5 Yoga Poses for Quick Stress Relief

If you struggle with stress, chances are you know a bit about cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone that affects various functions of your body including your immune system, inflammatory signaling, and your stress response. When you’re stressed, cortisol levels, rise. That means learning how to lower cortisol levels can help reduce those uncomfortable feelings of overwhelm and get you out of a fight-or-flight response. Fortunately, practicing yoga has been proven to reduce stress and ease symptoms of anxiety.

If you’re dealing with elevated stress, taking a few minutes and lying in Savasana might be all you can manage. And that’s okay! But should you have the space to experiment, or if you prefer a more active approach, these slightly more challenging yoga poses have the potential to literally reset your mind and body—and, bonus, they do so while getting you out of your head.

How to Lower Cortisol: 5 Yoga Poses for Quick Calm

The following yoga poses can reorient your body in space, change the way you look at the world, and slow things down long enough to help lower cortisol levels.

1. Pigeon Pose

Hip openers are thought to release stored emotions. Pigeon Pose externally rotates your bent-leg hip and stretches your straight-leg psoas, addressing the hip area from multiple angles. Once you settle into your version of Pigeon, you’ll find that calm comes quickly.

2. Dolphin Pose

If Downward-Facing Dog is a foundational pause, Dolphin Pose is a strengthening reset. Bringing your forearms to the mat helps to open and strengthen your upper body (and makes it a go-to prep pose for Headstand). It’s also an inversion, meaning it brings your head below your heart to encourage circulation as well as calm. It also demands all of your focus, which can serve as helpful distraction.

3. Garland Squat

This yogi squat comes with both functional and mental benefits. Malasana or Garland Squat opens your hips and lengthens your spine, helping to counteract some of the physical tightness and tension that comes from sitting at desks all day. In terms of psychological stress, it s an incredibly grounding shape, the pelvic release supporting your parasympathetic nervous system, which is what helps your body and mind settle into ease.

4. Legs Up the Wall

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Legs Up the Wall is among the quickest ways to calm down. This supported inversion is restorative, helping to switch on the parasympathetic nervous system and letting your body know that it can let go and relax.

5. Plow Pose

Shifting your perspective is always a good idea. Plow Pose sends your legs up and overhead in an inversion, the accompanying chin tuck is thought to signal safety to nervous system. Plus, practicing this pose on a regular basis—particularly with supportive props—can help train you to lengthen and deepen your breath, which signals your body and mind that it can step out of vigilance.