Yoga Poses and Breathing Techniques to Relieve Anxiety

The percentage of adults experiencing anxiety in the United States rose from 37% in 2023 to 43% in 2024. While occasional anxiety is your brain’s natural response to perceived stress, overwhelming thoughts can often put the mind and body on the edge. This shows up as muscle tension, aches and pains, rapid heartbeat, and restlessness, making it harder to focus, relax, or simply be present in the moment.

While managing anxiety isn’t always easy, yoga can certainly help! The gentle and restorative yoga poses coupled with breathwork and mindfulness can help calm the mind, release built-up tension, and leave you feeling more in control of your mind and body. Even simple poses and breathing techniques, done consistently, can help you manage anxiety over time.

5 Simple Yoga Poses to Ease and Prevent Anxiety

Incorporating yoga into your daily routine can be a simple yet effective way to manage anxiety. These five gentle poses are specifically chosen to help calm the mind and release tension in the body:

Tree Pose

The tree pose is a balancing pose to help you focus and ground yourself. It helps calm a restless mind while improving concentration and stability, encouraging you to be present in the moment. 

Steps:

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and arms by your side.

• Shift your weight onto your left foot. Slowly lift your right foot and place the sole against your inner left thigh (or calf, avoiding the knee).

• Bring your palms together in front of your chest or stretch your arms overhead.

• Hold the pose for 5-10 breaths, focusing on your breathing.

• Lower your foot and repeat on the other side.

Standing Forward Fold

This pose releases tension in the back, shoulders, and neck—all common areas where anxiety manifests. The gentle inversion promotes blood flow to the brain, calming the nervous system and helping you feel grounded.

Steps:

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, arms relaxed by your sides.

• Inhale deeply, and as you exhale, hinge at your hips to fold forward.

• Allow your head to hang heavy, and let your hands rest on the floor, shins, or ankles—wherever feels comfortable.

• Keep a slight bend in your knees to avoid strain.

• Stay in the pose for 5–10 breaths, focusing on your exhale to deepen the relaxation.

Child’s Pose

This is a restorative yoga pose that soothes the mind, releases tension in the back and shoulders, and encourages deep relaxation.

Steps:

• Kneel on the floor with your big toes touching and your knees slightly apart.

• Sit back on your heels and stretch your arms forward as you lower your forehead to the mat.

• Keep your arms extended or rest them by your sides.

• Breathe deeply and stay in the pose for as long as it feels comfortable.

Happy Baby Pose

The Happy Baby Pose is a soothing posture that helps release tension. It’s the perfect way to calm your mind and body after a long day and stay grounded.

Steps:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.

• Gently draw your knees toward your chest.

• Grab the outer edges of your feet with your hands, ensuring your knees are wider than your torso.

• Flex your feet and press them gently into your hands while pulling down slightly to deepen the stretch.

• Hold the pose for 5–10 breaths, allowing your hips to release and your mind to relax.

Corpse Pose

The corpse pose is all about complete relaxation. It helps release tension, slow down the mind, and promote mindfulness.

Steps:

• Lie flat on your back with your arms relaxed by your sides and your palms facing up.

• Close your eyes and focus on your breath, letting your body fully relax.

• Stay in this pose for 5-10 minutes, or as long as you need to feel calm and refreshed.

When experiencing the symptoms of anxiety, doing these poses can help you manage your thoughts and restore a sense of calm in the body. Take your time, breathe deeply, and listen to your body as you go about it.

Yoga Breathing Techniques for When You’re Feeling Anxious 

Mindful breathing is one of the most powerful tools to calm your mind and body during moments of anxiety. The following breathing techniques help regulate your nervous system, slow down racing thoughts, and create a sense of inner calm:

Box Breathing

This breathing technique helps slow down your heart rate and ease anxious thoughts.

Steps:

• Sit comfortably and close your eyes.

• Inhale deeply through your nose for a count of 4.

• Hold your breath for a count of 4.

• Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of 4.

• Pause and hold your breath for another count of 4.

• Repeat this cycle 4-5 times, focusing on the steadiness of your breathing.

4-7-8 Breathing

This technique promotes deep relaxation by extending the duration of your exhalations, helping to calm your nervous system during anxiety. 

Steps:

• Sit or lie down in a comfortable position.

• Inhale through your nose for a count of 4.

• Hold your breath for a count of 7.

• Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of 8.

• Repeat for 4-5 cycles, gradually extending your exhale if it feels comfortable.

Belly Breathing

Belly Breathing helps you slow down your breathing and reduces physical tension associated with anxiety.

Steps:

• Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.

• Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your belly to rise while keeping your chest still.

• Exhale slowly through your mouth, feeling your belly fall.

• Continue for 5-10 breaths, focusing on the movement of your belly.

Bellow’s Breath

Bellow’s breath is an energizing breathwork that clears mental fog and reduces feelings of restlessness.

Steps:

• Sit comfortably with your back straight.

• Inhale deeply through your nose.

• Exhale forcefully through your nose while engaging your abdominal muscles.

• Repeat this rapid inhale-exhale cycle for about 10-15 breaths, then pause for normal breathing.

