When you’re super stressed out and looking for ways to relieve some stress, Yoga comes to mind immediately. While originally it was way more, modern Yoga has become almost synonymous with relaxation.
And still, sometimes you need something a little more specific than just the advice to “do some Yoga”. So let’s find out how exactly you can use Yoga for stress relief!
Which type of yoga is best for stress relief?
There isn’t one specific type of yoga that will work for everyone. Sometimes you might need something calming and grounding. (Below you’ll find lots of yin yoga poses for stress relief that fit that description.)
Sometimes, you might need a rigorous Vinyasa yoga flow to melt all the stress away. Getting your heartbeat up can help metabolize all that cortisol!
And sometimes, you might want to go for breathing exercises.
Listen to yourself, and try out different things to see what helps you beat the stress!
My approach to yoga for stress relief
When I need some stress relief, I usually use a sequence of yoga poses for stress reduction.
My own approach to stress relief usually starts by simply getting rid of some of the tension in my body. This means, poses with a focus on stretching!
Then, I move on to grounding poses, to get my head back into the here and now. And lastly, I use some standing poses to find my balance – both physically and mentally.
Beginner Yoga poses for stress relief
Let’s get started by looking at some stress relief Yoga poses for beginners. These poses are really easy to do, and also very effective!
Gate pose
Gate pose is one of the easier stress relieving Yoga poses, making it perfect for beginners. You’ll need a mat, to keep your knees safe.
What I love about Gate pose is that it stretches several areas of your body at once: the hamstrings, and the whole side of your body up until the fingertips.
For anyone who’s stressed, this can bring immediate relief!
Legs up the wall pose
Another one of the basic Yoga poses for stress relief is legs up the wall pose. It allows you to really let go, both physically and mentally.
Yin Yoga poses for stress relief
Bound Angle pose
One of my favorite restorative Yoga poses for stress relief is Bound Angle pose. You literally lay back and let your knees fall out to the side. Super relaxing!
This pose also stretches your hips and inner thighs, where we store a lot of tension when we’re stressed.
Related: I can’t do butterfly stretch – What now?
Pidgeon pose
Another good Yin Yoga pose for relieving stress is Pidgeon pose.
For me, this pose is the perfect stress release stretch. There is just something that happens with this combination of slight twist and deep hip opening.
To make it even more relaxing, you can do the “sleeping pigeon” variation: Simply let your upper body sink towards the ground and stretch the arms along the floor away from you. So calming!
Grounding yoga poses for stress relief
Child’s pose
One of the most calming Yoga poses for stress relief is Child’s pose. You can make it extra comfortable by bending forward over a pillow or yoga bolster.
Simply let yourself sink into the floor and enjoy the feeling of being grounded and safe!
Yogic squat
The yogic squat focusses on grounding you while also opening the hips.
If you don’t manage to have your feet completely flat on the floor, don’t worry. This is super common. Simply roll up your yoga mat or a blanket to help you achieve grounded feet!
Downward-Facing Dog
The probably best-known yoga pose, the downward-facing dog, also deserves a spot on this list of grounding yoga poses.
In this pose, you push your hands and feet into the floor. This action doesn’t only give you a nice stretch alongside the back of your body. It will also ground you, both physically and mentally.
Standing Yoga poses for stress relief
Standing forward bend
The standing forward fold turns your world upside down – but in a good way! Letting your upper body hang like that has a strong effect on circulation. All the blood will flow to your head. It’s like a passive scalp massage!
This pose also helps relieve stress and even mild depression. So if you need a break, definitely hang out in this asana for a little!
And no, you absolutely don’t have to be able to touch the floor. Just let your upper body relax down as far as it will go and enjoy the stretch!
Want a more in-depth guide to starting your yoga journey as a completely inflexible beginner? Read this!
Tree pose
Tree pose is a double threat for stress! Not only will it ground you, it will also help you find a calm, relaxed balance. Definitely sounds like stress relief, doesn’t it?
Mountain Pose
Lastly, let’s talk about mountain pose.
Isn’t this just standing up straight? Not quite.
In mountain pose, there is much more happening than meets the eye. You roll back your shoulders, tuck your lower ribs in slightly. You pull up your kneecaps and thighs, pushing your feet into the ground. Also, you spread your toes and reach the fingertips down towards the floor.
Having all these little things happen at the same time will keep you busy. This way, you’ll be totally in the moment. This kind of mindfulness is like a mini-vacation, helping you reset your stress levels immediately.
Time to try these yoga poses for stress relief!
Unless you already followed along while reading through these tips, now it’s time to put things into practice. I hope you’ll feel less stressed very soon!
As usual, if this helped you in any way, I really appreciate any shares. Thank you!
Hi, I’m Leo, the Yogi behind Yogabullet. I’ve been practicing Yoga for over 10 years now.
My goal with this blog is to show people how Yoga can help anyone, no matter how fit they are, to love their body and their life more.
I’ve experienced the life-changing power of Yoga myself and made it my mission to share this with as many people as possible.
I am a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) with Yoga Alliance, which acknowledges the completion of a yoga teacher training with a Registered Yoga School (RYS).