Poses by Benefit

You may have heard people blame their crushing exhaustion, brain fog, and moodiness on burnout or adrenal fatigue. But experts say those usually aren’t accurate diagnoses. Here, a new term for what ails us, along with new thinking on exactly how chronic stress is affecting our health—and why yoga can help.

The secret to improving your practice? Don’t just hit the mat—hit the gym!

The next time you find yourself tossing and turning, try one of these yoga poses that top teachers around the world practice to help them start snoozing.

Whether you suffer from an anxiety disorder or experience bouts of more mild anxiety, here are seven specific ways your yoga practice can help you find relief—both quickly, and over the long haul.

Deskbound at the office or at home? Starting to slouch? These strengthening and lengthening poses will help you sit with support and ease.

For one yoga teacher, trying something that felt like the complete opposite of her alignment-focused asana style turned out to transform her yoga practice—and her life.

These simple moves will powerfully balance your legs, pelvis, and spine whether you're at your desk, out and about, or on the mat.

Whether you have chronic low back pain, herniation, osteoporosis, or trouble with your SI joints, these supported variations will help you enjoy the benefits of Triangle Pose with ease.

Learn how to incorporate sun salutations, meditation, and healthy eating to optimize your happiness.

For nights when stress + anxiety get the better of you, try this simple smiling practice to peacefully drift off to sleep.

This relaxing "fourth trimester" yoga sequence can help you reconnect with your body and calm your mind in those early months with a new baby.

Feel like you have a cold coming on? Nip it in the bud with these immunity-boosting tips.

Yoga Nidra, or yogic sleep, is a deep relaxation practice that helps relax the physical and emotional bodies so that healing can occur.

Try some of these sleep-friendly tips to promote a healthier sleep and good night's rest for you and your family.

There are certain practices that you can introduce into your home to make it a happy and safe place to live.

Learn how to practice simple changes to your diet and lifestyle to eliminate anxiety.

Keeping up with a busy life usually means our health gets pushed aside. Here are a few ways to keep your healthy eating habits in check.

Do you find it difficult to unwind and settle your mind? Incorporate these tactics into your everyday life to manage stress.

Baron Baptiste, who leads YJ's upcoming course The Power of Play, explains how yoga clears out old mental and physical clutter, setting you up for new possibilities.

In this excerpt from his new book Yoga Therapy: Foundations, Methods, and Practices for Common Ailments, Mark Stephens offers methods for warming up and massaging the wrists to reduce pain in yoga practice.

Take a closer look at seven subtle-body healing modalities, and how to find one that will help you boost the benefits of your yoga practice.

These short practices from Yoga Medicine teacher Shannon Stephens can have profound effects on the way you experience stress and life's toughest moments.

It's easy to get caught up in the holiday chaos—but you don't have to. Here are five simple ways to carve out some much-needed "you" time.

Long day? Feeling sluggish? Try these poses from YJ Influencer Meredith Cameron to create space in your upper body to soften, flush, and balance your organ system.

Next time you need some support surrendering to sleep, grab some pillows and try this sequence of pre-slumber asanas between the sheets.

So you overate or overstressed… This short sequence focuses on processing and letting go to counteract holiday excess, leave you feeling lighter, and make some space for joy.

YJ Influencer Laura Burkhart shares the surefire strategies she’s used to end her decade-long battle with insomnia.

Need a nap? Yoga nidra may be the key to feeling well-rested. Here’s how “yogic sleep” can be even more effective than conventional sleep.

Fearlessness is about having the courage to show up to your reality, to face your real emotions, and to be brave enough to continue moving forward with your life.

When it feels like life is spinning out of control, teacher Sara Clark recommends opening your energy channels to raise your vibration and increase your stress resilience.

Check out YJ Editor's author page.

Here's how to strengthen and gain mobility in your upper back

Whether you're new to restorative yoga or a seasoned pro, little tweaks can help you get more relaxation out of your practice.

Learn how to listen with compassion to your body, breath, feelings, and thoughts. This deep listening helps you cultivate the kind of conscious relaxation that allows you to stay open, present, and curious in situations where you normally wouldn't.

Use this sequence to check in with yourself, quiet fears and negative mental chatter, and ultimately move into a place of deep trust.

Senior Yoga Medicine teacher Rachel Land created our Yoga for Flexibility Challenge but explains why it’s not all about about “stretching.”

There’s a myth that a strong muscle is a tight one, and a flexible muscle is weak. It seems counterintuitive, but identifying and strengthening weak areas can actually help tight areas release their grip. Your challenge for this week is to address one or two of your dormant areas with targeted strength work. Share your progress on social media with #YJflexichallenge for a chance to be featured on our @YogaJournal Instagram page!

We can mitigate some of the shifts in the body that occur during pregnancy, simply by standing well. This practice will wake up the muscles that we need to maintain good structural integrity and a healthy pelvic floor even as big changes are occurring within.

Open your hips and hamstrings, create flexibility in your spine, and increase circulation to your core with these prep poses for Tolasana.

So, just how handy is yogic breathing during childbirth? Is 9 months of prenatal yoga actually realistic? And can you meditate your way through contractions?

Strala Yoga founder Tara Stiles shares how her practice contributed to her pregnancy and recovery and the benefits a baby with a yogi mom receives. (Read: Good vibes galore.)

Senior Prana Vinyasa teacher and psychotherapist Coral Brown opens up about her trying pregnancy, nonexistent prenatal asana practice, and the wonder of bringing another being into the world.

Aruba-based yoga teacher Rachel Brathen, aka Yoga Girl, gets real about her pregnancy, letting go of her control-freak tendencies, and how pranayama isn’t actually an effective substitute for pain medication during labor.

Senior Yoga Medicine teacher Rachel Land breaks down the anatomy of fascia and four effective ways to keep it fit through yoga practice.

This contemplative meditation can be practiced regularly or whenever you feel overwhelmed, unstable, or emotionally shut down.

Senior Yoga Medicine teacher Rachel Land says don’t worry if you’ve never considered the health of your fascia before. As a yogi, you may already be taking good care of it anyway. Here, she outlines what it takes.

Maintaining flexibility and stability in the hip joints is crucial for lower-back health and cultivating overall freedom and ease in our bodies.

This mudra connects us to our higher Self, helps lift dull energy, creates a more receptive state, calms the mind, and brightens the overall mood. It is often used in meditation, pranayama, and asana.

Garuda Mudra is named after the eagle that Vishnu—the lord of preservation—rides. It can help you cultivate the discipline you need to stick with your daily yoga practice when life gets busy.

This sequence blends asana with a HIIT tempo, which can help you build strength and burn calories while also inspiring you to feel empowered—all in 15 to 20 minutes.

Ray Long, MD, explains the anatomy of twists and how to support the action with proper muscular engagement to prevent low back pain.

If you're looking to get in shape, Kiersten Mooney proposes the need for speed. And her yoga research backs it up.

Larissa Hall Carlson, co-leader of Yoga Journal's new Ayurveda 101 course, offers 7 Ayurvedic tips to help you lose weight and reset your body after the holidays.

Find out how her stress manifests by this quiz from Gaia Herbs.