Some of our posts may contain affiliate links. Read Affiliate Disclaimer Here.

When it comes to winding down and relaxing after a long and stressful day, nothing beats yoga. Not only does this practice release physical stress from the body through various poses, but it also helps to cleanse the mind of stress and worry.

If you find yourself in search of an unwinding practice, yoga is the perfect tool for you! Through its many different poses, yoga has the ability to place you in a meditative state where you are able to connect with your body and give yourself some much-deserved love and attention.

Table of Contents

How does yoga release stress?

Yoga is a practice that had been used for centuries for spiritual, mental, and physical purposes. This practice, though it has many other benefits, can aid greatly in relaxation and rest.

We often hold stress in our bodies without even realizing it. Through its various poses, yoga helps to bring more flexibility and ease into your life, releasing the difficulties and frustrations of the day. This post is comprised of some of the best yoga poses and stretches to help you to release stress and tension from your mind and body.

1. Child’s Pose

Photo by Monstera Production on Pexels.com

When it comes to relaxing poses, Child’s Pose is one of the best ways to release stress and ease into your yoga practice. In this pose, you’re able to allow all the worries and stress of the day to wash away as you focus on your breath while enjoying this calming pose.

This is a great pose to stretch out your legs, shoulders and spine. It is also helpful in connecting you back to your breath and the present moment, so if you find your mind wandering away, give this pose a try!

How to do Child’s Pose:

Position yourself so your knees are folded together beneath your body
Stretch your spine up tall, reach your arms over your head and bend forward towards your mat
Bend forward as much as it feels comfortable. For extra support, you can place a blanket or pillow beneath your knees. Next, gently, press your forehead to your mat.
You can stretch out your arms in front of you, pressing the palms against the mat for an extended child’s pose, or you can place your arms at your sides, pressed against your legs with the palms facing upwards.

2. Seated Forward Fold

This is a great pose to stretch out your back muscles as well as your legs, hips and hamstrings. This in turn, helps to release tension and stress from our bodies. This is a great pose for anyone to try out because there are many different ways you can modify it if you find yourself struggling, such as using blankets, pillows or yoga blocks to help you out.

Note: Check out these great yoga blocks for extra support!

How to do Seated Forward Fold:

While sitting on your mat, place your legs together and sit up tall with your spine straight
Reach your hands high above your head and bend forward at the waist.
Reach as far as feels comfortable for you. You can grab onto your feet, ankles, or behind your knees. Be careful not to strain or pull anything. Bend your knees as much as you need to.
Keep your muscles light and relaxed and try and sink deeper into this pose with every inhale and exhale.
If you need extra support, use a blanket, pillow or yoga block to prop you up.

For extra support, consider using yoga pillows to help release tension and stress!

3. Tree Pose

After a long and stressful day, one of the best things we can do for ourselves is come back to our breath. During stressful or frustrating situations, we tend to hold or shorten our breath, so bringing our awareness back to our breath centers us back into the present moment. If you find yourself in need of grounding yourself, the tree pose is a great place to start. This pose not only helps us to practice balance, but it also causes us to become more aware of our breath and bodies.

This is a great pose for stretching out your legs and spine and building a sense of balance and trust with yourself.

How to do the tree pose:

Stand tall with your feet firmly placed on the ground.
Lift up one leg and maneuver it so your knee is facing outward and the inside of your foot is pressed up against the inside of your opposite thigh.
Press your hands together at your chest and take a couple of breaths in this pose. Try your best to balance yourself but don’t worry if you stumble.
Once you’ve finished, don’t forget to do the other leg.

4. Cat-Cow

When it comes to releasing tension in the spine, shoulders and neck, cat-cow is the perfect pose. The name may sound silly, but this pose has many benefits when it comes to helping one unwind and relax.

How to do cat-cow:

Begin in a table top position with your shoulders in alignment over your wrists and your knees evenly spaced.
Dip your belly towards your mat and gently stretch your neck upwards. Make sure not to place too much stress on your wrists or knees, and keep your weight evenly distributed.
When you’re ready, breathe in deeply and suck your belly in and upward, moving your back so your body is now in a domed shape. Curve your neck down towards your mat so that you get a nice stretch in the back of your neck.
Alternate between these two poses as long as you need, making sure to take deep, relaxing breaths.

5. Mountain Pose

If you’re in need of grounding yourself back into the present moment, look no further. The mountain pose works to keep us as stable and grounded as a mountain, just as the name suggests. This is a very simple and easy pose to incorporate into your yoga practice. Aside from stretching out your whole body, this pose also helps to connect you back with your body and ground you into the present moment.

How to do the mountain pose:

Stand up tall with your feet either together or hip width apart. Align yourself in a way where your weight is pressing evenly onto all corners of your feet and evenly dispersed between them. Spread out your toes and try to bring your awareness to each part of your feet as you press them into the mat.
Align your hips over your legs and stand with your spine straight but relaxed. Keep your knees relaxed and be careful not to lock them.
Keep your head in alignment with the rest of your body and drop your shoulders down.
Reach your fingertips down towards the ground, arms floating gently by your side.
Breathe in and out deeply and shut your eyes if you feel comfortable. Give yourself a body scan, bringing awareness to every inch of your body as you imagine it in your mind.

6. Downward facing dog

This is a well-known pose and is very common when practicing yoga. This pose stretches out the entirety of your body, from your feet and calves to your shoulders and neck and is a good way to re-connect with your body and gain more flexibility.

How to do downward facing dog:

Start in table top position with your hands and knees pressed firmly on your mat.
Keep your shoulders over your wrists and gently lift your hips and straighten your legs.
Press your heels towards the floor.
Make sure to not lock your elbows or knees while doing downward facing dog. Keep your legs and arms engaged, but don’t strain your muscles too much.
Rest your head forward away from your shoulders and relax your neck.

7. Corpse Pose

Corpse Pose is the ultimate relaxation pose. It is often used as a finalizing pose for yoga sessions because it’s one of the most relaxing and peaceful poses out there. Although very simple, it’s effects are very powerful. This pose helps you to reconnect with your breath and be in a state of stillness and peace. While in Corpse Pose, you can release all your worries and struggles and rest for a while. You can take this time to either fall into a space of meditation, repeat calming affirmations, or do a body scan.

How to do corpse pose:

Lay flat on your back with your arms and legs stretched out in a star like position.
Place your hands either pressed into the mat or facing upwards.
Scan your body in your mind’s eye and relax every muscle in your body. Begin with the very top of your head, then relax the muscles in your face, shoulders, arms, torso and so on.
Once you are completely relaxed, take some time here to focus on your breath and engage in some meditation. You may stay here as long as you need.
Use a pillow or blanket for extra ease and comfort during this pose.

Overall

These are only a few of the wide variety of yoga poses which can help you to unwind and relax. The most important thing when it comes to practicing yoga is to listen to your body and follow your breath. It’s okay to veer off the path a little. If you’re in the middle of a pose and feel called to do something else, go ahead and do that. This is often your body’s way of communicating with you, and it’s up to you to listen.

Spread the love

Sprouted Lavender

7 Best Yoga Poses to Unwind and Relax