5 gentle yoga poses your nervous system needs
✦ 2 min
Below you'll find five gentle poses you can combine into a short, restorative practice.
1. Supported Balasana
Kneel on the mat, spread your knees to the width of the mat and bring your big toes together. Place a bolster, a pillow or a few folded blankets in front of you and rest your torso and head on them. Let the weight of your body gradually sink into the support with each exhale.
- Stay for 1–3 minutes*.
Focus on calm breathing and let the muscles of your face, your shoulders and your belly soften.
2. Legs up the wall
Sit sideways next to a wall and lie down on your back, swinging your legs up at the same time. You don't have to be perfectly flush against the wall.
Rest your arms loosely along your body or place your hands on your belly.
- Stay for 3–5 minutes.*
This is one of those poses where you really don't have to do much.
You can close your eyes and, for a few minutes, simply watch the rhythm of your breath.
3. Supported Supta Baddha Konasana
Lie on your back. Bring the soles of your feet together and let your knees fall out to the sides.
If you feel tension in your hips or inner thighs, put pillows or blocks under your knees.
You can also rest your whole spine on a bolster if you want the pose to be even more restorative.
- Stay for 2–4 minutes.*
Don't try to bring your knees closer to the floor. Gravity will do that for you, you just relax.
4. Gentle supine twist
Lie on your back and draw your knees to your chest. Then let both knees fall to one side.
They don't have to touch the floor. Look for contact with the floor through your feet. You can put a rolled blanket, a pillow or a bolster under your knees. Your arms can stay alongside your body or spread wider.
- Stay for about a minute, then switch sides.*
- Lengthen your exhales and let your body sink and settle into the pose.*
5. Savasana
Lie on your back.
You can put a bolster or a pillow under your knees. If you feel cold, cover yourself with a blanket. You can also put something soft under your head.
- do nothing.*
Don't try to control your breath.
Just let your body be for a few minutes
- Stay for 3–10 minutes.*
What if you only have 5 minutes?
You don't have to do the whole sequence.
Try:
- 1 minute* — supported Balasana
- 2 minutes* — legs up the wall
- 1 minute* — gentle twist
- 1 minute* — Savasana
