I didn’t come to yoga because I loved wellness culture or wanted a “hot girl stretch.” I came to yoga because I was burned out, distracted, tight in places I didn’t know could feel tight, and deeply tired of my brain feeling like a browser with 42 tabs open. Most of them frozen.
The first few times I rolled out a mat, I was skeptical. Slowing down made me anxious. My brain screamed at me to check my email. My hips ached. I was convinced I was doing everything wrong. But then I kept showing up—just ten minutes, just a couple of poses. And gradually, it became clear: there were a handful of postures that didn’t just stretch my body. They helped me reset emotionally, too.
This is not a yoga-for-fitness article or a pitch to perfect your alignment. This is about real-world stress—the kind that builds silently in your neck, tightens behind your ribs, or makes your chest buzz like a refrigerator. And it’s about the five poses I return to—again and again—because they work. They anchor me. They soften the edge. And they don’t ask for perfection—just a pause.
So if you’ve been feeling like your nervous system is on overdrive, and your to-do list is louder than your intuition, let’s breathe through that. These are the poses I trust when things feel too much—and why you might want to trust them, too.
Let’s Talk Stress—Because It’s Not Just in Your Head
“We’re wired to respond to stress and remove it, sometimes even automatically. But life has become more complex, and many situations don’t have easy answers.” — Rajita Sinha, PhD, director of Yale Medicine’s Interdisciplinary Stress Center.
Yoga—when approached gently and intentionally—can help the nervous system shift from fight-or-flight to rest-and-digest. That’s not just poetic language. It’s neurophysiology.
And it doesn’t require 90 minutes of sweaty vinyasa or an advanced practice. Just a few simple, reliable poses you can return to whenever stress spikes.
Pose #1: Child’s Pose (Balasana)
The reset button I didn’t know I needed
This is the pose I flop into when I don’t know what else to do—physically, mentally, or emotionally. It’s grounding, non-performative, and endlessly forgiving. Child’s Pose gently stretches the lower back, hips, and thighs—places that hold a lot of unconscious tension. The posture naturally encourages diaphragmatic breathing, which signals safety to your nervous system.
How I use it:
I widen my knees, bring my big toes to touch, and rest my forehead on a block or the mat. I let my arms stretch forward or tuck them back toward my feet. I try to stay here for at least 3 minutes—long enough to let my breath slow down.
Sometimes I cry. Sometimes I sigh so hard my dog checks on me. Either way, it clears the static.
Pose #2: Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)
Circulation, stillness, and a much-needed flip in perspective
This is my go-to after a long day of sitting, standing, or spiraling. You don’t need flexibility for this one—just a wall and a willingness to pause. Legs Up the Wall reverses blood flow, reducing swelling in the feet and legs. It also gently stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting rest and recovery. It’s often recommended for insomnia, anxiety, and adrenal fatigue.
According to Healthline, restorative yoga poses like Viparita Karani may reduce stress, anxiety, and tension.
How I use it:
I scoot my hips close to the wall, swing my legs up, and place a folded blanket under my lower back if I want support. I let my arms rest by my sides, palms up. Some nights, I do this before bed to calm my system. Sometimes, I set a timer for 10 minutes mid-afternoon instead of reaching for another coffee.
It works—every time.
Pose #3: Cat-Cow (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)
When I’m stiff, stuck, or spiraling in circles
This one’s a little more active, but the motion is meditative. Cat-Cow is perfect for when I need to shake off the kind of stress that makes me feel frozen or disconnected from my body.
Cat-Cow moves the spine through flexion and extension, helping release tension in the neck, shoulders, and lower back. It also creates a rhythm with the breath—inhale, exhale, arch, round—that’s surprisingly calming.
How I use it:
I start on all fours, stacking wrists under shoulders and knees under hips. On an inhale, I lift my tailbone and chest (Cow). On an exhale, I round my spine and tuck my chin (Cat). I repeat this for a few minutes, moving slowly.
What I love about Cat-Cow is how it reminds me that I don’t have to stay in one shape or emotion. Movement creates momentum—and that helps shift my mood, too.
Pose #4: Reclined Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)
Like a wringing-out for my nervous system
This is one of the most underrated poses for emotional stress. It feels like a sigh. A soft reset. I often do it lying on my bed, right before sleep. Twists massage the abdominal organs and stimulate the vagus nerve—a key player in the body's rest-and-recovery response. They also stretch the spine and lower back, which tend to hold stress and tension.
How I use it:
Lying on my back, I hug my knees to my chest, then drop them gently to one side. I extend the opposite arm out and look over that shoulder. After a few breaths, I switch sides. I stay in each twist for about two minutes. If something’s been bothering me emotionally, this is where it often surfaces—and softens.
Pose #5: Standing Forward Fold (Uttanasana)
Instant exhale. Unexpected clarity.
I avoided forward folds for years because they felt too intense. But once I learned to bend my knees and release the idea of touching my toes, this pose became one of the most helpful in my de-stress toolkit. Forward folds calm the brain and nervous system by gently compressing the belly and encouraging inward focus. The stretch in the hamstrings, calves, and spine releases physical tension, while the inversion helps quiet mental chatter.
*“Contrary to popular belief, Standing Forward Bend is not about touching your toes. Nor is it about squeezing out all the length you can muster from your fingertips.” — Cyndi Lee, founder of OM Yoga Center in New York City.
How I use it:
Standing with feet hip-width apart, I bend my knees and hinge forward, letting my torso drape over my thighs. I sometimes hold opposite elbows and sway a little. I don’t worry about “perfect form”—I focus on breath, letting my head hang heavy.
After a minute or two, I roll up slowly, stacking vertebra by vertebra, and almost always feel a little clearer.
Tips If You’re New to Yoga (or Just Stressed and Tired)
- Skip the fancy gear. A yoga mat helps, but you can use a towel, the floor, or your bed.
- Use props. Books work as blocks. A rolled towel can support your neck or knees.
- No music, or soft music. Sometimes silence helps you hear what you need.
- Don’t force the breath. Just notice it. It will deepen on its own.
- Aim for 5–10 minutes. You don’t need a full class to get full benefits.
Nook Nugget! Slow movements teach you things fast. Stillness is a skill—not a luxury.
You Can’t Always Eliminate Stress—But You Can Move With It
Yoga won’t pay your bills or solve every hard conversation. But it can give you a few precious moments where your body isn’t bracing and your breath isn’t shallow. It can help you notice what you’re feeling before you react. And it can reconnect you to the one resource you always have—yourself.
So when stress hits hard, don’t wait to “earn” rest or find the perfect setting. Roll out a mat. Sit on your carpet. Lie on the floor and breathe. Try one of these poses and see what shifts.
You don’t need to fix everything. You just need a little space—and a little time—to remember that you’re allowed to feel better.
