Yoga for OCD: Why it Works & 10 Poses to Try

What Is OCD?

Obsessive compulsive disorder is a type of anxiety disorder in which a person regularly experiences repetitive and unwanted thoughts they attempt to dispel by engaging in equally repetitive behaviors or compulsions. OCD can cause someone to feel locked into rigid behavioral patterns and paralyzed by unrealistic fears and intrusive thoughts. OCD is time-consuming, distressing, and disruptive to those it affects.

Symptoms of OCD can include hypervigilance, agitation, ritualistic behaviors, and intense preoccupations with controlling aspects of the physical environment or the mind. Interestingly, OCD tends to affect marginally more women than men and can rear its head as early as childhood and as late as young adulthood.¹ Not only do early-life trauma and family history increase the odds of OCD, researchers are also finding brain structure abnormalities can play a crucial role.²

OCD is characterized by:

• Obsessions: Recurring intrusive thoughts, urges, or mental pictures that are extremely difficult to dislodge from one’s mind.
• Compulsions: Compulsions are ritualistic actions that one feels intensely compelled to engage in in hopes of relieving the anxiety of the obsession.

How Does Yoga Help With OCD?

Recent studies have found promising evidence for the usefulness of yoga for OCD treatment. While no magic cure, it is best thought of as a holistic helping hand in managing the anxiety which lies at the root of a sticky cycle of obsessions and compulsions. Yoga helps encourage the practice of mindfulness, physical and mental relaxation, and breath control.

Yoga encompasses a physical and a mental element, both of which can be instrumental in tempering OCD symptoms. Mindfulness can not only introduce a calmer and more accepting awareness to one’s obsessions and compulsions, but it can also improve an individual’s distress tolerance. Plus, the physical demands of yoga can be surprisingly helpful in redirecting energy away from the psychological hamster-wheel that typifies OCD’s anxious spiral.

Here are some ways practicing yoga can help with OCD:

• Regulating the pace of thoughts: Breathwork practice can help regulate the pace of thoughts by slowing them down to match physical cues such as inhale/exhales.
• Accepting present thoughts: Mindfulness encourages acceptance and neutral observance of a present thought rather than automatic belief or succumbing to it.
• Resisting intrusive thoughts: The mental staying-present imperative of yoga combined with its physical endurance aspects can help in strengthening one’s ability to resist reacting to intrusive thoughts.
• Calming the nervous system: OCD can cause dysregulation of the nervous system and escalation of the ‘limbic loop’ and the fight or flight response³ and yoga can be instrumental in calming it.
• Discouraging perfection: Yoga encompasses listening to the body and adapting to one’s needs and comfort level. It also highlights the beauty and purpose of the “in-between” rather than upholding a singular end goal.
• Enhancing body awareness: Greater focus on physical sensations and bodily cues can help someone with OCD pay attention to the moment a trigger occurs and realize when an obsession picks up speed and/or a compulsion becomes intense.

Yoga for OCD-Related Disorders

It is quite common that OCD occurs and overlaps with a wide range of other psychological disorders, many of which can also benefit from yoga. The effectiveness of yoga for OCD ultimately relies on its ability to to reduce the underlying anxiety that fuels its trademark obsessions and compulsions. It makes perfect sense that yoga presents as a versatile treatment plan supplement.

Yoga may help with the following OCD-related disorders:

• Anxiety: Yoga can help with anxiety by encouraging us to regulate our breath and pay attention to the thoughts that enter our mind and the sensations that wash over our bodies. We can learn to tolerate and “swim through” unpleasant, anxiety-inducing situations and remain intact. We can practice this enough and eventually gain both greater distress tolerance and self-confidence.
• Depression: Depression’s telltale signs are low mood and motivation coupled with a persistent sense of hopelessness and worthlessness. Yoga can help with depression by improving energy and enhancing self-regulating coping behaviors.⁴
• Social anxiety: Social anxiety can tell us a lot of lies: that we have to hide, that we have to be perfect, that we can’t trust anyone. Practicing yoga can play a hand in chipping away at these lies by showing us that there is no right way to be and that protecting ourselves from future harm won’t be as useful as learning to tolerate the present moment.
• Body-Dsymphorbic Disorder: Those with body-dysmorphia are often swamped with shame and negativity towards their physical selves. Yoga can prove a helpful tonic by encouraging appreciation of the capability of one’s body instead of imposing expectations on how one’s body appears.
• Trichotillomania: A little-known disorder, trichotillomania involves the recurrent, intense urge to pull out one’s own hair. By encouraging resilience through uncomfortable moments, yoga has the potential to decrease the strength of hair-pulling compulsions.

