Yoga poses for stress
Yoga helps alleviate stress by reducing cortisol levels, the stress hormone, in the body. Through practicing poses that stretch and release muscles, along with deep breathing techniques, yoga promotes both physical and mental relaxation, thereby reducing accumulated anxiety and stress. Embrace these poses only if they bring you well-being and synchronize your movements with deep breathing.
Discover our selection of yoga poses for stress relief below. Each pose is accompanied by detailed step-by-step explanations and illustrated with pictures to guide you through your practice. Additionally, watch our instructional video for a visual demonstration of each pose in action. Start your journey to a calmer mind and body with these yoga postures for stress relief.
I. Easy pose, Sukhasana
The Easy Pose, or Sukhasana, provides immediate stress relief by calming the mind and releasing tension. A regular practice of this yoga pose improves blood circulation, reduces anxiety, and enhances concentration. This pose also encourages deep breathing, calming the nervous system and soothing turbulent emotions.
1. Sit on the floor with your legs crossed, placing each foot under the opposite knee.
2. Ensure your spine is straight and your weight is evenly distributed on both sitting bones.
3. Place your hands on your knees, palms facing up, or perform the mudra of your choice for additional energy balance.
4. Close your eyes and focus on your breath. Inhale deeply through your nose, expanding your abdomen, then exhale slowly through your mouth.
5. Repeat this process several times, allowing each exhale to relax you further.
6. Remain in this posture for a few minutes, maintaining slow and steady breathing, allowing your mind to naturally calm.
II. Neck stretch, head down
This seated Neck Stretch yoga pose offers a soothing release from accumulated tension in the neck and shoulders, enhancing spine flexibility and mobility. By encouraging relaxation and enhancing blood circulation, this pose fosters a serene mind and diminishes stress, potentially alleviating tension-related headaches.
1. Seated in the easy poste Position: Sit comfortably on the floor, crossing your legs in the tailor pose (also known as Easy Pose or Sukhasana). Ensure your knees touch the ground and your back is straight.
2. Hand Placement: Place your hands on the back of your neck, fingers pointing upwards. You can position your hands just below the skull, at the base of the neck, to create a gentle pressure. Ensure the pressure is soft and you do not cause discomfort.
3. Lower Your Gaze: Gently lower your chin towards your chest, starting to stretch the neck. You should feel a gentle stretch along the spine, from the neck down to the lower back.
4. Breathing: While in the pose, focus on your breathing. Breathe deeply and evenly, trying to release any tension in the neck and back muscles with each exhale.
5. Maintain: Hold the pose for a few deep breaths, continuing to gently stretch the neck and release any tension. Ensure not to force the pose beyond your limits. If you experience excessive pain or discomfort, gently release the pressure or come out of the pose.
6. Release: To exit the pose, slowly release the pressure from your hands and straighten your head and back into a neutral seated position. Take a few deep breaths to relax before moving on to the next pose.
III. Side neck stretch
This yoga posture for stress relief can help stretch the muscles of the neck and shoulders, improve spinal flexibility, and relieve accumulated tension in this region. Practice it gently and mindfully, always respecting the limits of your body.
1. Basic Position: Sit comfortably on the floor in the easy position (Sukhasana), ensuring your back is straight and your shoulders are relaxed.
2. Head Tilt: Gently tilt your head to the right, bringing your right ear close to your right shoulder. Ensure not to force the movement and maintain a gentle stretch along the left side of your neck.
3. Hand Placement: Place your right hand on the left side of your head, just above your left ear. Apply gentle pressure with your hand to enhance the stretch of the left side of the neck.
4. Left Arm Stretch: Gently stretch your left arm towards the floor, ensuring to keep your shoulder relaxed. You can place your left hand on the floor beside you to support the weight of your arm.
5. Breathing: Focus on your breath while in the posture. Breathe deeply and evenly, trying to release any tension in the neck and shoulders with each exhale.
6. Maintain: Hold the posture for a few deep breaths, continuing to gently stretch the left side of the neck and applying gentle pressure with your right hand. Be mindful of any sensation of excessive tension and adjust the pressure or release the posture if necessary.
7. Release: To exit the posture, slowly release the pressure from your right hand and straighten your head to a neutral position. Return to a neutral cross-legged sitting position and take a few deep breaths to relax.
8. Proceed with the other side.
IV. Rag doll, Baddha Hasta Uttanasana
The “Rag Doll” pose provides immediate relief from tension in the back, promoting muscle relaxation and headache relief. By gently tilting the body forward, it stimulates blood circulation, enhancing oxygen supply to tissues and aiding in stress and anxiety reduction. This pose also helps strengthen body flexibility, gently stretching the muscles of the back, legs, and shoulders, which can prevent muscle stiffness and promote better range of motion.
1. Stand with a slight bend in your knees to feel more stable and relaxed.
2. On an exhale, slowly hinge forward from the hips, allowing your torso to descend toward your thighs. Let your arms hang freely towards the ground.
3. Completely release your head, allowing the weight of your skull to gently pull your spine downwards.
4. If you wish, you can grasp your elbows with opposite hands to accentuate the stretch and allow for an even deeper relaxation.
5. In this position, you can gently sway your head from side to side or from front to back to further release tension in the neck and shoulders.
