6 Amazing Yoga Postures for Stress Relief

Are you feeling stressed and overwhelmed? Did you know that yoga can be an effective tool for stress relief? There are many great yoga postures for stress!

Stress can negatively impact both your mental and physical health. But here’s some good news:  practicing yoga can reduce your anxiety, improve your mood, and lower cortisol levels!

In this post, we’ll explore the best yoga poses for lowering stress levels. These poses can help you find a sense of calm and relaxation in the midst of a busy and stressful day. So, grab your yoga mat and let’s get started!

Short on time? Don’t leave now! Scroll to the bottom for health hacks you can implement TODAY. 

Stress And Physical Health

Stress can have a significant impact on both your mental and physical health. If you struggle with stress, you may experience headaches, tense muscles, and fatigue. Does this sound familiar?

Over time, chronic stress can make you ill.  It can lead to lower immune function, or even high blood pressure, or heart disease. 

And stress can really affect your mental health too!

Stress And Mental Health

How does stress affect your mental health?  It contributes to anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders. Stress can also interfere with our ability to focus, make decisions, and maintain healthy relationships. 

The best way to avoid these unwanted outcomes is to find effective ways to manage stress and promote well-being.  And a great tool to help you cope is yoga!

Combat Stress With Yoga

Yoga can be an effective tool for managing stress, anxiety, and depression (1). There is plenty of science to back it up.

The practice of yoga involves breathing techniques and meditation, both of which can reduce anxiety and improve mood (1). 

Additionally, the physical postures of yoga help release tension and improve flexibility. This can contribute to a sense of physical and mental well-being. 

Yoga poses can also lower cortisol levels (the stress hormone), blood pressure, and heart rate (2).  

Further, yoga practice can increase GABA levels (GABA is an amino acid that produces a calming effect in the body). Increased GABA levels can help prevent depression (3).

So which yoga poses can help with stress you ask?

Yoga Postures for Stress Relief

Lucky for us, there are many stress-relieving yoga poses. 

As a certified yoga instructor, I use yoga to manage stress every day.  

Here I’ll share with you some of my favorite stress-relieving yoga poses. Regular practice of these poses can be a great stress reliever!  

Child’s Pose (Balasana)

Child’s pose is often used as a resting position during a yoga practice. It gives you a chance to pause if the practice becomes too challenging. And you don’t have to use this pause only in yoga class!

Try it at the end of the day to relieve stress and tension in the back and hips and calm the mind.

How to do Child’s Pose

1. Begin by kneeling on the floor. Sit back on your heels. Rest your palms on your thighs.
2. Exhale and slowly lower your torso towards your thighs. 
3. Bring your forehead to rest on the floor or on a yoga block and relax your neck and face.
4. Arms rest beside you.
5. Allow your hips to sink towards your heels and take a few deep breaths.
6. Stay in the pose for about 30 seconds to 1 minute or longer if you’re comfortable.
7. To come out of the pose, gently press your hands into the floor and slowly sit up.
8. Take a few deep breaths in a seated position before moving on to another pose.

Variation: Bring your shins and knees wide and big toes to touch. Stretch your arms out and walk your hands forward.

Pro-tip: Listen to your body and modify the pose as needed to decrease the intensity. If you experience any discomfort or pain, come out of the pose and take a break.

Benefits of Balasana (Child’s Pose) 

Relaxes the body. Child’s pose gently stretches the hips, thighs, and back, which can help release tension and promote relaxation in these areas.

Calms the mind. When you practice Child’s pose, you are encouraged to focus on your breath and let go of any racing thoughts or worries. This can help calm the mind and reduce stress.

Reduces fatigue. If you’re feeling fatigued or overwhelmed, Child’s pose can be a great way to take a break and recharge. This pose allows you to rest and restore your energy, which can help you feel more refreshed and energized.

Activates the parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for the “rest and digest” response in the body. Child’s pose is a gentle inversion, which means that the head is below the heart. Inversions are believed to stimulate “rest and digest” which can help reduce stress and promote relaxation (4).

Cat-Cow (Marjariasana/Bitilasana)

Cat-cow pose involves alternating between two positions: the “cow” position and the “cat” position. In the cow position, you drop your belly and lift your head and tailbone.  In cat pose, you round your spine and tuck your chin to your chest. 

How to do Cat-Cow

1. Begin on your hands and knees with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips.
2. Take a few deep breaths to center yourself and connect with your breath.
3. As you inhale, let your belly sink toward the ground and lift your head, chest, and tailbone toward the sky. This is Cow Pose.
4. As you exhale, round your spine, tucking your chin into your chest and drawing your belly button towards your spine. Let your tailbone drop toward the ground. This is Cat Pose.
5. Move through Cow and Cat Pose with each inhale and exhale, smoothly transitioning between the two poses.
6. Continue to move at your own pace, following your breath and exploring the movement of your spine.
7. Take about 5-10 breaths in each pose or longer if you like.
8. To come out of the pose, return to a neutral tabletop position on your hands and knees.

