Feeling overwhelmed? These 9 yoga asanas for stress relief can help you reduce daily stress with yoga and support nervous system yoga health. Designed for all levels, these calming yoga poses will soothe your mind, ease tension, and restore balance. Let’s dive into a gentle practice to help you find peace and calm today!
Why Yoga Helps with Stress and Nervous System Health
Yoga reduces cortisol levels, the stress hormone, by up to 20%, according to a 2024 Journal of Psychosomatic Research study, helping you reduce daily stress with yoga. It also balances the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and emotional stability. These support nervous system yoga poses calm your body’s fight-or-flight response, making them a natural way to manage stress and enhance mental clarity in 2025.
9 Simple Yoga Asanas for Stress Relief
These nine calming yoga poses are perfect for unwinding and supporting your nervous system. Each pose in this yoga asanas for stress relief sequence helps you release tension, breathe deeply, and find calm in just 15–20 minutes. Practice on a mat in a quiet space, and let’s start this journey to inner peace today.
Child’s Pose (Balasana)
Child’s Pose is a nurturing pose that calms the mind and releases tension in the back, a key yoga asanas for stress relief move. It gently stretches your hips and thighs, promoting relaxation while soothing the nervous system. Kneel on the floor, sit back on your heels, and fold forward, resting your forehead on the ground with arms extended or by your sides. Hold for 1–2 minutes, breathing deeply.
This pose also helps you focus on your breath, slowing your heart rate and easing anxiety, making it ideal to support nervous system yoga health. It’s a gentle way to surrender stress, letting your body soften with each exhale. Feel the calm wash over you, making this a perfect pose to begin your stress-relief practice in 2025.
Cat-Cow Pose (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)
Cat-Cow Pose flows between two movements to release spinal tension and calm the nervous system, a dynamic calming yoga poses pair. It encourages mindful breathing, reducing stress while improving spinal flexibility. On all fours, inhale to drop your belly and lift your gaze (Cow), then exhale to round your back and tuck your chin (Cat). Flow for 1 minute, syncing breath with movement.
This flow also massages the spine, which can ease nervous system overstimulation, helping you reduce daily stress with yoga effectively. It fosters a sense of rhythm and calm, grounding you in the present moment. As you move, feel your tension melt, making this a soothing addition to your stress-relief routine this year.
Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)
Standing Forward Bend calms the mind by increasing blood flow to the brain, a powerful yoga asanas for stress relief pose. It stretches the hamstrings and back, releasing physical tension that often accompanies stress. Stand with feet hip-width apart, hinge at your hips, and fold forward, bringing your head toward the floor and hands to the ground or your legs. Hold for 1 minute, breathing deeply.
This pose also soothes the nervous system by encouraging a sense of surrender, helping to support nervous system yoga balance. If your hamstrings are tight, bend your knees slightly to avoid strain. Feel your worries slip away, making this a grounding pose to reset and relax in your daily practice.
Reclined Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)
Reclined Bound Angle Pose opens the hips and chest, promoting deep relaxation to reduce daily stress with yoga. It calms the nervous system by slowing your breath and heart rate, easing anxiety. Lie on your back, bring the soles of your feet together, and let your knees fall outward—use pillows under your knees for support. Hold for 1–2 minutes, breathing deeply.
This pose also helps release emotional tension stored in the hips, a key benefit for support nervous system yoga health. For women seeking more emotional balance, try Yoga Poses for Women: Empower Your Body and Mind with Yoga. Feel your body soften, making this a nurturing pose to melt away stress in 2025.
Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)
Legs Up the Wall is a restorative pose that reduces stress by calming the nervous system and improving circulation, a top calming yoga poses choice. It also relieves tension in the legs and lower back, helping you unwind. Sit next to a wall, lie back, and swing your legs up the wall, keeping your hips close to the base. Hold for 1–2 minutes, breathing deeply.
This pose also lowers blood pressure and soothes anxiety, making it perfect to support nervous system yoga health after a long day. For more restorative practices, explore Yoga Poses for Faster Recovery: Soothe Your Muscles After a Tough Workout. Feel your stress fade, making this an ideal pose for relaxation in 2025.
Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)
Seated Forward Bend calms the mind by encouraging introspection, a gentle yoga asanas for stress relief pose. It stretches the spine and hamstrings, releasing physical tension while soothing the nervous system. Sit with legs extended, inhale to lengthen your spine, then exhale to fold forward, reaching for your feet or shins. Hold for 1 minute, breathing deeply, letting your body relax into the stretch.
