• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
BlackDoctor.org
Where Wellness & Culture Connect

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

  • Health Conditions
  • Wellness
  • Lifestyle
  • Longevity
  • Resource Centers
    • Clinical Trials Resource Center
    • Wellness on the Yard
    • Cancer Resource Center
    • Immunocompromised Care
    • Top Blacks in Healthcare
  • Find A Doctor
  • BDO TV
Home / Lifestyle / Living with Ulcerative Colitis / 10 Stress-Fighting Yoga Poses

10 Stress-Fighting Yoga Poses

Yoga Poses For Stress Relief

While your body can easily recover from the occasional stressful situation, prolonged stress can wreak all sorts of havoc. Studies show that chronic stress can damage different organs including your digestive system. If you’re always dealing with stress, you increase the risk of developing digestive issues like ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome. Experts usually recommend avoiding situations that stress you out but that’s not always possible. That’s when you have to learn effective stress management techniques like yoga. 

RELATED: 6 Yoga Poses To Relieve Stress 

10 Yoga Poses For Stress Relief

Yoga Poses For Stress Relief

1. Standing Forward Bend

  • From a standing position, bend your knees and hinge forward from your hips, placing your hands in front of your feet. Engage your core and exhale as you fold.
  • Shift the weight to the balls of your feet. If your hamstrings feel tight, bend your knees slightly. If not, lengthen through the back of your legs.
  • Grab hold of each elbow with opposite hands. Focus on softening your jaw, neck, around your eyes, and clearing thoughts from your mind.
  • Hold the pose for five breaths, then slowly rise.

RELATED: De-Stress In 60 Minutes Or Less!

2. Easy Pose

  • Sit cross-legged on your mat, right foot in the front.
  • After a few minutes, slowly bend forward as far as you can, arms out in front of you. 
  • Stay in the forward bend for five breaths, then straighten.
  • Switch legs and repeat.

3. Cat-Cow

  • Start on your hands and knees then exhale while drawing your stomach into your spine.
  • Round your back to the ceiling as far as you can.
  • Point the crown of your head to the floor but don’t force your chin to your chest.
  • Repeat nine times.

RELATED: Namaste! 6 Yoga Poses To Help You Breathe Better

4. Sitting Forward Bend

  • Sit straight with your legs extended, bend your left leg and bring the sole of your foot to the upper inside right thigh. Your left knee should rest on the floor. 
  • Put both palms on either side of your right leg and inhale. Turn towards the extended leg and exhale while folding forward. 
  • Hold for 5-6 breaths and repeat the pose on the other side.

5. Reclining Bound Angle

  • Lie on your back, bend your knees, and place your feet flat on the ground. 
  • Then drop your knees out wide so your legs form a diamond. Place one hand on your heart and the other on your belly. 
  • Stay in the pose for at least a minute. Repeat as necessary.

RELATED: 3 Yoga Poses To Keep Your Blood Sugar in Check

6. Sun Salutation A

  • Stand with your feet slightly apart. Keep your arms down with face palms facing forward. 
  • Raise your arms up above your head and then slowly reach back, arching your back and opening up your chest. 
  • Fold forward to reach toward your toes. Hold for a few breaths at the top of the pose and then in the forward bend. Repeat as desired.

7. Child’s Pose

  • Start on your hands and knees, and sit back over your heels with your hands in front of you.
  • Slowly fold forward until your forehead rests on the mat.
  • Allow your big toes to touch. You can either have your knees together or separated.
  • You can rest your arms alongside your body or extend your arms in front of you.
  • Stay in this pose for at least ten breaths.

RELATED: 5 Stress Reducing Vitamin Supplements

8. Bridge

  • Start with lying flat on your back. Bend your knees and place your feet hip-width apart. Keep your arms along your body with palms facing down.
  • Press your feet into the floor. Inhale deeply and lift your hips. Keep your knees hip-width apart.
  • Press into your arms and shoulders to lift your chest. Engage your legs and glutes to
Continue Reading

The Latest In Living with Ulcerative Colitis

best tea for digestive issues

5 Teas That Soothe Digestive Issues

Across cultures, herbal remedies have been used to treat a variety of ailments for centuries. Turmeric fights inflammation, while ginger has anti-nausea properties. The hydration that tea provides alone can help soothe ulcerative colitis symptoms (UC) like diarrhea or short read more about 5 Teas That Soothe Digestive Issues
ulcerative colitis surgery

How To Prepare For Ulcerative Colitis Surgery

Surgery for ulcerative colitis is increasingly performed on patients in the early stages of the illness. However, regardless of where you are now, you're probably thinking about what steps to take to be ready. What follows is essential information. Prepare read more about How To Prepare For Ulcerative Colitis Surgery
ease stomach pain

5 Foods To Ease Stomach Pain

There are several issues that people with ulcerative colitis have to deal with. One of those issues is the symptoms of a flare-up, which can include stomach pain, fatigue, diarrhea, and bleeding when using the restroom. While it’s important to read more about 5 Foods To Ease Stomach Pain

10 Natural Ways to Improve Digestion Right Now

It’s well known that your diet has a significant impact on your overall health. However, if your digestive system isn’t operating at its best, you might not be getting all the nutritional benefits of what you eat. Thankfully, tweaking your read more about 10 Natural Ways to Improve Digestion Right Now
Crohn’s vs IBS

Ulcerative Colitis Pain and Location: What’s the Best Treatment?

If you are living with ulcerative colitis, it is no surprise that one of the main symptoms of the disease is pain. Aches, cramps, burning sensations, and other chronic discomforts are all common symptoms. However, the location and severity of read more about Ulcerative Colitis Pain and Location: What’s the Best Treatment?
Mid section of a woman with stomach pain sitting in bed

Pain No More: The Pill That Can Prevent Ulcerative Colitis Flare-Ups

  According to the CDC, an estimated 3.1 million adults (1.3%) in the United States have been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Although Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease can be managed, there read more about Pain No More: The Pill That Can Prevent Ulcerative Colitis Flare-Ups

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to our newsletter

Poll

Popular Posts

The 14 Different Types Of Headaches: Which One You’re Experiencing?

The 14 Different Types Of Headaches: Which One You’re Experiencing?

6 Things In Your Home That Can Cause Cancer

things that cause cancer

5 Amazing Things Salt Water Can Cure

salt water benefits

5 Exercise Moves That Never Work

exercise moves

3 Supplements You Should Be Taking Daily

daily report
Find a Culturally Sensitive Doctor

Footer

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

BDO is the world’s largest and most comprehensive online health resource specifically targeted to African Americans. BDO understands that the uniqueness of Black culture - our heritage and our traditions - plays a role in our health. BDO gives you access to innovative new approaches to the health information you need in everyday language so you can break through the disparities, gain control and live your life to its fullest.

Connect With Us

Learn More About

  • Hepatitis C
  • Diabetes
  • Sickle Cell
  • Mental Health
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise With Us
  • BlackDoctor.org Advertising and Sponsorship Policy
  • Daily Vitamina
  • TBH

Copyright © 2023, BlackDoctor, Inc. All rights reserved.