Top 5 Stress-Relieving Restorative Yoga Poses

Restorative Yoga is a contemplative practice that uses props like chairs, blocks, straps, sandbags, bolsters, and blankets to totally support the body, enabling the release of mind and body tension.

It is a slow-paced practice that works to release deep tension passively, without active stretch. It is a powerful practice and can help a student to restore the body back to its normal flexibility and mobility.

The practice was developed by B.K.S. Iyengar in order to help people with injuries or illnesses, enabling them to experience the profound healing benefits of yoga without placing their bodies under too much.

Iyengar encouraged the use of props and modified asanas to allow the body to relax into poses. Restorative yoga doesn’t do force. It’s about releasing, surrendering and compassion toward ourselves

5 Effective Restorative Yoga Poses for Stress Relief

Follow these restorative yoga poses for complete healing

Balasana - Child's Pose

This is one of those restorative yoga poses without props.

• The Child’s pose is a deeply restorative asana, which gives the entire back a deep stretch.
• Sit down on your mat, stretch your arms forward, and place it on the mat.
• Stretch them until your forehead touches the mat and you feel a good stretch in your neck and back.
• This pose calms and regulates the nervous system, helping you drift off to wonderland.

Shavasana - Corpse Pose

Another restorative yoga pose without props. Even though you can always choose to use blankets or pillows to get comfy.

• Lay on your yoga mat with your hands by your side, close your eyes and make sure your feet are in a comfortable position, facing sideways.
• Lay your palms on the side of your body, slightly away from the torso, facing skywards.
• Slowly draw breath to every part of your body. This is a slow deep-breathing exercise which facilitates deep relaxation.
• Shavasana can help you reach levels of awareness which helps relax the body and mind.
• Yoga Nidra can also be incorporated in Shavasana - A form of deep Yogic sleep.
• Stay in this pose for 15 minutes to feel the benefits surging through helping you sleep and enjoy your days.

Reclining Bound Angle Pose

• Start by lying down on your back with your legs extended and arms by your sides, keeping palms facing upward.
• Bend your knees so that the soles of your feet are together in a butterfly pose.
• Start taking deeper breaths and relax the body.

Supine spinal twist

• Lay down on your back and bend your knees.
• Open your arms into a T shape and relax your shoulders
• Bring your knees down to rest on the floor on either side, stacked on top of one another.
• Stay for a few breaths and repeat on the other side.

Supported fish pose

A classic example of restorative yoga with props. This uses bolsters and blankets to heal and restore the muscles.

• Grab a yoga block and place a folded blanket on top or use a bolster and lay them down vertically on your mat.
• Lay with your legs extended out straight or knees bent. Your upper body and head resting on your props. Let your arms fall out to the sides with your palms turned upwards.
• Stay there and relax.

What are the 5 benefits of restorative yoga?

__Benefits of restorative yoga __

Relaxes your mind and body. Yoga is linked to reduced stress and anxiety, and lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.

Soothes the nervous system. Restorative yoga helps shift the balance from your fight-or-flight response (sympathetic nervous system) to your relaxation response, or the parasympathetic nervous system.

Enhances your mood. Yoga promotes relaxation and deep breathing, which, according to research, may reduce depressive symptoms.

Safe to perform during pregnancy. Restorative yoga is easy to modify and safe to practice during pregnancy.

Few words from SARVA

• Restorative yoga is like a treat for your muscles and nervous system. So try to include a couple of classes a month atleast.
• Ask your yoga teacher to show you a few postures and you can practice them when you feel anxious or stressed.
• Keep all your props ready and dont hesitate to use as many as you need to
• Make sure you are comfortable with the pose and then try to relax your mind and body completely.