The Science Behind Yoga for OCD

In recent decades, neuroscientists have made inroads into discovering just how much yoga tinkers with our brain circuitry. The results are fascinating. For example, yoga can decrease one’s amygdala reactivity (a primitive part of the brain that houses powerful automatic emotional responses) and increase the volume of the hippocampus (a brain structure instrumental in memory creation and recall).⁵

Precautions Before Getting Started

It’s a good idea to talk to your healthcare provider and/or therapist before attempting yoga as a supplementary treatment for OCD. A healthcare professional may be able to provide you with additional information on what type of yoga may be helpful for you while your therapist may be able to provide reflective support as you experiment with adding yoga into your routine to ease your OCD.

Limitations of Yoga for OCD Treatment

Keep in mind that while research into the effectiveness of yoga as an official treatment for OCD is limited, there is ample evidence for its potential physical and mental health benefits as a complementary treatment. At the very least, there is little to no harm in giving it a try and experimenting with what type of yoga may work best for you.

Yoga Poses to Try for OCD

Need some inspiration for some basic yoga poses to try your hand at? Whether you’re brushing up to attend a class or simply want to start out by holding a single pose within the comfort of your bedroom, check out the following list of options. Remember that yoga can help with your OCD by making you feel more relaxed and resilient.

Here are 10 yoga poses to try for OCD:

1. Child’s Pose

• Start by kneeling on your hands and knees
• Spread your knees outward until you feel a comfortable stretch in your hips
• Lean your torso down onto the mat until your forehead is resting on the ground while remaining sitting on your heels
• Stretch your arms long above your head and place your palms flat on your mat

2. Cat-Cow Pose

• Start by kneeling on all fours, with hands directly underneath your shoulders and knees directly underneath your hips
• Inhale and arch your back, looking up to the ceiling
• Exhale and arch your back in the opposite direction, rounding your back and looking down between your hands

3. Warrior Pose

• Begin in a standing position, facing forward
• Step one foot forward and bend at the knee until you sink into a comfortable lunge
• Keep shoulders and torso upright
• Hold hands clasped at chest or arms/hands stretched overhead
• Repeat with other leg

4. Happy Baby Pose

• Lay on your back on your mat and keep your back, neck, and pelvis touching the floor
• Open your hips and bend your knees into your stomach, holding your feet

5. Downward Dog Pose

• Start on your hands and knees
• Lift your pelvis up while keeping your heels flat on the ground
• Let your head drop naturally between your arms stretched overhead; keep your hands planted on the mat
• Keep a bend in the knees for added comfortability

6. Pigeon Pose

• Bend one leg at the knee and place it in front of you; perpendicular to the mat
• Hips should be square to the front of the mat and back leg extending straight behind you
• Keep torso upright and engaged; rest hands on front of mat for added stability

7.Cobra Pose

• Lay on your belly on your mat
• Place both of your hands, palm-side down on the mat, slightly in front of your shoulders
• Arch your back and bring your torso off the mat; press into your hands
• Continue to bend backwards and lift your belly off the mat while maintaining contact with your hips for added stretch

8. Shoulderstand Pose

• Start by laying on your back on your mat
• Tuck your shoulders underneath you and place your hands under opposite sides of your lower torso
• Use your hands to press your torso up; continuing to roll your shoulders under as needed and utilizing your abdominal muscles to bring the rest of your body straight into the air
• You should end by having your head, neck, and shoulders, and elbows on the mat, and the rest of your body, supported by your hands, stretched skyward

9. Standing Forward Bend Pose

• Begin in a standing position, facing forward
• Bend forward at the hips and feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings
• Place your hands on the ground if able; if not, place them anywhere on your shins that is comfortable

10. Triangle Pose

• Stand parallel to your mat
• Place your feet wider and turn your front foot to the front of the mat
• Bend your torso towards your front foot, keeping a flat back
• One hand should be reaching straight into the air and the other reaching to your ankle if able

Incorporating Yoga for OCD into Daily Life

To see the greatest potential benefit of yoga, it’s important to find a manageable way for you to practice it consistently. It’s also worthwhile to set your intentions for your yoga practice and to inwardly reiterate to yourself why you engage in it. Remember, yoga is both a physical and a mental exercise. And it requires both intention and openness.

