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7 YOGA POSES TO BRING BALANCE DURINGTHE HOLIDAYS

By: Carrie Anton, Health & Fitness Writer

With the holidays approaching, November and December are notoriouslyhectic months; needless to say, staying sane isn't always easy. You alreadyknow the physical and mental benefits of yoga—be it a quiet Yin session oran all­out Bikram sweat fest. And when the season has you ailing in veryspecific ways, yoga can again come to the rescue. Add these specificposes to your mat practice to counterbalance common holiday seasoncomplaints.

1. Complaint: Ate too muchCounterbalance Pose: Happy baby If you stepped away from the holiday dinner table feeling more than comfortably full, ease thebloated belly and digestive aches with happy baby pose. Lying on your back, raise your legsabove your torso and grab the outsides of your feet with your hands. This hip opener will help tocreate space in your abdomen, while your thighs gently massage and stimulate food to movealong the digestive tract.

2. Complaint: Family dramaCounterbalance Pose: Standing forward bend Family stress and the holidays seem to go hand in hand. When it becomes overwhelming, findsome private space to stand and bend forward. This stress-relieving pose can help to calmyour mind, release tension in the neck, and send headaches packing. Stand with your feet hip-width distance apart and bend forward from the hip joints (not the waist). Let your arms hangdown. If needed, bend your legs slightly to help support your back. Breathe deeply in thisposition, and if you'd like, gently sway your torso and arms side-to-side.

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3. Complaint: Gift-giving anxietyCounterbalance Pose: Legs up the wall Since we don't all have elves to assist with our shopping, if thinking up that perfect gift isleaving you stressed, try this restorative posture. Lie on the floor with your butt against the spotwhere the wall meets the floor. Following this very literal posture, straighten and rest your legsup the wall. Let your arms rest on the floor at your sides with palms up. Focus on your breath inthis posture, almost meditating away the anxious feelings.

4. Complaint: Stiffness from decoratingCounterbalance Pose: Cat-cow Decking the halls and cleaning for holiday parties can leave your neck and back feeling lessthan holly jolly. This two-in-one pose can help to relieve stiff muscles. Start on all fours with yourhands below your shoulders, your knees below your hips, and the tops of your feet flat on thefloor. As you inhale, sink your belly toward the floor and arch your back. On the exhale, roundyour spine toward the ceiling, sucking in your belly button and tucking your chin to your chest.Repeat these movements following the rhythm of your breathing.

5. Complaint: Winter bluesCounterbalance Pose: Cobra Shorter days, less sunlight, and cold weather can lead to feeling down in the dumps. Sincebackbends are known to have mood-boosting benefits, try cobra pose. Lying face down onyour mat or another comfortable surface, place your hands beneath your shoulders with yourfingers toward the top of the mat. Squeeze your elbows into your side and press down throughthe tops of your feet and pubic bone. Lift your head and shoulders off the ground, keeping yourribs on the mat. Relax your shoulders down your back and ease your heart forward.

6. Complaint: Errand-running exhaustion

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Yoga

Counterbalance Pose: Camel The holiday season means a lot of running around – from parties to shopping to errands. Whenyou need a boost of energy, skip the caffeine and try camel pose instead. Start in a standingkneel with your knees two fists-width distance apart. Place your hands on your lower back withyour fingers pointing toward the floor. Take a deep inhale in, and as you exhale, let your headdrop back as if bending over a beach ball. Think about keeping your heart lifted and your hipspressed forward. If you're a beginner, stay here for a few breaths. To deepen the pose, releaseyour hands down to your heels. Come out of this pose slowly and carefully.

7. Complaint: Feeling under the weatherCounterbalance Pose: Fish Winter is a common time not to feel your best. When an illness ails you, turn to fish pose, the"destroyer of all diseases." Lie on your back with your hands palm down beneath your butt. Pullyour forearms and elbows in close to the body. Lift your head torso off the floor and rest onbent elbows. Let your head hang back with little to no tension on your neck and shoulders.

Biography

Carrie Anton, Health & Fitness WriterCarrie Anton is a health and fitness freelance writer. Her occupation has led to many trialsand errors with exercise, but it was her first CrossFit class where she finally foundsomething she loved. She’s now CFL1 and Olympic-Lifting certified and enjoys helpingothers reach their fitness goals, be it through training or her published work. See more atcarrieanton.com.

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