Pro-tip: Move slowly and mindfully, and listen to your body. You can modify the pose by placing a blanket or cushion under your knees for extra support.

Benefits of Cat-Cow Pose

Releases tension in the spine. The movements of cat-cow pose help to stretch and release tension in the spine. This can help relieve physical and emotional stress.

Encourages deep breathing. As you move through cat-cow pose, you are encouraged to synchronize your breath with your movements. This can help slow down your breathing and promote relaxation.

Improves circulation. The movements of cat-cow pose can help improve circulation in the body, which can help reduce stress and tension.

Forward Fold (Uttanasana)

Forward Fold, also known as Uttanasana in Sanskrit, involves bending from the hips and bringing the head towards the knees. It is a standing forward bend that can be practiced with the feet together or hip-width apart. 

How to do Forward Fold

1. Begin by standing tall with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides. Take a few deep breaths to center yourself and connect with your breath.
2. On an exhale, slowly fold forward from your hips, keeping your spine straight. You can bend your knees slightly if you need to.
3. Let your arms hang towards the ground. Rest your hands on your shins, ankles, or the floor, depending on your flexibility.
4. Relax your head and neck, letting your gaze fall towards your toes or the ground.
5. Take a few deep breaths. Allow your spine to lengthen on the inhale and relax deeper into the pose on the exhale.
6. If you like, you can sway your torso gently from side to side. You can also bend and straighten your knees to release tension in your hamstrings and lower back.
7. Stay in the pose for about 30 seconds to 1 minute or longer if you’re comfortable.
8. To come out of the pose, slowly roll up to standing one vertebra at a time. Keep your head and neck relaxed until you are fully upright.

Pro-tip: Modify the pose as needed. Yoga poses should never hurt! If you experience any discomfort or pain, come out of the pose and take a break.

Benefits of Uttanasana (Forward Fold) 

Reduces tension in the neck and shoulders. Forward Fold involves a gentle release of the neck and shoulders, which are common areas where stress and tension accumulate.

Calms the nervous system. Forward Fold is a mild inversion (like Child’s pose). As mentioned above, these help calm the nervous system, which can reduce stress and anxiety.

Increases blood flow to the brain. The inversion created by Forward Fold encourages blood flow to the brain, which can help increase mental clarity.

Stretches the hamstrings and lower back. Forward Fold stretches the hamstrings and low back, which can help reduce physical tension and promote relaxation.

Encourages deep breathing. When practiced mindfully, Forward Fold can encourage deep breathing, which can help calm the mind and reduce stress.

Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

In Downward-Facing Dog you are on your hands and feet with hips lifted, creating an inverted triangle shape. This pose involves stretching the entire body, from the arms and shoulders to the spine to the hamstrings and calves. 

Downward-Facing Dog is a foundational pose that is commonly practiced in yoga classes. It is considered a full-body stretch and also a resting pose. 

How to do Down Dog

1. Begin on your hands and knees with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips.
2. Spread your fingers wide and press into your palms, lifting your hips up and back towards the ceiling.
3. Straighten your arms and legs, coming into an inverted “V” shape with your hips as the highest point.
4. Keep your feet hip-width apart and your toes pointing straight ahead. Your heels may or may not touch the ground depending on your flexibility.
5. Engage your thigh muscles and draw your navel toward your spine to lengthen your spine.
6. Let your head and neck relax, allowing your gaze to fall toward your shins or the ground between your hands.
7. Take a few deep breaths, feeling the stretch in your hamstrings, calves, and back.
8. Hold the pose for about 30 seconds to 1 minute or longer if you’re comfortable.
9. To come out of the pose, lower your knees to the ground and rest in Child’s Pose.

Pro-tip: Return to hands and knees or to Child’s pose if you experience discomfort or pain.

Benefits of Adho Mukha Savasana (Downward Dog) 

Calms the mind. Another gentle inversion, Downward-Facing Dog can help calm the mind and reduce anxiety. 

Relieves tension in the back and shoulders. Downward-Facing Dog can help relieve tension in the back and shoulders, which are common areas where stress and tension accumulate.

Encourages deep breathing. Practicing Downward-Facing Dog encourages deep breathing, which can help reduce stress and promote relaxation.

Improves circulation. Practicing Downward-Facing Dog improves circulation in the body, which can help reduce stress and promote a sense of well-being.

Legs Up The Wall (Viparita Karani)

Legs Up the Wall pose, also known as Viparita Karani in Sanskrit, is a restorative yoga pose. It involves lying on the floor with the legs up against a wall. It is a gentle and calming pose that can help relieve stress and promote relaxation. 

