The holidays are just around the corner and that means there’s more activities as well as festivities. With the gift buying, holiday decorating, and food planning, it’s no wonder why the holidays can be a stressful time. To help you survive the holidays, here are 4 restorative poses that can help calm holiday anxiety.

Viparita Karani (Legs up the wall)

Lie against a wall and lean your legs up against the wall in an “L” shape. Place a blanket or pillow underneath your lower back for more support. Aim for a thigh-to-torso angle of greater than 90 degrees to encourage circulation throughout your body. Paired with rhythmic breathing, this pose soothes the nervous system. In addition, it helps increase circulation, reduce swelling in the legs and feet, and stretch the hamstrings and lower back.

Restorative Child’s Pose

Place enough height (use folded blankets, pillows, towels, etc.) underneath your seat to avoid feeling compressed in your legs. For a juicier pose, support your arms by resting them on a rolled up blanket or block. Not only does this calm the mind, but it also focuses the mind inwards. In addition, restorative child's pose stretches the hips, thighs, and ankles as well as back muscles.

Reclined Pose

This pose is a great alternative to the traditional savasana. Use blocks to make a ramp for your bolster to rest on. Instead of a bolster, you can use dense pillows, rolled up blankets or towels to rest on. The reclined position releases the upper body by pulling back the shoulders and opening up the chest. If the lower back feels strained, place some support underneath your knees.

Savasana with lifted knees

What’s a better way to ease anxiety than with a final resting pose? Placing a prop (bolster, rolled up blanket, pillows, etc.) directly underneath your knees can ease any tension in the lower back. This pose not only quiets the mind, it also relaxes the body helps with insomnia and fatigue.

Perform a short practice by resting in one of these poses for 10-15 minutes or extend the practice by going through all the poses, resting for 15-20 minutes in each pose. Increase coziness by wearing fuzzy socks, placing a blanket over your entire body, and covering your eyes with an eye cover. Armed with these 4 restorative poses, you’ll be ready to take on the holiday season!

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4 Restorative Poses for the Holidays