There's no feeling quite like the one of returning to the sanctuary of your home after a long day. But we all know it can be impossible to actually relax once you get there. The stress factor after a busy, crappy day is so real, and TBH, most of us just scroll through social media as a way of "unwinding." However, doing yoga for anxiety and stress will be infinitely more effective than accidentally liking your ex's Instagram post from 2015 — trust me.
According to a recent study, the average millennial checks their phone about 150 times in one day. Anyone else feeling super uncomfortable with that statistic, or just me?
Honestly, these days, the attachment to all things technology is pretty damn rampant and hard to avoid, and for many of us, it simply feels comforting and natural to bring your phone right into bed with you to "de-stress." But Lystia Putranto from BookYogaRetreats.com tells Elite Daily that a recent survey conducted by her website found that 25 percent of a sample of more than 450 yoga practitioners not only acknowledge the negative effects of using technology too often, but they also admitted that doing just a few minutes of yoga each day helped them cleanse the toxic habit of scrolling to relieve stress. Moreover, that 25 percent said yoga is a far better strategy for stress management in the long-term than scrolling through social media for hours on end.
So, the next time you're tempted to cuddle up next to your glowing screen as a means of quieting your brain and body, ditch your device and nourish your body with these five juicy, restorative yoga poses instead.
Also, unfollow your ex. It's time.
Sitting, walking, stressing out, and honestly just living all bring tension into your body — a lot of which gathers up in your hips.
Your hips can tighten up in response to even the slightest bit of anxiety, and TBH, scrolling through your phone isn't going to loosen up those bad boys in any way. A juicy hip-opener such as pigeon pose is an incredible way to release the tightness and unwind from head to toe.
This is a deep stretch, so try making it more restorative by putting a block or a blanket underneath your hip. This will allow you to breathe more deeply and truly melt into the asana.
Supported bridge pose is honestly like a loving, gentle massage to your lower back, and it'll feel heavenly after a stressful day.
This backbend helps to open up your chest, while also lengthening your spine — an area that tends to hold a lot of tension when your mind is racing with worry.
If you don't have access to a yoga block, you can create your own elevated surface with things like textbooks covered in comfy blankets. Let the support underneath you do all the work as you release and melt into the earth beneath you.
This restorative pose feels absolutely incredible when it's set up the right way. Place pillows underneath you for this bad boy, and use blankets to support your hips, as well.
Reclining bound angle pose is a rejuvenating way to treat yourself like a total queen, without any technological distractions to disturb your inner peace.
This gentle twist restores the body and mind by opening up your shoulders and stretching your side body. Not only does this pose feel blissful as hell, it also improves digestion, which often takes a toll in times of major stress.
Remember to maintain long, even breaths, and release any negative thoughts that aren't serving you.
Lastly, allow yourself to surrender completely into the present moment with a delightful viparita karani.
As you lay in this pose, you'll feel a bit of a release of compression in your lower back, and you'll get all the benefits of an inversion, without the effort.
So, do you feel like checking your phone anymore? Yeah, I didn't think so.
