Yoga for Stress

Overwhelmed? Even when you can't step away from the computer and drop into Child's Pose, you can still come back to that same feeling. Here's how.

Your favorite yoga pose has gone viral. But is that a good thing?

Don’t get up! With these variations, you can experience yoga in a more supported manner—perfect for those days when you are lacking energy but still want to practice.

Sometimes less is more, even in yoga.

A yoga sequence for anyone who holds others in their care.

On those days when dragging yourself out of bed feels pretty momentous, yoga—slow, steady, and supported—can help.

Say goodbye to all that tension.

A modification of Plank Pose, Forearm Plank strengthens and tones the core, thighs, and arms.

When you need to approach any situation—or, let's be honest, life—from a calmer place, this quiet practice is your solution.

And I don’t mean the poses...

Plow Pose (Halasana) reduces backache and can help you get to sleep.

Padmasana creates an essential foundation for meditation practice, while stretching the front of the thighs and ankles.

Fold into Paschimottanasana to help your distracted mind—and your hamstrings—unwind.

Feel free to let it all out.

When was the last time you gave thanks for your ability to move through your yoga practice?

Adho Mukha Vrksasana boosts energy and confidence, and can literally give you a new perspective on life.

Standing on your head in Salamba Sirsasana strengthens the whole body and calms the brain.

If you're notoriously bad at relaxing, these calming poses will help you release *everything.*

Uttanasana will wake up your hamstrings and soothe your mind.

Release your tension and relax with these grounding practices.

In this 13-minute practice, you'll connect with your breath—and open your upper body.

Your body will thank you.

Here come the deep sighs.

Goodbye, stress. Hello, peace.

Take a break. Balasana is a restful pose that can be sequenced between more challenging asanas.

Ever feel as airy and unstable as leaves swirling in the wind? That's your vata dosha out of balance. This slow yoga practice will help settle your energy and bring you back to calm.

Sarah Clark explains and offers poses to help you stop grasping—and start accepting.

Savasana is a pose of total relaxation—making it one of the most challenging.

Asymmetrical yoga poses like Gherandasana are a great way to find your center when you're being pulled in multiple directions. Here's how to prep for the posture.

Stress can show up our our faces–literally. Reclaim your inner radiance with this tension-taming sequence.

Rejuvenate your body and mind with this heart-opening flow.

Try these seven poses to help you feel more balanced during vata season.

Try these 9 poses to soothe and ground you in gratitude.

Here are 10 yoga poses to help you recharge and strengthen your resolve.

This innovative new at-home practice is an accessible way to feel calm and grounded.

As anxiety spikes across the U.S., emerging studies show a possible link between meditation and cardiovascular health.

Try these 5 poses to support you during late pregnancy and after giving birth

Syncing awareness of movement with breath has a profound impact on training our nervous systems and can help survivors of post-traumatic stress disorder reconnect with their bodies.

Grammy-nominated frame drum specialist, flautist, and composer Marla Leigh Goldstein shares her playlist for finding ease.

These talks, breath and movement practices, sound healings, and more can help you find moments of calm and community, as well as develop self-regulation tools so you can tend to your nervous system. Bookmark for future reference.

Exploring asana, meditation, and breath work just may be exactly what the doctor ordered to relieve stress.

Soothe anxiety and strengthen your body with this centering yoga sequence.

It can be hard to feel grounded and calm in the midst of uncertainty and chaos. Here, meditations, pranayama, and asana sequences to help you let go of fear and find peace.

Coronavirus have you up all night? Try these yoga poses and practices for peace of mind and real rest.

Turn to this sequence during flu, allergy and cold season.

This new awareness made me realize that if you don't pull out tension by the roots, it just migrates elsewhere—that boiling water has to let off steam somewhere.

Use this sequence to find refuge from the clutches of chronic illness.

Having trouble getting eight hours of shut-eye? Steal these secrets from some of the country’s top teachers.

Take a deep breath and let go of that money stress.

Plus, how your yoga practice can help you deal.

Founders of the nonprofit Konscious Youth Development and Service (KYDS) New Jersey share how their mindfulness program in schools and meditation and open mic events in Ashbury Park are bringing positive change to a community.

It can be easy to get caught up in the non-stop “go” of life and lose sight of what brings you the most happiness. If you can relate, this emotional detox is for you.

This 12-pose sequence will help you remember what the season is really all about.

Feeling caught in the holiday frenzy? Take a minute to try one of these surprising tactics that’ll help you feel more sane—immediately.

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.

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.

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.

Check out YJ Editor's author page.

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.

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

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

Think you don’t have time for yoga during the holidays—much less 3-minute pose holds? Yoga Medicine teacher Shannon Stephens makes a case for why yin yoga may be the best practice for your busiest times.

Often during the holiday season we hear that to take care of others we must first take care of ourselves. Here's how to feel more ease and less drained.

Meditation is a procedure of cleansing the mind and taking out the garbage in the subconscious. These three Kundalini practices passed down by Yogi Bhajan will help you release conscious and subconscious fears that cause stress, worry, and anxiety.

Research shows that the practice goes a long way toward helping your brain stay in top shape.

You'll feel calmer and more relaxed in minutes.

While anxiety is natural, yoga and breathing techniques can help students handle the pressures associated with peers, workload and making the grade. Try these 9 yoga tools with your kids for a stress-free start to the semester.

Communities across the country, take note: Since the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting, the Newtown Yoga Festival has set an example for using yoga to bring a community together and heal trauma.

Colleen Saidman Yee, who teaches Yoga Journal's upcoming Yoga for Inner Peace online course, demonstrates a rocking sequence for fighting fear and promoting positive thinking.

The mudras and the Reiki hand positions can be used in tandem with the Yees’ asana sequence or separately to help you find calm.

We already know that music can enhance your mood, but for the first time, a study has shown that live music can reduce stress levels.

YJ senior editor Meghan Rabbitt shares how learning to say this one little word more often empowered her to makeover her entire life.

Here, three prominent yoga teachers share the rewards and challenges of their sabbaticals. Plus, advice to help you decide if taking 
a break is right for you.

Listen to your body to find your natural limits and healthy boundaries—along with core power, strength, and inner peace.

Breathe For Change, an organization launched last year by teachers for teachers, is on a mission to save our schools, one teacher at a time, by reducing burnout through yoga and mindfulness training.

Next time you find yourself bogged down with emails and to-dos, take 10 minutes to disconnect from the computer screen and practice this short yoga sequence.

Yoga nidra, also known as “yogic sleep” is also a wonderful alternative to sleeping pills for anyone suffering from stress-induced insomnia.