Yoga Poses and Breathing Exercises for Stress Relief

Since the pandemic, more than 70% of the US population has reported experiencing the mental and physical effects of stress regularly. The mental toll—constant worry, racing thoughts, and an overwhelming sense of pressure—can feel draining.

But the impact doesn’t stop there. Stress can also manifest physically, causing headaches, muscle tension, digestive issues, and even disrupting sleep quality. Over time, chronic stress can impact your overall health, leading to anxiety, depression, and heart problems. 

But there is a way to unwind and relieve stress—with yoga for stress relief. Combining simple yet effective movements with mindful breathwork, yoga offers a holistic approach to managing and preventing stress in the long run. 

How Does Yoga Relieve Stress?

Yoga offers a holistic approach to stress relief by addressing both the mind and body, making it especially effective for managing stress. Here’s how:

• Studies show that yoga promotes the release of endorphins, which are known to improve mood and reduce anxiety. It simultaneously boosts GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), a neurotransmitter that calms the nervous system and reduces fear and tension.

• Yoga poses help release tension, improve posture, and promote circulation, allowing the body to relax and release stress. They also increase awareness of your body’s sensations, guiding you to recognize where you might be holding stress and helping you release it. 

• Deep breathing and mindful movement in yoga activates the parasympathetic nervous system, also known as the “rest and digest” system. This lowers cortisol levels, counteracts the “fight or flight” response triggered by stress, calms the body, and promotes relaxation.

• Yoga helps you stay mindful and increases awareness. By quieting the mind and staying present in the moment, meditation allows you to detach from stressful thoughts and feelings. This creates mental clarity and promotes calmness and relaxation.

By integrating these components, yoga helps reduce stress, not just by addressing the stress-prone areas of the body, but also by bringing a sense of peace and balance to the mind. 

Breathing Exercises to Relieve Stress

Breathing exercises are a powerful tool for calming the mind, reducing anxiety, and relieving stress. When done consciously, the breath acts as a bridge between the body and mind, helping to regulate the nervous system.  

Some breathing techniques that can help manage and reduce stress include:

Alternate Nostril Breathing

This is a balancing and calming practice that reduces stress by activating the parasympathetic nervous system. By connecting the breath to the body’s energy, it helps relieve stress and anxiety.

Steps:

• Sit in a comfortable position with your spine straight and shoulders relaxed.

• Close your right nostril with your right thumb and inhale deeply through your left nostril.

• Close your left nostril with your right ring finger, releasing the right nostril, and exhale fully through the right nostril.

• Inhale deeply through the right nostril, then close the right nostril with your thumb and release the left nostril to exhale through the left side. This completes one cycle. 

• Continue for 5-10 cycles, focusing on your breath and maintaining a calm, steady rhythm.

Deep Belly Breathing

This simple and effective technique helps calm the mind and reduce stress. It triggers the body’s relaxation response, lowering cortisol levels and slowing the heart rate. This exercise helps you ground yourself in the present moment.

Steps:

• Sit or lie down in a comfortable position with your hands resting on your belly.

• Slowly inhale through your nose, allowing your belly to rise as you fill your lungs with air.

• Exhale slowly through your mouth, letting your belly fall as you release the breath.

• Continue for several minutes, focusing on the rise and fall of your belly with each breath.

Kapalbhati

This breathing technique helps reduce stress by stimulating the body and mind. The rapid exhalations activate the abdominal muscles, clearing toxins from the body.

Steps:

• Sit comfortably with your spine straight and shoulders relaxed.

• Take a deep breath in, then exhale forcefully through your nose, pulling your belly toward your spine with each exhalation.

• Allow the inhale to happen naturally as you relax your belly. Continue with quick, forceful exhalations and passive inhales, working up to 30-50 breaths in one round.

• After completing a round, take a deep inhale and exhale, letting your breath return to normal.

These breathing exercises can help you manage stress more effectively. Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed or just need a quick mental reset, these techniques can bring immediate relief, helping to calm your nervous system and restore a sense of calm. 

5 Yoga Asanas to Reduce Stress

Yoga asanas are effective in alleviating stress by calming the mind and releasing tension from the body. Here are five poses to reduce stress, release built-up tension, and promote relaxation:

Child’s Pose

This is a gentle, restorative pose that helps release tension in the back, neck, and shoulders—areas that commonly hold stress. Resting the forehead on the mat signals your body to relax. Holding the pose eases physical and mental stress, promoting calmness.

Steps:

• Kneel on the mat with your shins and feet flat on the ground

• Sit your hips back toward your heels while keeping your knees wide apart.

• Slowly fold forward, lowering your torso to rest on your thighs.

• Rest your forehead on the mat, extending your arms forward or by your sides.

• Breathe deeply for a few minutes.

