5 Easy Yoga Poses To Promote A Stress-Free Mind

This article was originally posted on baby2body.com — home to our sister app and all of the resources women need for a healthier, happier pregnancy and postpartum. This post has been modified for our MBODY audience.

We don't know about you but after the past few years of spending more time at home, we've never experienced stiffer necks, tighter shoulders, or achier backs — and all of these aches and pains can be further exacerbated by fluctuating hormones.

We always recommend turning to movement and gentle stretching for relief and relaxation when you yourself overly tense at the end of a long day. Not only will it help work out muscle tightness that can add to feelings of stress and anxiety, but doing a simple flow can help you get in a more meditative headspace and promote better sleep at night — an issue half of women struggle with during perimenopause.

One of our yoga experts, Ellie Gill, is here to share her top go-to poses for full-body relaxation at the end of a busy day. Of course, you can always find stretching, mobility, and yoga flows within the MBODY app, as well.

Go ahead and give this page a bookmark for easy access later on!

5 easy yoga poses for beginners to relieve stress

1. Uttanasana or Standing Forward Fold

Yoga expert Ellie demonstrating Uttanasana or Standing Forward Fold — *Yoga expert Ellie Gill*

We spend all day upright, so by the end of the day, it’s time to switch things up! This standing fold with bent knees is a lovely way to decompress the spine and give it a break from carrying around the weight of our worries. Focus on letting tension ease away as your shoulders drop closer to the floor.

For beginners, you can take a wider stance with any forward folds and keep a gentle bend in the knee. Be mindful of the head being below the heart, and if you feel dizzy at all slowly raise yourself up and steady your breathing.

2. Balasana or Child's Pose

Yoga expert Ellie demonstrating Balasana or Child's Pose — *Yoga expert Ellie Gill*

This familiar pose is often cued in yoga classes as a chance to reset and catch your breath. I personally love it, as your head and your heart are closer to the ground, and I feel this deepens our connection to the earth.

For beginners, we recommend a wide-legged child's pose here. You can lean your chest on a pillow to support you where necessary. For those with knee issues, try placing rolled towels or blankets behind the knees for extra support.

3. Sukhasana with Forward Fold

Yoga expert Ellie demonstrating Sukhasana with Forward Fold — *Yoga expert Ellie Gill*

Find yourself sitting cross-legged and then fold over your legs and extend the arms forward along the floor. The folding action increases the exhale, which in turn helps to encourage the body and the mind to find peace.

For beginners, we recommend using pillows under your hips to help prop you up so you can very gently lean forward, placing your hands on the wall or elevated surface, while keeping your back relaxed and straight.

4. Supta Baddha Konasana or Reclined Butterfly Pose

Yoga expert Ellie demonstrating Supta Baddha Konasana or Reclined Butterfly Pose — *Yoga expert Ellie Gill*

This is a restful hip-opening pose, which increases blood flow to the pelvis and assists in releasing the emotions and tension we carry in the hips (a common place to hold stress as women!). You can make this more restorative by using yoga blocks or pillows to support the knees for an easier stretch.

For beginners, you can elevate your shoulders off the ground using pillows or by leaning against a soft couch, so you're reclined at no more than a 45˚ angle. You'll definitely want to use yoga blocks or pillows to support your knees as well.

5. Savasana or Corpse Pose

Yoga expert Ellie demonstrating Savvasana or Corpse Pose — *Yoga expert Ellie Gill*

An incredibly restful, restorative pose, but one we can find challenging to master, as the mind starts to wander away. I encourage my students to rest their hands on the belly to keep a connection to deepening the breath, which in turn helps to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, and put us in a state of ‘rest-and-digest’, rather than ‘fight-or-flight’.

For beginners, you can stay in your elevated reclined position and simply extend your legs and let your body settle into this restorative pose.

Do you use yoga poses to decompress? Share a photo on Instagram of you doing your favorite yoga pose and tag @mbody.official, or drop your yoga questions below!

Be sure to check out more workouts for symptom relief on the MBODY app — available on the App Store and Google Play Store today!

5 Easy Yoga Poses to Promote a Stress-Free Mind