Yaaaah! Feel like screaming sometimes because there’s never enough time for everything you have to do? Homework, ballet class, debate club, band practice… Whatever your agenda may be, we know you have A LOT going on and things can get pretty overwhelming.

Anxiety, meet Yoga.

There’s a reason why yoga is one of the best tools in the anti-anxiety toolkit. Yoga helps you destress and feel in control by allowing you to tune in to your body and slow down the busy – often negative – thoughts that keep us from feeling good. To calm down, you need to settle down.
Yes, yoga can be about all those crazy, twisted-like-a-pretzel poses that you see all over Instagram. But, the real reason more than 30 million people around the world practice yoga is that yoga helps people of all ages, sizes, and fitness levels to get stronger—both physically and emotionally.
So, grab a mat (a towel or blanket will also do) and get your zen on!

Breath • Smile • Let it go.

easy pose

This is a great pose for starting your “chillax” session. Find a quiet place, close your eyes and start to focus on your breath. Easy pose may look easy, but it can be challenging for those with tight hips and hamstrings. You may want to sit on a folded blanket or pillow to relieve some of the tightness along the hips and back and to make it more comfortable.

forward fold

Inhale as you sweep your arms upwards toward the sky. Then exhale as you fold your body forward from the hips, making sure to only fold forward as much as feels comfortable for your back and hamstrings. If you’re not very flexible, be sure to allow for some bend in your knees. This will make the pose more comfortable and effective. Be sure to keep your hips directly over your ankles. And relax your neck so that you’re not tensing it to hold the pose.

legs up the wall

Inversions are great for dealing with so much of what stresses us out these days. And “legs up the wall” is my absolute favorite. Sit sideways next to the wall. Swing your legs up onto the wall, placing your back, shoulders and head on your mat. Lay your hands next to your hips, palms facing upwards. Take a deep breath and let it all go!

“Legs up the Wall is my favorite pose. You just get to relax and rest. It makes me realize that I don’t need to be so stressed and helps me let everything go.”
Ava (11)

child’s pose

This pose is a great way to let go and release the tension of the moment. Sit on your heels and point your knees toward the sides of the mat. Keep your toes connected, or touching, so that you’re creating a V-space with your lower body. Fold your upper body forward, rest your forehead on the mat and extend your arms forward. Take a breath, close your eyes and release all the tension in your shoulders and neck.
For a variation on this pose, you can place your hands toward the back of your mat, resting next to your hips, with your palms facing upwards. And if it feels better to rest your torso on top of your thighs, go ahead and adjust this pose by bringing your knees together.