This pose also reduces mental fatigue, helping to reduce daily stress with yoga by fostering a sense of calm and focus. If your back feels tight, use a strap around your feet to ease into the stretch. Feel your mind quiet, making this a peaceful pose to support your stress-relief journey this year.
Thread the Needle (Parsva Balasana)
Thread the Needle releases tension in the upper back and shoulders, areas where stress often builds, making it a great calming yoga poses option. It also calms the nervous system by encouraging slow, deep breathing. On all fours, slide your right shoulder and arm under your body, resting your shoulder on the ground, and look to the side. Hold for 30 seconds per side.
This pose also opens the chest, improving breath capacity, which helps to support nervous system yoga health by reducing anxiety. It’s a gentle twist that grounds you, letting you release emotional tension. Feel your shoulders relax, making this a simple yet effective pose to ease daily stress in 2025.
Corpse Pose (Savasana)
Corpse Pose is the ultimate relaxation pose, allowing your body to fully release stress, a cornerstone of yoga asanas for stress relief. It resets the nervous system, promoting deep calm and mental clarity. Lie flat on your back, arms by your sides, palms up, and legs slightly apart. Close your eyes and breathe naturally, resting for 3–5 minutes, letting go of all tension.
This pose also helps integrate the benefits of your practice, making it a vital way to support nervous system yoga health and restore balance. It’s a moment to simply be, free from stress or worry. Feel your body sink into the ground, making this the perfect pose to close your stress-relief session.
Easy Pose with Breathwork (Sukhasana with Pranayama)
Easy Pose with Breathwork combines gentle posture with calming breathing to reduce daily stress with yoga. It balances the nervous system by slowing your breath, reducing anxiety instantly. Sit cross-legged in Sukhasana, hands on your knees, and practice 4-7-8 breathing: inhale for 4 counts, hold for 7, exhale for 8. Repeat for 2 minutes, focusing on your breath’s rhythm.
This practice also enhances mindfulness, helping to support nervous system yoga health by grounding you in the present moment. For more breathing techniques, try poses from Yoga Poses to Relieve Stress: Find Calm in Just 15 Minutes. Feel your tension dissolve, making this a powerful pose to end your stress-relief practice in 2025.
Your 15–20 Minute Stress-Relief Yoga Sequence
Here’s your yoga asanas for stress relief sequence to reduce daily stress with yoga:
- Child’s Pose: 1–2 minutes
- Cat-Cow Pose: 1 minute
- Standing Forward Bend: 1 minute
- Reclined Bound Angle Pose: 1–2 minutes
- Legs Up the Wall: 1–2 minutes
- Seated Forward Bend: 1 minute
- Thread the Needle: 30 seconds per side
- Corpse Pose: 3–5 minutes
- Easy Pose with Breathwork: 2 minutes
Practice in a quiet space with a mat ($20–$30) to support nervous system yoga health.
Tips for Best Results
- Practice in the evening to unwind from the day’s stress and prepare for restful sleep.
- Use props like pillows under your hips in Sukhasana if your hips feel tight.
- Focus on slow, deep breathing to maximize the calming effects of each pose.
- Try this sequence 3–5 times a week to consistently reduce daily stress with yoga.
- Create a calming atmosphere with soft lighting or soothing music during your practice.
FAQs About Yoga for Stress Relief
How Does Yoga Reduce Stress and Support the Nervous System?
Yoga lowers cortisol by 20%, per a 2024 Journal of Psychosomatic Research study, and calms the nervous system, making it ideal to support nervous system yoga health.
How Long Should I Practice These Yoga Asanas?
This 15–20 minute sequence of calming yoga poses helps you reduce daily stress with yoga effectively, fitting into any busy schedule.
Are These Poses Suitable for Beginners?
Yes! These yoga asanas for stress relief are gentle, with modifications like props, perfect for beginners seeking calm.
How Often Should I Practice Yoga for Stress Relief?
Practice 3–5 times a week to consistently reduce daily stress with yoga and support your nervous system health.
Can I Pair This Sequence with Other Stress-Relief Practices?
Yes! Add mindfulness or a cooling drink like bael sherbet from 6 Surprising Benefits of Drinking Bael Sherbet This Summer for holistic relaxation.
Find Calm with Yoga Today
These 9 yoga asanas for stress relief—from Child’s Pose to Easy Pose with Breathwork—help you reduce daily stress with yoga and support nervous system yoga health in just 15–20 minutes. Embrace these calming yoga poses to find peace in 2025! Which pose will you start with? Share below, and let’s make stress relief a daily habit together!