• Gradually increase the duration as you become more comfortable with the technique.

Lion’s Breath

This breathing technique releases built-up tension while promoting emotional release.

Steps:

• Sit in a comfortable kneeling position or cross-legged on the floor.

• Inhale deeply through your nose.

• Open your mouth wide, stick out your tongue, and exhale forcefully with a "ha" sound.

• Focus on releasing any tension in your face and jaw.

• Repeat 5-7 times, letting go of any tension with every exhale.

Practicing these breathing techniques regularly can help you regain control during anxious moments. For more information, check out this blog on the types of yogic breathing techniques.

How Does Yoga Help Manage Anxiety?

With the integration of movement and mindful breathwork, yoga provides a holistic approach to managing anxiety at its root by shifting how your body and mind respond to perceived threats. Here’s how:

• Yoga Poses Help Release Tension: The physical symptoms of anxiety include rapid breathing, gas, abdominal cramps, and unexpected aches and pains. Yoga poses, such as the Child’s Pose and Supine Twist alleviate these symptoms by stretching areas that hold tension (like the shoulders, neck, and hips) and encouraging relaxation. Holding yoga poses gently activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which signals your body to relax. This reduces physical tension and grounds your mind in the present. Consistent yoga practice equips your body to control racing and overwhelming thoughts that often lead to anxiety.

• Mindful Breathwork & Meditation Calms the Mind: When anxiety strikes, your breath becomes shallow, signaling your body to stay on high alert. Yoga breathing exercises help reverse this process. In yoga, mindful and controlled breathwork reduces stress hormones, slows your heart rate, and quiets the anxious mind. Over time, you can regain control over your breath, managing anxiety whenever it arises. Yoga also extends into the realm of meditation, offering a well-rounded solution to anxiety. Yoga Nidra, or yogic sleep, is a guided meditation technique to take you into a deeply restful state. It helps calm an overactive mind, quiet persistent anxious thoughts, and promote mental clarity.

By combining these three pillars, yoga provides a holistic approach to relieving anxiety and equips you with tools for its long-term management. 

1-on-1 Coaching to Manage Anxiety with Yoga, Breathwork and Meditation

Anxiety affects everyone differently, which is why a one-size-fits-all approach can fall short. With MyYogaTeacher’s personalized 1-on-1 coaching, you’ll get expert guidance tailored specifically to your needs, helping you find relief from anxiety at its root. 

Targeted Anxiety-Relief Poses

As the physical symptoms of anxiety particularly show up in tension-prone areas like the chest, neck, and shoulders, our expert coaches tailor the poses to focus on releasing tension from those areas. With gentle stretches and restorative poses tailored to your needs, you’ll experience relief from muscle tightness, unexpected aches, and discomfort caused by anxiety where it builds up. With consistent practice, your body begins to naturally release tension, and you’ll feel more at ease even during overwhelming situations.

Breathing & Mindfulness Practices to Promote Relaxation

The way you breathe directly affects how you feel—and when anxiety strikes, shallow, erratic breathing can worsen the experience. With 1-on-1 coaching, you can learn how to breathe mindfully with the expert guidance of our coaches. Breathing techniques like 4-7-8 Breathing and Belly Breathing encourage you to breathe deeply and calmly. Whether you’re dealing with restlessness or are unable to maintain a calm mind, these techniques can help you stay grounded and calm when you need it the most.

Private At-Home Sessions in a Judgment-Free Space

Managing anxiety requires a comfortable and judgment-free environment where you feel supported. With MyYogaTeacher’s virtual 1-on-1 sessions, you can learn yoga and mindfulness from the comfort of your home—no travel, no intimidating gyms or yoga studios, and no distractions. Our instructors create a space where you can relax, feel supported, and focus on building the skills to manage anxiety effectively.

Holistic Lifestyle Guidance

Anxiety is deeply influenced by your daily habits. That’s why our coaches go beyond yoga and offer a comprehensive approach to health and fitness. From improving your sleep routine with yoga nidra to managing your mental health with mindful practices, our coaches help you build a foundation for long-term anxiety management even outside your 1-on-1 sessions. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the best yoga pose for anxiety?

Yoga poses like the Child's Pose, Supine Twist, and Forward Bends are particularly effective for releasing tension in the body and calming the nervous system. These poses help alleviate physical symptoms of anxiety by relaxing the muscles in the chest, neck, and shoulders, areas where anxiety often manifests.

Which is the best breathing technique for anxiety?

Breathing techniques like 4-7-8 Breathing, Belly Breathing, and Box Breathing are all highly effective for calming the mind and reducing anxiety. These methods focus on deep, controlled breathing, which helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and reducing stress hormones.

Can yoga really relieve anxiety?

Yes, yoga offers a holistic approach to managing anxiety by integrating physical movement, mindful breathing, and meditation. The gentle flow of yoga poses releases physical tension and improves body awareness while breathing exercises help calm the nervous system. Together, these practices offer both immediate relief and long-term tools for managing anxiety.

Book a Free 1-on-1 Session Today! 

Don’t let anxious thoughts control your daily life. Book a trial 1-on-1 session today to manage anxiety with simple poses and mindful breathing!