Here are some practical tips for integrating yoga into daily life:

• Reserve a specific time of day to practice yoga
• Set a timer for 15 minutes and practice yoga for that time-block
• If you are feeling too tired, do a few yoga poses while you are lying in bed
• Build other restorative habits around your yoga practice to strengthen the habit
• Practice mindful breathing that you use in yoga at other points of the day–moments when you are stressed or have idle time

Invest In a Yoga Mat

Hunting down a cute and quality yoga mat can be worth the extra pennies. Practical investments of this sort can help lend legitimacy to the activities that improve our well-being and signal to ourselves that we’re worth making ourselves a priority.

Try Yoga Apps & Videos

Yoga meets you where you’re at–not just in terms of movement, but also in terms of modality. Available in apps like Alo Moves Yoga app or the Asana Rebel app, video, and in-person class formats, it’s safe to say yoga has a platform and a product for everybody. Don’t be afraid to experiment with which delivery method works best for you!

Try Different Yoga Flows

Yoga is an ancient practice that has endured across centuries and continents. It has evolved and expanded over time to encompass a variety of styles, or “flows.” Some yoga flows are more energetic and controlled while others are slower and encourage greater inner reflection. It’s absolutely worth sampling a few to determine which provides you with the greatest anxiety relief.

Here are a few different yoga flows to try for OCD:

• Vinyasa Yoga: A more active, dynamic yoga flow that utilizes strong postures with smooth transitions and a focus on synchronizing the breath with the body.
• Power Yoga: Looking for more cardiovascular action and a test of your stamina? Give power yoga a try.
• Restorative Yoga: A popular de-stressing option, restorative yoga prioritizes rest and relaxation and hinges on holding singular poses for longer periods of time.
• Yin Yoga: Yin yoga is slower-paced with the goal of achieving deep stretches in seated postures for long  periods of time similar to restorative yoga.
• Hot Yoga: Typically experienced in a class environment, hot yoga cranks up the heat to supercharge its myriad health benefits: flexibility, detoxification, and body strength, to name a few.

What Is the Best Yoga for OCD?

The best yoga for OCD varies for each individual. Some may find the predictable, controlled rhythms of Vinyasa yoga a soothing antidote to their usual cycle of obsessions and compulsions while others may find that the more open-ended nature of Restorative yoga allows them the time and space to explore and accept the different thoughts, images, and impulses entering their busy minds.

Alternative Treatments for OCD

It is quite common for OCD treatment to include Exposure Response Prevention Therapy (ERP), deemed highly effective by dozens of research studies and considered the gold standard when it comes to confronting and breaking down debilitating obsessions and compulsions. But this is not all OCD treatment entails. Additional behavioral therapies and prescription medication are common elements of a comprehensive treatment strategy.

Alternative treatment options for OCD include:

• Exposure response therapy (ERP): Exposure therapy for OCD entails working with a therapist to identify triggering situations and identify a plan for exposure. The therapist helps the client discuss the feelings these confrontations rustle up and coaches them in resisting the urge to participate in compulsions.
• Medications: SSRIs are the most common medications for OCD and work by affecting serotonin levels in the brain.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): Another popular behavioral therapy, CBT for OCD works by identifying unrealistic or unhelpful thoughts. Discussing the warped core beliefs and cognitive distortions that may be fueling OCD can be very helpful in diminishing it.
• Habit Reversal Training: Practical and effective, habit reversal training seeks to increase awareness of a compulsion first which is then followed by practice swapping it out with a different response, and continued practice in resisting the urge.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): By focusing on noticing and accepting present thoughts, ACT diverges from CBT by not trying to change one’s thoughts. It also supports alignment with one’s personal values.
• Imaginal Exposure: With the help of a therapist an individual with OCD visualizes a feared scenario and is able to gain resilience by walking-through and experiencing the uncomfortable emotions it brings up.

When to Seek Professional Support

OCD can be an exhausting condition to live with, but you shouldn’t have to do it alone. If your symptoms cause significant disruption to your daily life, don’t hesitate to seek professional help. Most online therapy platforms contain therapist directories that allow you to find a clinician specializing in OCD. Wondering about medication? There are numerous online psychiatrist options as well.