Similar to Child’s Pose, Legs Up The Wall pose is a gentle inversion.  This means you get the benefits of an inversion pose (like handstand or headstand) with no strain.

Avoid this pose if you have glaucoma or uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension).  Also if you have a condition that causes fluid retention like congestive heart failure, kidney failure, liver failure, or cirrhosis.

How to do Legs Up the Wall Pose

1. Find a clear wall space and place a folded blanket about 2” from the wall.
2. Sit on the blanket with your left side against the wall, your knees bent, and your feet on the floor.
3. Using your hands behind you, slowly lie back on the ground and swing your legs up the wall.
4. Adjust your hips so that your sit bones are as close to the wall as possible. Your tailbone will be in the space between the blanket and the wall.
5. Extend your legs straight up the wall, flexing your feet to gently engage the leg muscles.
6. Let your arms rest at your sides, palms facing up.
7. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths, feeling the stretch in your hamstrings and calves.
8. Relax your entire body, allowing your mind to quiet and release any tension.
9. Stay in the pose for about 5-10 minutes or longer if you’re comfortable.
10. To come out of the pose, slowly bend your knees and roll to one side. Using your hands, push yourself up to a seated position.

Pro-tip: You can always walk your feet down the wall to reduce the intensity of the stretch.  If you experience any discomfort or pain, come out of the pose and take a break.

Viparita Karani Benefits (Legs Up the Wall)  

Calms the nervous system. This pose can help calm the nervous system and reduce feelings of anxiety and stress.

Improves circulation. In this pose, the legs are elevated above the heart, which can improve circulation and reduce swelling in the legs.

Reduces tension in the body. Legs Up the Wall Pose can help reduce tension in the lower back, hips, and legs. These are common areas where stress and tension can accumulate.

Encourages relaxation. This pose is gentle and restorative and encourages you to relax and let go of tension you have been carrying. 

Corpse Pose (Savasana)

Corpse pose is also known as Savasana in Sanskrit. This pose involves lying on your back with your arms and legs relaxed, and your eyes closed. 

Savasana is a simple pose, yet has a profound effect on the relaxation response.  It is often practiced at the end of a yoga class or as part of a relaxation practice. It’s also great at the end of a busy day!  

How to do Savasana

1. Lie down on your back on a yoga mat or a comfortable surface.
2. Allow your feet to fall open, with your toes pointing outwards.
3. Let your arms rest at your sides, palms facing up.
4. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths, allowing your body to relax and release any tension.
5. Scan your body from head to toe, consciously releasing any tension or tightness.
6. Allow your body to be completely still, surrendering to the support of the ground beneath you.
7. Let your breath become slow and steady, allowing your mind to quiet and focus on the present moment.
8. Stay in the pose for about 5-10 minutes or longer if you’re comfortable.
9. To come out of the pose, gently wiggle your fingers and toes. Take a few deep breaths to reawaken your body.
10. Roll to one side and use your hands to push yourself up to a seated position.

Pro-tip: If your low back is tight, roll a blanket and place it under your knees. If you experience any discomfort or pain, come out of the pose and take a break.

Benefits of Savasana 

Relaxes the body and mind. This pose is deeply relaxing and can help calm the mind and body.

Reduces anxiety. Corpse pose can help reduce feelings of anxiety and promote a sense of calmness.

Releases tension. Corpse pose can help release tension in the body, including in the muscles and the mind.

Restores energy. This pose can help restore energy and promote a sense of rejuvenation.

Summary: Yoga Postures for Stress Relief

A consistent yoga practice can significantly lower your stress levels and improve feelings of well-being. The yoga postures outlined in this post are just some of the many tools available to help you manage stress. 

If you are looking to reduce anxiety, improve your mood, or simply give yourself some peace during a busy day, consider yoga! Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned yogi, practicing yoga can be a valuable addition to your self-care routine. 

So, roll out your yoga mat and take a deep breath. You’ve got this!

Yoga is also great for healthy aging! 

Health Hacks

Want to take immediate action?  These easy changes can have big payoffs!

Yoga Newbie
Try just 1 pose at night for a few minutes before bed.
Notice if you are able to fall asleep more easily.

Health Enthusiast
You probably know a few of the poses already, so maybe
try a new pose and commit to practicing it every day.

Wellness Guru
Link a few of your favorite relaxation poses together
to give yourself a treat after a tough day!

Kate Ingram, MPH, RDN, RYT-500

Kate is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and certified yoga instructor with a Master’s in Public Health.  She loves to share what she has learned about nutrition and yoga to help people live healthier, more balanced lives.  When not working on this blog or teaching yoga, Kate is usually spending time with family and friends or reading a good book.

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