Mood-Boosting Yoga Poses To Bring Sunshine to Your Day

Yoga has been around for far longer than any of us. Many believe it started 5,000 years ago, yet historians trace it back to 2,700 BC in Northern India. Either way, anything that thrives, especially over millennia, must be special. Yoga has clearly trumped the test of time, including its proven ability to promote mental health.

Of course, maintaining a good state of mind revolves around the brain’s ability to regulate moods. While yoga offers many tested physical benefits, its penchant for promoting mental well-being is also quite impressive. 

So if you’re serious about soaking up more sunshine in your life, try these three yoga poses and see for yourself. 

Fish Pose or Matsyasana

Matsyasana comes from Matsya, the name of a fish believed to be an incarnation of a Hindu mythology god. According to the story, Lord Vishnu saved primeval man during a deluge meant to cleanse the Earth of its sins. Matsyasana is called the fish pose because of its resemblance to fish. 

How It Affects Your Mood  

A 2021 study has proven that the fish pose, along with other yoga exercises, can help reduce the symptoms of depression. Matsyasana has also received praise for its positive impact on hypothyroidism, a condition notoriously linked to mood issues.  

How To Do It

1. Lie supine with your legs closed, and keep both arms clipped to your side. 
2. Slip both of your palms, face down, under your buttocks.
3. Pull both of your elbows in so they are closer to your waist. 
4. Cross your legs while keeping your knees flat on the floor. 
5. Take a deep breath and lift your chest and head. Your crown (the top of your head) should touch the ground. 
6. Keep your body weight on your elbows, not your head, while adding a little pressure to your shoulder blades.      
7. Stay in this position and take a deep breath until your body becomes comfortable.  
8. Exhale and relax.
   

Boat Pose or Navasana 

As a land of rivers, India usually conjures up images of boats. Poets have imagined it with a god and master navigator transporting people safely across. So, of course, the pose itself takes the shape of a boat, complete with a sail and oars. Taken from the Sanskrit word “Nava,” Navasana literally means boat. 

How It Affects Mood  

Navasana requires excellent concentration to achieve the hold, promoting mental resilience with constant practice. On top of that, it creates a positive effect on mood. This relationship anchors on cognitive inflexibility in major depression and its association with the inability to cope with new environments.  

How To Do It

1. Sit on the floor with your legs to the front. 
2. Fold your knees while keeping your feet flat on the floor, hands on the sides of your thighs.  
3. With your fingers pointed toward your toes, lean back and raise your legs by a few inches off the floor. 
4. Spread your chest out with your shoulder blades to the back.
5. Straighten your legs with your knees at a 45-degree angle against the floor. Also, keep your arms parallel to the ground. 
6. Keep this position for five to ten deep breaths (or up to how long you can hold it), then relax.  

Cobra Pose or Bhujangasana

Bhujangasana is from the Sanskrit word “bhujanga,” which means cobra. The pose represents the serpent in its most alert and sensitive state. When related to humans, it mirrors our ability to face our fears. The snake’s hood also depicts the wisdom that comes with the calm and serenity of the pose. 

How It Affects Mood  

Bhujangasana improves mood in a more general way. As a stretching exercise, it helps fight fatigue and reduce physical tension, especially from the waist up. As a result, the body releases endorphins and other hormones that regulate mood. 

How To Do It

1. Lie prone on the floor, folding your arms, so they lie right under your shoulders with your legs spread backward.
2. Inhale while gently lifting your head and chest off the ground, looking up as your arms straighten out.  
3. With your neck upright, push your chest forward and your shoulders back, your thighs pressed firmly down the floor. 
4. Keep the pose for up to 30 seconds, then exhale and release. Let your chest and forehead drop slowly. 
5. Turn your head to either side and relax before repeating the pose up to five times.  

Yoga for a Happier World, One Pose at a Time

Some 792 million people worldwide suffer from mental health problems. We may not even need statistics to prove this. It’s everywhere, from the nightly news to TikTok to our own circle of friends. Maybe we’ve even experienced a few episodes in our lives ourselves. 

The good thing is we also have lots of valuable information to consume. There is also yoga, which is a superb mood enhancer. While it may sound trivial against the enormous challenges of mentally unstable individuals, it’s still a great place to start, especially if you pair it with the use of mood-boosting essential oils. These include sweet orange, lavender, rosemary, and lemon.

If you ever feel down in the dumps, return to these mood-boosting yoga poses and try to heal from the inside. Unless you’ve been advised to see a professional, these simple routines can bring sunshine into your day.