You don’t want to walk around feeling anxious, depressed, fatigued, or in an otherwise poor mood. But controlling the way you feel isn’t as easy as waving you magic wand and making all your cares and troubles vanish. That doesn’t mean you have to sit idly by, though. With a few yoga poses for relaxation in your arsenal, you can move your body in a way that feels good while helping yourself find a sense of balance.
If you read the word yoga and already tuned out, stick with us. Yoga isn’t all bendy people doing crazy balancing poses. It’s about connecting your breath and your movement and listening to your body. And since physical activity is directly linked to mental health, that listening is important. Plus, the yoga poses for relaxation that we’re about to recommend are super simple and don’t require any balance at all.
Without further ado, here are five yoga poses you can try when you want to check in with your body and soothe your mind.
Child’s pose (Balasana)
One of the go-to resting poses in yoga, child’s pose can feel supportive, comforting, and nurturing. To get into it, start on your knees. Your big toes should be touching and you can either keep your knees together or spread them wider than your hips. Try both and see which feels best for you in the pose.
Once your legs are in place, hinge forward at your hips and extend your arms out in front of you. If your head doesn’t comfortably meet the floor, add a pillow or a folded-up blanket under your forehead so your body has support in the pose. Breathe deeply and feel your spine elongate as your shoulders open.
Legs up the wall (Viparita Karani)
It’s as easy as laying down — but with added benefits. To get into legs-up-the-wall pose, just lay flat on your back and scoot your butt up against a wall so that your hips hinge at a 90-degree angle and your legs go straight up the wall. Then, relax. Take some deep breathes and notice how your body feels.
Relaxing in this yoga pose helps drain lymphatic fluid from your legs, minimizing stiffness and soreness. Plus, having your feet above your head can help you flip your perspective.
Reclined bound angle (Supta Baddha Konasana)
To get into reclined bound angle pose, lay flat on your back. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor, pulling them in towards your butt about halfway (or whatever’s comfortable). Then, let your knees fall open as the soles of your feet come together. You can add cushions/support under your knees and under your head to make the pose more comfortable.
This pose lets your hips and chest open as you release tension into the floor. To get more from it, focus on relaxing your back, glutes, and hips as you lengthen your tailbone towards your heels.
Reclined twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)
Laying on your back, pull your right knee in towards your chest. You might want to hold this for a second, feeling the muscles in your leg, hip, and lower back release. Then, gently guide your knee across your body so your leg falls over to the left side, landing you in a reclined twist. Extend your right arm and look over your right shoulder to get a spinal twist from the base of your spine up your neck. You can keep your left hand resting on your right knee, helping it relax as gravity brings it closer to the floor, or you can extend that arm out long, too.
Repeat the pose on the other side. One of the best yoga poses for relaxation, this reclined twist can help you work out tension everywhere between your hips and neck.
Forward fold (Uttanasana)
Stand up straight. Take a deep breath in, then hinge forward at the hips on your exhale, reaching for your toes to get into your forward fold. You don’t have to touch them — or even come close — to reap the benefits of this pose. Hang in your forward fold and feel your neck relax and your spine lengthen. Bend your knees to get more stretch in your lower back or straighten them for a different stretch.
To get more sensation from this pose, you can grasp opposite elbows with your hands and sway side to side. Keep your movement gentle and listen to your body as you go.
Finding the best yoga poses for your unique body might take time. Before you try a pose, notice how your body and mind feel. Then, hold the poses for at least a few slow, deep breaths. Notice how your body and mind feel after. Mindfully moving in this way can help you release physical tensions — and mental burdens along with them.
At Ventura Counseling & Wellness Center, we’ve seen first-hand how yoga and other types of movement have helped people improve their mental health. We can help you find what’s right for you — whether’s that’s getting moving, talk therapy, alternative healing, group sessions, or something else entirely. Our dedicated team is here to help you lead your most balanced life. Get in touch today.
