Statistics about yoga stress management prove beyond doubt that yoga can be used as an effective therapy to fight stress related problems like blood pressure. High Blood pressure is a risk for both heart disease and stroke. It directly increases the risk of heart disease. High BP is a risk for heart disease because the heart is working harder than normal thus putting the heart and arteries under a great strain. In healthy persons according to medical professionals BP increases from about 80/45 in infants, to about 120/80 at age of 30 to about 140/85 at age 40 and above. Blood pressure increases with age because the arteries loose elasticity.

If the blood pressure increase and remain above normal, one has to follow strict medical advice and take prescribed medicines by medical professional. However, taking medicines alone is not enough to manage one’s High BP condition. Those who are affected by High BP should change their life style in their day to day activities. Those who are affected by high Bp may have to give-up smoking if they are a regular smoker, may have to reduce their alcohol intake, reduce salt in their food and avoid taking red meat etc as may be suggested by the physician.

Yoga and Meditation helps greatly in keeping one’s Bp under control who are suffering from Blood pressure/hypertension. Doctor’s suggest walking is the best exercise for BP patient. However, besides walking one can practice certain simple yoga exercises such as bend your body and touch your toe; strech your body in both ways, rotate your arms both clockwise and anti clockwise, Lie down and lift both your legs to certain high level position, touch your toes in a sitting position bending your body keeping your legs straight etc. These are minor and warm-up like yoga exercises, one can practice easily on daily basis. These exercises may be helpful to those who don’t have enough time during morning or in the evening hours for other yoga exercises and walking.

After certain easy exercises and after bathing one can try to practice meditation for 10 to 15 minutes focusing their concentration on one point or object .During such Meditation one can chant OM or any other blissful words such as OM SHANTI ETC.

Daily practice of such exercises and Meditation will help in maintaining your blood pressure and hypertension to normal level.

Stress Management Yoga Postures

Hatha yoga is the best type of yoga posture for stress management and to get relief from hyper tension. This is also a easy yoga to eliminate tension and is the best of all yoga execises for high blood pressure. The best yoga hathasasans therapy for hypertension are:

• Balasana also know as Child’s Pose
• Savasana also know as Corpse Pose or Dead body pose
• Makarasana know as Crocodile Pose

Balasana Instructions for Stress Management:

Balasana is one of the best known Yoga relaxation and meditation which has helped many get maximum relief from hypertension leading to high blood pressure. Balasana is also one of the best yoga for hypertension.

Procedure to perform Balasana:

• With your lower legs on the floor, bend your knees
• Now rest your cheast on your knees and stretch your head forward towards the ground (let your forehead touch the ground if possible)
• Stretch your arms forward or backwards as show in the image

Stay in this pose for about five to six minutes while taking deep breaths.

Savasana Instructions:

The following steps instruct you on how to perform savasana.

Procedure to perform Savasana Yoga for Hypertension:

• Lie on your back and spread your arms and legs to aout 45 degrees. You can make use of a yoga mat to make yourself comfortable
• Start to breath deeply letting your body rise and fall with each breath. Following the pranayama technique of breathing
• Concentrate on each part of your body from head to toe and try to remove tension from these parts by relaxing
• Stay in this position for about 10 to 15 minutes

Makarasana Yoga Instructions for Hypertension:

Makar means crocodile and hence this yoga asana is also know as the crocodile pose. This is one of the best yoga poses for stress.

• As shown in the picture stretch out your legs and lie down on your stomach
• Hold your head with both your palms with the elbows rested on the floor

Continue deep breating and stay in this position for around five to ten minutes before getting up slowly. How this yoga reduces stress is by relaxing your entire body from head to toe.

       

Yoga is basically a type of exercise that affects not only the muscles of the body but also the function of the internal organs as well as the mental condition of a person. These exercises were practiced in ancient India more than two millenniums ago by sages. Yoga, besides being an excellent method of exercise is a meditation form as well.

There are seven principle types of yoga each offering different benefits; each could be used separately or in unison. Six different types of yoga are explained here:

What are the Different Types of Yoga?

1. Hatha Yoga – this is the most common form of yoga today. ‘Ha’ here means ‘sun’ and ‘tha’ means moon. In other words, Hatha yoga brings together the energy of the sun and the moon towards a complete balance in the body. This type of yoga has been appreciated and recommended by doctors as a great method of physical therapy. Hatha yoga uses different postures combined with breathing exercises to purify both body and mind and thereby controlling and reversing a number of diseases. This type of yoga can be practiced by anyone who wants as long as you have access to a dvd or video player – though the best way to learn to practice yoga is with the help of a teacher who could guide you in your performance. You can read hatha yoga for hypertension to get an idea of the power of this yoga.

