Taking care of your mental health is just as important as caring for your physical body. Research shows that yoga can be remarkably effective for managing anxiety, depression, and everyday stress. The combination of mindful movement, deep breathing, and present-moment awareness helps calm the nervous system and create a sense of inner peace.
These six poses are perfect for beginners and can be practiced anywhere—at home, in the office, or even outdoors. You don't need any special equipment, just a few moments to yourself and the willingness to breathe deeply and let go.
Grounding Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
Mental Wellbeing Benefit: This foundational pose helps you feel centered and present, creating a sense of stability and calm when anxiety feels overwhelming.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, distributing your weight evenly across both feet.
Let your arms hang naturally at your sides with palms facing forward, opening your chest.
Roll your shoulders back and down, lengthening through the crown of your head.
Close your eyes if comfortable, and imagine roots growing from your feet into the earth.
Breathe slowly and deeply, feeling yourself becoming more grounded with each exhale.
Hold for 5-10 deep breaths
Melting Heart Pose (Anahatasana)
Mental Wellbeing Benefit: This heart-opening pose releases tension held in the chest and shoulders, areas where we often store emotional stress and grief.
Begin on your hands and knees with your hips directly above your knees.
Walk your hands forward, lowering your chest toward the floor while keeping your hips high.
Rest your forehead on the mat or a cushion, allowing your heart to melt toward the earth.
Keep your arms active and reaching, feeling a gentle stretch through your shoulders and upper back.
Breathe into the tightness, imagining each exhale releases worry and tension.
Hold for 5-8 breaths
Soothing Child's Pose (Balasana)
Mental Wellbeing Benefit: A deeply restful pose that activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping you shift from fight-or-flight mode to rest-and-digest.
Kneel on the floor and sit back on your heels, bringing your big toes together.
Separate your knees wide or keep them together, whatever feels more comfortable.
Fold forward, extending your arms in front of you or resting them alongside your body.
Lower your forehead to the mat, closing your eyes and turning your awareness inward.
Focus on the gentle rise and fall of your breath against your thighs.
Rest here for 1-3 minutes
Calming Cat-Cow Flow (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)
Mental Wellbeing Benefit: This gentle spinal flow helps release physical and emotional tension while coordinating breath with movement, a powerful tool for anxiety relief.
Start on your hands and knees with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips.
Inhale, dropping your belly toward the floor, lifting your gaze and tailbone (Cow Pose).
Exhale, rounding your spine toward the ceiling, tucking your chin and tailbone (Cat Pose).
Continue flowing between these poses, moving slowly and mindfully with your breath.
Let the rhythm become meditative, releasing tension with each exhale.
Flow for 8-10 breaths
Restorative Legs-Up-The-Wall (Viparita Karani)
Mental Wellbeing Benefit: This gentle inversion calms the mind, reduces fatigue, and helps relieve symptoms of mild depression by encouraging fresh blood flow to the brain.
Sit sideways next to a wall, then swing your legs up as you lie back on the floor.
Scoot your hips as close to the wall as comfortable, with legs extended upward.
Let your arms rest by your sides, palms facing up in a gesture of receiving.
Close your eyes and soften your entire body, releasing all effort.
Breathe naturally, feeling tension drain from your legs and mind.
Stay for 5-15 minutes
Peaceful Corpse Pose (Savasana)
Mental Wellbeing Benefit: The ultimate relaxation pose for integrating the benefits of your practice and training your body and mind to deeply rest and restore.
Lie on your back with legs extended and feet falling naturally to the sides.
Place your arms slightly away from your body, palms facing up.
Close your eyes and bring your attention to your breath, without trying to control it.
Scan through your body from toes to crown, consciously relaxing each area.
Allow thoughts to come and go like clouds, always returning to the breath.
Stay present with yourself, offering this gift of stillness to your nervous system.
Rest for 5-10 minutes
Remember: Your mental health matters.
Even just a few minutes of mindful movement can make a meaningful difference in how you feel. These poses can be done individually when you need a moment of calm, or practiced as a sequence for a complete mental wellness routine.
