5 quick exercises to cope with anxiety and depression

Rapid heart beat, sweating and feeling of impending doom; this is all too familiar for a person suffering from anxiety disorders. One may feel restless, irritable, angry or even numb or tingly. When one is in the throes of anxiety, it is normal to feel intense fear, out of control, and helplessness. Being anxious or depressed can affect quality of your life in a major way and in absence of coping mechanisms, one's mental health could seriously suffer. Like every disorder, there is a way to fight anxiety and one must do what works for them as every individual is different. (Also read: Excessive yawning: 5 surprising reasons you shouldn't ignore)

Some kind of physical activity even if walking inside the house from one room to another, practicing mindfulness, doing your favourite activity that relaxes you, sleeping well or healthy a healthy diet can help you deal with anxiety better. There are also certain exercises that one can do to relieve symptoms of anxiety.

"Anxiety and depression are types of mood disorder. Among other things, depression causes feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and reduced energy. Anxiety creates feelings of nervousness, worry, or dread. Although the two conditions are different, regular practice of yoga helps relieve stress and anxiety, improve the supply of oxygenated blood, alleviate various problems like headaches and sinusitis and feel fresh and rejuvenated. This trifecta also helps people with depression and restores peace," says

Mansi Gulati International face yoga expert or yoga expert, Manasvani.

1. The Forehead (Acupressure) Point

Make fists with both hands and place your middle and index finger onto the center of your forehead. Apply firm pressure. While keeping the pressure, slowly slide your fists to the sides of your forehead. Bring them back to the center. Repeat 4 more times. Repeat 3 more sets.

2. Mindfulness Pose

Being mindful can help relieve anxiety symptoms and help you with depression. Here are steps to practive this pose:

- Make two fists and place them on your forehead.

- Apply pressure using your middle and index finger knuckles.

- Maintain pressure as you slowly slide your fists to either side.

- End at your temples, gently applying more pressure.

- Repeat 3 times.

3. Forehead Stretch Pose

Place your palms on the forehead. Pull your skin down a little bit. After pulling the skin down, pull it slightly sideways. Look up and try to move your forehead upwards. You will feel resistance on your head. Move your eyebrow up while looking up. Repeat this 10 times. Continue doing three repetitions of the same.

4. Push and Pull Exercise

Hold your eyebrows with your fingers such that you can pull the eyebrows from the centre towards the end of the eyebrows. Do this 3 times. Hold it for 10 seconds and gradually increase it.

5. Raise Pose

Inhale. Put your hand on your eyebrows and your finger on your eyebrows and pull it up for 10 seconds. Exhale. Pull it down for 10 seconds and hold your eyes. Repeat thrice.

6. Eyelid Firmer Pose

Using the 3 fingers of both hands raise three parts of your eyebrows. This stretches the eyelids. Now close your eyes. Feel the stretch. Repeat this for three time.

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