5 Simple Yoga Poses to Relieve Stress After a Busy Day
After a busy day—whether at work, caring for family, or managing daily tasks—it’s important to find time to unwind, reset, and reconnect with yourself. Yoga offers gentle, accessible ways to release tension, calm the mind, and restore your energy.
At Citta Flow in the peaceful Perth Hills, we focus on mindful, supportive Hatha and Hatha Flow practices that help you move with ease and breathe with awareness. Here are five simple yoga poses you can do at home to melt away stress and invite calm after a hectic day.
Here are some gentle postures to help with unwinding after a busy day:
1. Child’s Pose (Balasana)
A restorative pose that gently stretches the back and hips while encouraging deep relaxation.
How to do it:
Kneel on the floor with your big toes touching and knees wide.
Sit back on your heels and fold forward, extending your arms in front or alongside your body.
Rest your forehead on the mat or a cushion.
Breathe deeply and hold for 1–3 minutes.
Benefits:
Releases tension in the lower back and shoulders
Encourages a calming effect on the nervous system
2. Cat-Cow Stretch (Marjaryasana – Bitilasana)
A gentle flow that warms the spine and synchronizes breath with movement.
How to do it:
Start on hands and knees in a tabletop position.
Inhale, arch your back, lifting your tailbone and chest (Cow).
Exhale, round your spine, tucking your chin and tailbone (Cat).
Continue flowing with your breath for 1–2 minutes.
Benefits:
Improves spinal flexibility
Releases neck and back tension
3. Standing Forward Fold (Uttanasana)
A soothing stretch that helps calm the mind and relieve tension in the hamstrings and lower back.
How to do it:
Stand tall with feet hip-width apart.
Inhale spiral the arms out and up.
Exhale and fold forward from the hips, fingers or hands flat on the mat, letting your head hang heavy.
Keep a slight bend in your knees if needed.
Hold your elbows or let arms dangle, or if you can without strain place hands flat on the mat.
Stay for 30 seconds to 1 minute, gentle breath.
Benefits:
Reduces anxiety
Relieves tension in the back and legs
4. Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)
A deeply relaxing pose that encourages circulation and calms the nervous system.
How to do it:
Sit next to a wall and swing your legs up to rest vertically against it.
Keep your back and shoulders on the floor.
Rest your arms by your sides, palms facing up.
Close your eyes and breathe for 5–10 minutes.
Benefits:
Reduces swelling and fatigue in the legs
Relieves stress and promotes relaxation
5. Reclining Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)
A gentle spinal twist that releases tension and detoxifies the body.
How to do it:
Lie on your back with arms out to the sides.
Draw your knees to your chest.
Let both knees fall gently to one side ( pop pillow underneath top legs to support you) while turning your head to the opposite side. Only move head if no neck issues-otherwise keep head in neutral position facing ceiling.
Hold for 1–2 minutes, then switch sides.
Benefits:
Releases tightness in the lower back
Calms the nervous system
Ready to unwind with yoga?
Try these simple poses anytime you need a break or transition from busy to calm. At Citta Flow in Kalamunda, Perth Hills, we offer gentle Hatha and Hatha Flow classes designed to help you cultivate relaxation, strength, and balance.
Contact Bronika Carter - Studio Director, with any questions at hello@cittaflow.com.au, or book your next class — your calm awaits.