2. Raja Yoga – or ‘Royal Yoga’ (Raja means King in Sanskrit) this yoga is practiced by people who are using meditation for a higher achievement than only physical and mental fitness. This type of yoga is used by people who have a religious bent of mind and want to immerse themselves in long and deep meditation. The Hatha yoga prepares both the body and mind for this type of yoga and hence, before Raja Yoga is even attempted, the person should first of all be well adept with Hatha Yoga. This is a branch of yoga that is practiced by sages.

3. Jnana Yoga – Jnana means wisdom is Sanskrit language and hence this type of yoga concentrates on learning. Jana yoga is one of the most difficult of the yoga practices as this involves the study of the ancient scriptures besides practicing yoga physically. This type of yoga concentrates on the development of the intellect of an individual and his/ her connection with the larger universe as a whole.

4. Tantra Yoga – this type of yoga is definitely the most misunderstood and at the same time controversial forms of yoga. This pertains to discipline and training to accept desire as an integral part of one’s function. Tantra yoga is a spiritual way to enjoy sex in a more sublime form. This is definitely not a license for orgys, neither it calls for abstinence or celibacy. There are two major branches of Tantra Yoga – Dakshinachara or the “Right Hand Path” and the Vamachara or the “Left Hand Path”. Each of these branches encompasses sex in the day-to-day life on a higher level. The Right-Hand Path uses worship, meditation and concentration while the Left-Hand Path uses rituals, intoxication (substances like marijuana, alcohol, etc)and meditation to achieve the same level.

5. Karma Yoga – Karma yoga believes in the complete balance of the Universe and hence implies that a person’s behavior usually impacts his/ her future. It shows that there is a complete and definite connection between each person and the Universe and literally ‘what goes in, comes out back’. This is another branch of yoga which is mostly practiced by those who renounced the worldly life and want to lead an ascetic life. Karma yoga promoted selfless service and care to the less fortunate as devotion to God.

6. Bhakti Yoga – Bhakti means ‘devotion’ and hence this branch of yoga is dedicated to the love of God and through it, love of all life and mankind. This is a form of meditation which concentrates on channelizing all the energy towards becoming more loving and tolerant of others.

Anyone who wants to practice yoga could choose any of these different yoga types or a combination of these branches according to their own needs and preferences. The best way to learn to practice yoga is with the help of a guru (teacher) who can not only clarify your doubts and help you practice the asanas correctly, but also help you choose which type of yoga would suit you best.

Though all these different types of yoga is not as difficult as it seems at the fist glance, it still needs to be practiced a number of times before you master the technique. Besides, you would also need to learn to meditate and the physicality is only one part of the yoga; the other part is meditation and trying to become one with the Universe.

No matter what type of yoga you choose, you would need to practice it daily and very seriously. If practiced correctly, yoga could get you rid of the majority of common ailments and keep you fit enough both mentally and physically to achieve the best results in anything you do in your life.

       

The goal of yoga may range from improving health to achieving Moksha. Within Jainism and the monist schools of Advaita Vedanta and Shaivism the goal of yoga takes the form of Moksha, which is liberation from all worldly suffering and the cycle of birth and death (Samsara), at which point there is a realisation of identity with the Supreme Brahman.

Whether you are looking for a workout program that’s easy to learn, requires little or no equipment, and soothes your soul while toning your body, or if strengthening your cardiovascular system, toning and stretching your muscles, and improving your mental fitness are on your to-do list, yoga is for you.

Yoga (yóga) refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India.

The Sanskrit word yoga has many meanings,and is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj, meaning “to control”, “to yoke” or “to unite”. Translations include “joining”, “uniting”, “union”, “conjunction”, and “means”. Outside India, the term yoga is typically associated with Hatha Yoga and its asanas (postures) or as a form of exercise. A person who practices yoga or follows the yoga philosophy is called a Yogi.

Patanjali is widely regarded as the founder of the formal Yoga philosophy.Patanjali’s yoga is known as Raja yoga, which is a system for control of the mind. Patanjali defines the word “yoga” in his second sutra, which is the definitional sutra for his entire work: