12-Minute Yin Yoga to Ease Busy-Day Tension

A schedule crammed commitments can be overwhelming—even if it comes with fun plans, vacations, and local adventures. Practicing yin yoga for stress helps you take some of that expended energy back.

This yin yoga practice is meant to help guide you away from some of the tension and overwhelm you might be experiencing and toward a more tranquil state. As you hold each pose, take the time to allow yourself to be supported and release some of your tension so you can move through life more lightly.

Yin Yoga for Stress (Including the Good Kind)

You’ll need two blocks for this practice. After all, extra support means less stress.

Supported Sphinx Pose

Begin lying flay on your front body with your legs and arms extended long being you. Grab your blocks and position them on the lowest level beneath each shoulder. Angle the blocks slightly inward so that they support your upper arms. Let yourself settle into this variation of Supported Sphinx Pose. Bring your forehead to the mat or turn your head and let a cheek settle on the mat instead.

Stay here for 1-3 minutes or as long as you’d like.

Prone Savasana

Remove your blocks from beneath your shoulders and set them aside. Let your shoulders relax and round toward the mat.

Take 6 full breaths here.

Rock Pose

Bring your hands beneath your shoulders and press yourself up through hands and knees. Send your sit bones back toward your heels, separating your knees just slightly in this variation of Child’s Pose. Drape your arms long and back by your sides, palms facing up. If you find that your forehead is floating off the mat, slide a block beneath it for support.

Stay here for 1-3 minutes or as long as you’d like.

Cow Pose

Reach your arms forward and press yourself up to hands and knees. With your next inhalation, lower your belly, lift your chin and chest, and arch your back in Cow Pose.

Cat Pose

Exhale as you round your back and tuck your chin in Cat Pose.

Repeat these poses 5 times, moving with the pace of your breath.

Downward-Facing Dog

When you’re ready, lift your hips up and back to Downward-Facing Dog. Pedal out your legs, shake your head, or take whatever other movements you need here to release the previous pose.

Stay here for 3 cycles of breath.

Malasana

Walk your hands and feet toward each other so that you end up dangling in a Standing Forward Bend. Heel-toe your feet out to about mat-width distance, and angle your toes slightly outward. Sink your sit bones down into Squat or Malasana.

Bring your hands to heart center and feel free to bring a block beneath your sit bones for support.

Stay here for 1-3 minutes or as long as you’d like.

If this pose isn’t accessible to you, you can take the same shape lying on your back, holding your shins out wide.

Savasana

Roll all the way down to your spine in Savasana. Stay here for as long as you’re able, allowing the effects of this yoga for stress practice to integrate into your physical and energetic body.

There’s nothing to do, nowhere to be.

When you’re ready, roll through a fetal position, pause, and press yourself up to a comfortable seat. Thank yourself for taking the time out of your busy schedule to practice today.