Are you feeling stressed out and anxious? Do you find yourself lying awake at night worrying because of all the pressures in your life? While it’s essential to prioritize your goals and aspirations, you must also devote time to yourself. You need to slow down and recharge your batteries. There are a lot of things that career-focused individuals can do to relax including taking a bath, reading a book or watching television. Sometimes, try to unwind by engaging in physical activities that keep us busy for a few moments. One approach I love when I feel stressed is doing yoga.

While yoga can help reduce stress, it’s important to remember that yoga is not just a workout—it’s a complete mind, body, and spirit practice. Stress affects nearly everyone at some point in life and can severely affect overall well-being. The good news is yoga serves as an outlet for stress management. From calming the mind to toning the muscles, here’s how to incorporate ten yoga poses into your daily routine for additional peace of mind.

Yoga is a powerful tool for managing stress and promoting relaxation. There are many different yoga poses, or asanas, that can help reduce feelings of tension and anxiety. Here are ten yoga poses to try when you’re feeling stressed:

1. Child’s Pose (Balasana)

To do Child’s Pose, start on your hands and knees with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. Sit back on your heels and reach your arms out in front of you, resting your forehead on the ground. Hold this pose for several deep breaths, feeling your body relax as you exhale.

2. Cat-Cow (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)

Begin on your hands and knees with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. Inhale and arch your back, lifting your head and tailbone toward the ceiling. Exhale and round your spine, tucking your chin to your chest and bringing your tailbone toward your knees. Repeat this movement for several rounds, connecting your breath with the movement.

3. Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Start on your hands and knees with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. Tuck your toes and lift your hips up and back, coming into an inverted “V” shape with your body. Press your heels down, trying to straighten your legs as much as possible. Hold for several deep breaths, pressing your hands and fingers into the floor.

4. Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)

Stand at the top of your mat with your feet hip-distance apart. Step your right foot back and turn it out to a 45-degree angle. Bend your front knee, making sure your knee is stacked directly over your ankle. Stretch your arms up overhead as you inhale. Hold for several deep breaths and then switch sides.

5. Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)

Stand at the top of your mat with your feet hip-distance apart. Step your feet 3-4 feet apart and step your right foot back, turning it out to a 45-degree angle. Line up the front heel with the arch of the back foot. Bend your front knee, making sure your knee is stacked directly over your ankle and shoulders are stacked over the hips. Stretch your arms out to the sides, parallel to the ground. Hold for several deep breaths and then switch sides.

6. Extended Triangle Pose (Utthita Trikonasana)

Stand in the middle of your mat with your feet hip-distance apart. Step your feet 3-4 feet apart and turn the back foot out to a 45-degree angle and the front foot facing the top of the mat. Stretch your arms out to the sides and parallel to the ground with palms facing down. Extend from the hips and bend forward over your front leg. Reach your front hand down to your front ankle or the floor. Open up through the rib cage and hold for several deep breaths, then switch sides.

7. Half Pigeon Pose (Ardha Kapotasana)

Start on your hands and knees. Bring your right knee to your right hand and extend your left leg straight behind you. Lower your hips down to the floor and walk your hands forward to come into a low lunge. Slowly lower your body to the ground and stretch your arms out in front of you. Hold for several deep breaths and then switch sides.

8. Seated forward bend (Paschimottanasana)

Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you. Inhale and raise your arms above your head. Exhale and bend forward from the hips, reaching for your toes and bending the knees if necessary. Hold for several deep breaths.

9. Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana)

Lie on your back and bring your knees into your chest. Grasp the outsides of your feet with your hands and open your knees out to the sides like a butterfly. The ankles are directly over the knees and anchor the tailbone to the floor. Hold this position and gently rock side to side to release tension in your lower back. Hold for several deep breaths.

10. Corpse Pose (Savasana)

Lie on your back with your feet hip-distance apart and your arms by your sides, palms facing up. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Release any tension in your body as you exhale. Allow your breath to become slow and steady, and let yourself sink into the floor. Stay in this pose for several minutes, allowing your body to relax fully.

Yoga is an effective way to manage stress because it combines physical movement with mindfulness and deep breathing. The combination of movement and breath in yoga helps to release body tension while focusing on the present moment helps to calm the mind. Yoga poses also open and stretch specific areas of the body that tend to hold onto tension, such as the shoulders, neck, and back. Yoga helps to release physical tension

Overall, incorporating yoga into your daily routine can be a powerful tool for managing stress and promoting relaxation. Try incorporating these ten yoga poses into your practice and notice the difference it makes in your overall well-being. Remember to always listen to your body; if you feel any pain or discomfort, stop and come out of the pose.