Supine Twist

The Supine Twist is a soothing spinal rotation that helps release tension in the back and shoulders. This gentle twist gently massages the spine and calms the mind, reducing mental clutter and relieving stress, helping you relax and rejuvenate. 

Steps:

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

• Bring your knees toward your chest and then drop them to one side while keeping both shoulders on the mat.

• Extend your arms out to the sides in a T-shape and look in the opposite direction of your knees.

• Breathe deeply and hold for several breaths, then switch sides.

Legs Up The Wall

This restorative pose encourages relaxation and reduces stress. Elevating your legs helps promote circulation, relieving tension in the lower back, legs, and feet. This pose calms the nervous system, reduces anxiety, and clears the mind.

Steps:

• Sit next to a wall and lie on your back.

• Swing your legs up onto the wall, keeping your body in an L-shape.

• Rest your arms by your sides, palms facing upward, and focus on deep, slow breathing.

• Hold this position for 2-3 minutes, allowing your body to fully relax.

Seated Forward Bend

This pose releases tension in the back, hamstrings, and calves, which can all become tight due to stress. By stretching these areas, this pose activates the parasympathetic nervous system, signaling your body to relax.

Steps:

• Sit on the floor with your legs extended straight out in front of you.

• Inhale and lengthen your spine, sitting up tall.

• As you exhale, hinge at your hips and fold forward, reaching for your feet or shins, depending on your flexibility.

• Keep your back straight and focus on deep, steady breathing as you gently deepen the stretch.

Corpse Pose

This is a relaxation and meditative pose that helps release both physical and mental tension. By focusing on slow, deep breathing, it reduces stress hormones like cortisol and activates the body’s relaxation response. It promotes a state of deep peace, which helps to lower stress and anxiety levels.

Steps:

• Lie flat on your back with your arms extended by your sides, palms facing up.

• Close your eyes and let your body completely relax, releasing any tension.

• Focus on your breath, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly, allowing your muscles to melt into the floor.

• Stay in this pose for a few minutes, allowing your mind and body to fully unwind.

With consistency, these asanas not only help alleviate stress at the moment but also build resilience to future stressors by strengthening the body and calming the mind. Incorporating them into your routine can help you effectively reduce stress. And if you need help getting started, check out this group class on MyYogaTeacher to learn and manage stress.

However, to gain the most out of these breathing techniques and poses, you need to learn how to do them right. Each pose works differently on the body, and every breathing exercise serves its purpose. With MyYogaTeacher’s 1-on-1 coaching, you can get the most out of your workout with personalized guidance and support to learn to manage stress in the long run.

Workout 1-on-1 with a Coach for Stress Relief

When it comes to managing stress, personalized guidance can make all the difference. Here’s how 1-on-1 coaching can enhance your workouts to address stress:

Real-Time Guidance 

In a 1-on-1 session, your coach ensures you’re doing each pose correctly while also learning how to do mindful breathing, meditation, and relaxing poses. With personal guidance and real-time feedback from a coach, you can learn to align your body, synchronize your breath, and stay present in the moment. 

Release Built-Up Stress

Stress often accumulates in specific areas of the body—like the neck, shoulders, and lower back. A personalized coaching session targets these stress-prone areas, guiding you through poses that release tension and improve circulation. This focused attention allows for deeper muscle relaxation and helps release both physical and mental stress.

Personalized Workouts for Your Needs

Everyone experiences stress differently, and a 1-on-1 coach tailors your workout to address your particular triggers. Whether you're dealing with work-related stress or are overwhelmed by day-to-day personal responsibilities, a coach creates workouts that target these specific concerns. This personalized approach helps you unwind effectively, with every movement and breath focused on alleviating your stress.

Working 1-on-1 with a coach provides a deeper, more effective approach to stress relief, helping you calm both the body and the mind.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best exercises for stress management?

When it comes to the best exercise for stress management, yoga tops the list, as it combines movement with mindfulness. Yoga addresses the physical and mental aspects of stress through asanas (poses), pranayama (breath control), and meditation. Other effective exercises also include walking in nature, swimming, tai chi, and deep breathing exercises. These activities help lower cortisol levels, improve mood, and promote relaxation.

Does yoga really work for stress? 

Yes, yoga is scientifically proven to reduce stress. It activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which counteracts the body's stress response. Yoga also promotes the release of calming neurotransmitters like GABA and endorphins, while deep breathing and meditation calm the mind and reduce stress and nervousness. The combination of mindful movement and controlled breathing makes yoga highly effective for stress relief.

Is yoga better than going to the gym to relieve stress?

While both yoga and gym workouts offer stress relief, yoga provides a more holistic approach by addressing mental, emotional, and physical stress simultaneously. Yoga integrates mindful breathing and meditation, promoting inner calm and emotional balance. So, for those seeking relaxation and mental clarity in addition to physical benefits, yoga may be a better choice.

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