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3 yoga poses for a happier day

These three poses will help you relax and feel better.
/ Source: TODAY

The practice of yoga connects the breath and the body to change how you move and feel. Here are three easy poses to help you feel happier and more energized, in very little time.

To begin, sit cross-legged, inhale and look for length in your upper body. Exhale and draw your belly-button to your spine. Let go of anything bringing you down.

1. Seated side bend

Seated Side Bend
Rainbeau Mars

Begin on the floor in a cross-legged, seated position called sukhasana, or easy pose. You may sit on the edge of a folded blanket to ease the strain on your knees and hips if needed. Root down through the sit-bones as you reach an arm overhead and lean to one side.

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Make sure that you stay grounded so you can find length through the side waist. With your palm facing down, release the neck and gaze down or look up towards the sky, if it feels comfortable. With every inhale look for length, and every exhale, draw your belly button towards the spine.

Release the raised arm back down to your side, extending through the finger tips. Place your alternate hand (on the side you’re leaning) on top of your ear and assist your head tilting toward your shoulder, lengthening the neck on the other side. Enjoy your breath.

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2. Seated twist

Seated twist
Rainbeau Mars

From the side bend position, inhale and rise up, come into a twist by reaching your lowered arm across your body to the alternate knee. Focus on getting the twist from as low down in your spine as you can. Eventually, if it feels comfortable, allow your head to look all the way back, massaging out the entire spine.

Switch the crossing of your legs and repeat the first two postures on the other side.

3. Upward victory breath

Upward Victory Breath
Rainbeau Mars

Return to the centered, cross-legged position, and enjoy the breath. Contracting the core of the body, lift the breath high up to the chest, into the throat, into the brain. Then as you exhale, plant the breath into your heart, going against gravity, depression or any feelings that would bring us down.

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As you exhale, the belly button moves towards the spine and as you inhale, repeat the breath again. Continue bringing that energy from the pelvic floor, through the organ system and all the way into the heart.

Breathe, let go and be happy!

Rainbeau Mars was one of many fitness and well-being experts at Robb Report’s second-annual Health & Wellness Summit. You can view all tips from the roster of fitness professionals that presented over the course of the Summit (including Gabby Reece) who we spoke with back in July, on the Robb Report website.