6 Best Yoga Exercises That Help Calm Your Nervous System

The benefits of yoga practice are well known. Practicing yoga in your daily workout improves mind–body connection. Yoga is excellent for mental well-being just as it is for physical fitness.

The nervous system is a complex body mechanism that controls several physiological functions and psychological effects, and significant organ systems in the body. So, it's important to keep the health of the nevous system in check.

Read on to know about the yoga postures that, if practiced frequently, can boost, strengthen, and calm down your neurological system.

Yoga Asanas to Calm Nervous System

The following six asanas can help you calm your nervous system. Perform them before sleeping to have a good night's rest:

1) Nadi Shodhana Pranayama (Alternate Nostril Breathing)

This technique can help you find balance in your energy, bringing you calm or making you more alert.

To do this yoga pose:

Choose a yogic seat, and sit tall. Curl the ring and pinky fingers on your right hand into your palm.
Join your middle and index fingers, and point your thumb straight up. Your left hand should be on your thigh.
When you breathe in through your right nostril for four counts, gently press your two extended fingers together to close off your left nostril.
Close your right nostril by pressing down on them with your thumb.
As you breathe out of your left nostril for four counts, open your right nostril.
For four counts, breathe in through the left nostril.
Close the left nostril; open the right one, and take four deep breaths out of the right one. Do 4–6 rounds of practice.

2) Seated Forward Bend

The seated forward bend can stretch the hamstrings and open up the hips. It's highly recommended for those with tight hamstrings and is considered a calming pose.

To do this exercise:

Start by sitting in Dandasana (Staff Pose) with your legs straight out in front of you.
Bring your arms straight out to the sides and up over your head, reaching for the ceiling.
Take a deep breath in, and stretch your back.
As you let out your breath, start to lean forward from your hips.
Each time you breathe in, stretch your spine. You might have to straighten up a bit to do that.
Every time you breathe out, go deeper into your forward bend.
Keep your neck as a natural extension of your spine. Don't turn it to look up or completely let it go.
When your spine is as long as it can go, decide if you want to stay in this position, or let it round forward.
Grab your ankles or shins, depending on what you can reach. You can also wrap your feet with a strap. Keep your feet strongly bent the whole time.

3) Bridge Pose

The bridge pose stretches the hips, chest, neck, and back. It makes the back, buttocks, and hamstrings stronger.

It also helps the blood flow better and helps get rid of mild stress and depression. The brain and central nervous system are calmed by this pose.

To do this pose:

Lie on your back with your knees bent and the soles of your feet under your knees.
Put your hands where your hips are.
Bridge Pose is when you press evenly into your hands and feet and lift your pelvis up towards the ceiling.
You can do that by putting your hands behind your back and bringing your shoulder blades closer to your midline.
Put a block under your sacrum, and tie a yoga strap around your thighs for a more supported version of this pose.
With the strap, you won't have to use as much muscle power to keep your legs from spreading apart. Hold for 5-10 breaths.

4) Matsyasana

Matsyasana relieves tension in the chest and shoulders, helping calm the nervous system and alleviate stress.

To do this pose:

Place one block at the middle height and, if you want, one block at the highest height, both parallel to the top of the mat.
The block at the middle height should go just under your mid-back, and the block at the highest height, if you use it, should go under your head.
When you're ready, slowly lay back on the two blocks.
If you want to stretch through your belly, you can make your legs longer.
If this version of Matsyasana hurts your lower back too much, bend both knees, and put both feet flat on the floor.
You may spread your arms out to make a nice space across your chest. Take a break for 2–15 minutes.

5) Bharadvajasana

This asana helps with neck, shoulder, and lower back pain, and stiffness. It makes the shoulders and back flexible, helping calm the nervous system.

To do this yoga pose:

Sit on the floor with your arms behind your back and legs straight out in front of you.
Put your hands behind you on the floor, with the fingers pointing away from you.
Put the flat bottom of your left foot on the ground on the outside of your right knee. Take a breath in and raise your right arm.
Your chest, head, and eyes should be facing left.
Put your elbow on the outside of your left leg. Hold for 5-10 breaths.
Slowly move back to the middle.
Repeat the above steps on the other side..

6) Viparita Karani

This is one of the best asanas you can do to relax your body and mind. The Viparita Karani counteracts long hours of sitting and helps you calm you down after a long day. Perform this asana before bed for a relaxed sleep.

To do this yoga pose:

From a sitting position, bring one hip as close as you can to the wall's baseboard, and swing your legs up the wall till you're lying on your back with your hips close to the wall.
Stretch up the wall with your legs.
If your hamstrings feel tight, you can slightly bend your knees.
This position helps with low back pain and wakes up the body.
Stay in the pose for 5-20 minutes.

Takeaway

The aforementioned yoga asanas can help you calm down and destress after a long day.