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We all feel angry on occasion. It’s a completely normal human emotion and an appropriate response to different situations. However, letting anger get out of control often causes problems between you and your loved ones, coworkers, and even complete strangers. Luckily, there are many ways to control your anger and keep it from impacting your life, including practicing yoga.
What Causes Anger to Spiral Out of Control?
Feeling angry is normal, but once you’ve started feeling it, this emotion affects your perception. If you’ve ever started your work day with a bad commute, you understand how anger can dampen your whole day.
When you’re angry, your body typically goes into “fight or flight” mode like it would when you’re stressed. Anger raises your blood pressure and elevates your stress hormones. This makes it hard to think clearly, because your body is prepared for a confrontation.
How Does Yoga Help You Manage Your Anger?
When people have trouble managing anger, they are encouraged to find ways to calm down and manage their energy.
Controls Breathing
Deep breathing is one of the most common anger management techniques because when you get angry, your breathing speeds up. Breathing deeply helps your muscles relax. It also helps you shift your focus from your anger to your breath.
When you practice yoga, you focus on your breath. Deep breathing allows you to connect to your body and focus on the poses. Learning how to control your breath during yoga can help you do the same when you feel yourself getting angry.
Helps Relax Muscles
When you’re angry, your muscles become tense. Anger that’s out of control can lead to chronic pain caused by muscle tension, either because you suppress your anger or because you’re angry often. Yoga helps combat this because it lets you stretch your muscles.
Different yoga poses focus on various muscle groups, allowing them to release. If you’re chronically tense, yoga can help you release it. It also allows you to become more mindful of your muscles since you’re moving them in a different way. In a yoga class, you may notice the tension that escapes your attention during your daily life.
Serves as Regular Exercise
Exercising causes your body to release endorphins, which are also known as “feel-good” neurotransmitters. Working out helps counteract the hormones your body releases when you’re angry. It’s also a great distraction technique when you feel anger rising up in your life.
Regular exercise may also help you balance your emotions overall. Studies have shown that people who follow a set workout routine experience less depression, anger, and stress. By taking yoga classes, you may increase your ability to manage anger before it takes over.
Helps You Meditate
Yoga benefits your mind as well as your body. It not only highlights deep breathing methods you can do to calm down, but it also helps you focus on the moment. In a yoga class, you’re encouraged to be present as you move from one pose to the next.
The meditative aspects of yoga help you get out of your head and reset your thoughts. You can use these techniques to manage your anger, shifting focus from the situation at hand to being present at the moment. If you have problems with meditation, you can try this tip from motherhoodcommunity.com.
Which Poses Are Best For Anger?
These are common poses used for anger management.
Kapalabhati (Breath of Fire)
In this pose, you sit on the floor with your legs crossed and your hands on your knees with your palms up. This pose helps you focus your breath and calm down. It’s great for anger management because it’s easy to do and it helps you control your breathing.
Navasana (Boat Pose)
In navasana, your balance on your sit bones with your body in a “v.” It’s a popular pose for core training because you have to engage it. For people who have muscle tension due to anger, this pose can help. It lets you release your hip flexors and back muscles, relieving the physical effects of anger.
Balasana (Child’s Pose)
One of the core yoga poses, balasana involves leaning your backside on your heels as you rest your forehead on the floor and reach forward with your arms. Like navasana, this pose releases your back muscles. Since this pose is easier, you can close your eyes and relax as you do it. If you’re feeling angry at home or at work, you can excuse yourself, go to a private place, and use this pose to take a quick break.
Use Yoga To Manage Your Anger
Whether you’re a busy mom trying to manage your household or you’re reacting to daily stressors, yoga can help you with your anger bringing more peace and harmony to your life. Sign up for a class and start your voyage to calm.