6. Stay in the pose for a few deep breaths, allowing your body to relax and open up to the stretch.
7. To exit the pose, bend your knees slightly and slowly roll up vertebra by vertebra to return to a standing position.
V. Tree pose, Vrksasana
The Tree pose, or “Vrksasana” in Sanskrit, cultivates balance, concentration, and both mental and physical stability. By practicing it, one strengthens the muscles of the legs, ankles, and back, while enhancing overall body posture. Mentally, the focus required to maintain the pose helps to quiet the mind and bring a sense of inner calm, allowing you to feel more centered and grounded in the present moment.
1. Stand, transferring your body weight onto one foot, gently bending the knee of the other leg.
2. Place the sole of your lifted foot on the inner thigh of your standing leg, just above the knee if possible, or on the calf if needed.
3. Balance by finding a focal point in front of you, then bring your palms together in front of your chest in a prayer position, or extend your arms overhead with palms facing each other.
4. Maintain the pose while breathing deeply for several breaths, then repeat on the other side.
5. Breathe deeply in this posture, keeping your chest open and your shoulders relaxed.
6. before doing the other side we will go directly into the dancer pose
VI. Dancer poste, Natarajasana
The Dancer’s pose, or “Natarajasana” in Sanskrit, develops balance, flexibility, and muscle strength, while promoting concentration and mental stability. By performing it, one effectively stretches the muscles of the legs, back, and shoulders, thereby improving body posture and mobility. This pose symbolizes the harmony between strength, grace, and concentration, offering a sense of physical and spiritual alignment and openness.
1. From the Tree pose (Vrksasana), where you stand on one foot with the other foot placed on the inner thigh of the supporting leg, maintain your balance and concentration.
2. From this position, begin to gently lean the torso forward while keeping the foot placed on the inner thigh of the supporting leg.
3. As you lean the torso forward, gently bend the supporting leg and reach for the ankle or foot of the lifted leg with the hand on the same side.
4. Once you have grasped your ankle or foot, begin to gently extend the lifted leg backward while keeping the torso leaning forward.
5. Simultaneously, start to extend the opposite arm forward to maintain balance, creating a line of tension from fingertips to extended toe.
6. Hold the Dancer’s pose (Natarajasana) while breathing deeply for a few breaths, keeping your gaze fixed on a stable point to stabilize your balance.
7. To return to the Tree pose, gently bring the lifted leg forward, then release the hold of the ankle or foot. Return to the Tree pose by bringing the lifted leg back onto the inner thigh of the supporting leg.
8. Repeat on the other side to balance both sides of the body and enjoy the benefits of this smooth transition between poses.
9. proceed with the tree pose on the other side.
VI. Butterfly Pose, Baddha Konasana
The Butterfly pose, or “Baddha Konasana” in Sanskrit, releases the hips and stretches the adductors, promoting flexibility and mobility in the pelvis. It soothes the mind and calms the nerves, helping to reduce stress and anxiety. This pose also stimulates blood circulation in the pelvic region, which can be beneficial for reproductive health and the digestive system.
1. Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you.
2. Bend your knees and bring the soles of your feet towards your pelvis, allowing them to touch each other.
3. Let your knees fall to the sides, opening the hips, and hold the feet together with your hands.
4. Keep your back straight and breathe deeply, allowing your knees to naturally descend towards the floor without forcing.
5. Hold the pose for 1 to 5 minutes, gradually releasing tension in the hips and focusing on your breath.
VI. Bridge pose, Setu Bandhasana
The Bridge pose, known to stimulate the central nervous system and the thyroid gland, promotes opening of the chest and shoulders, facilitating deep breathing that calms the mind. By strengthening the muscles of the body and stimulating the abdominal organs, this posture contributes to better posture, digestion, and relief of muscle tension, thereby offering an effective means to reduce stress and improve overall well-being.
1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, heels close to your buttocks.
2. Slowly lift your hips off the floor by engaging the muscles of your buttocks and abdominals, keeping your shoulders and feet firmly grounded.
3. For the Half Bridge: Maintain the position with your shoulders and upper back still on the floor, forming a diagonal line from shoulders to knees.
4. To progress to a full Bridge: Push your hips upward while extending your arms behind you to create a full arch with the body.
5. Hold the position for as long as comfortable, breathing steadily.
6. To return to the starting position, slowly lower your hips to the floor by unrolling the spine, returning to the initial position with your buttocks on the floor.
VI. Corpse Pose, Savasana
The Savasana, also known as the Corpse, offers deep relaxation by releasing stress and muscle tension, soothing the nervous system, and promoting mental relaxation. This posture helps reduce stress, anxiety, and improves sleep quality, providing a renewed sense of energy and mental clarity.
1. Lie down on your back, on a yoga mat or a comfortable surface.
2. Extend your arms along the body, palms facing up, slightly away from the body.
3. Spread your legs slightly apart, completely relaxing the muscles of the thighs and calves.
4. Close your eyes and focus on your breath, inhaling and exhaling deeply and slowly.
5. Relax each part of your body, starting from the face, then moving down to the neck, shoulders, back, arms, legs, and feet.
6. Let go of all thoughts and concerns, simply focusing on the sensation of relaxation and calm.
7. Remain in this position for 5 to 10 minutes, or as long as needed to feel a deep state of relaxation.
8. To exit the posture, begin by slowly moving your fingers and toes, then gently bend your knees and roll onto your right side in a fetal position.
9. Use your hands to help you slowly sit up into a seated position.
P.S.: the cat behind the window who wants to come in is optional.
video with yoga poses for stress relief
Here is a sped up video showcasing the sequences of yoga poses for stress relief that we just discovered
