Relax your whole body, feel the tensions melt away and experience stillness. Remain in this pose for 3-5 minutes and slowly release the pose.  
 
Introduce your kids to these six interesting and exciting yoga postures, and let them kick-start a stress-free life.