Yoga for Mental Health: Poses to Enhance Wellbeing

Achieving overall well-being involves harmonizing the mind, body and spirit — and practicing yoga offers a powerful way to foster this connection.

By incorporating mindfulness and intentional movement into your practice, you can address both physical health and emotional needs. Specifically, yoga helps to reduce stress, improve your mood and increase self-awareness through poses that promote relaxation and mental clarity. Whether you're looking for a way to manage work stress or simply a peaceful homeactivity to add to your morning ritual, regular yoga practice could be the answer.

That said, what are the best poses in yoga for mental health? We’re laying it all down below.

#1 Child’s Pose

Child’s pose is a calming and restorative yoga position that allows you to stretch your upper body and encourages:

Deep breathing practices
Calming of the nervous system
Reduced stress levels

It also works a number of muscles, including the gluteus maximus, rotator muscle, hamstrings and spinal extensors.

To do this yoga pose:

Get on your knees – Position yourself on your hands and knees with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
Sink back into your heels – Slowly lower your hips toward your heels, reaching your arms forward and placing your forehead on the mat.
Extend your arms forward – Stretch your arms out in front of you, feeling a gentle stretch along your shoulders and spine.
Relax into the pose – Allow your chest to fall toward the floor, releasing tension in your back and hips. Breathe deeply and hold the pose for one to three minutes, or as long as it feels comfortable.

#2 Triangle Pose

Triangle pose is a powerful standing yoga posture that stretches and strengthens the body while enhancing balance and focus.

It encourages:

Improved flexibility – Stretches the hamstrings, hips and side body.
Strengthening of the legs – Engages the quadriceps, glutes and core.
Increased stability – Enhances balance and alignment.

It also works a number of other muscles, including the obliques and gluteus medius.

To do this yoga pose:

Stand with feet wide apart – Spread your legs about three to four feet apart and turn your right foot out 90 degrees.
Reach your arms out– Extend your arms parallel to the floor, palms facing down.
Lean into the pose – Hinge at your hips and reach your right hand toward your right foot, lowering it to your shin, ankle, or the floor.
Stretch your left arm up – Extend your left arm toward the ceiling and gaze up at it. Hold the pose for 30 seconds to one minute on each side.

#3 Viparita Karani

Viparita Karani, or Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose, is a restorative inversion that helps to rejuvenate the body and calm the mind, working the hamstrings, gluteus maximus and lower back.

It can help to:

Enhance circulation – Improves blood flow back to the heart.
Reduce leg fatigue – Relieves tension in the legs and feet.
Relax the mind – Promotes a sense of calm and relaxation.

To do this restorative yoga pose:

Find a wall– Sit next to a wall and lie back, swinging your legs up against it.
Adjust your position – Move your hips close to the wall and extend your legs upward.
Rest your arms – Place your arms at your sides, palms facing up or down.
Relax into the pose – Close your eyes and begin a deep breathing technique, holding the pose for five to 15 minutes.

#4 Savasana

Savasana, or Corpse Pose, is a deeply relaxing pose that targets the back muscles, shoulders and legs. It’s often practiced at the end of a yoga session to integrate and calm the body and mind.

During this pose, you may experience:

Deep relaxation – Promotes full-body relaxation and mental calm.
Reduced stress – Helps to lower cortisol levels and ease tension.
Restoration – Allows the body to absorb the benefits of practicing yoga.

To add this pose to your yoga therapy routine:

Lie on your back – Position yourself on the floor with your legs extended and arms at your sides.
Adjust your body – Allow your feet to fall naturally outward and your arms to rest slightly away from your body.
Close your eyes – Focus on your breath and release any tension from your body.
Stay in the pose – Remain in Savasana for five to 10 minutes, or as long as it feels comfortable.

#5 Hero Pose

Hero Pose, or Virasana, is a grounding posture that opens the hips and stretches the legs while promoting a sense of calm and stability. When doing this pose, you may benefit from:

Hip flexibility – Opens the hips and stretches the quadriceps.
Improved posture – Helps align the spine and encourages proper physical posture.
Enhanced focus– Provides a meditative quality that aids concentration.

To do this yoga pose:

Kneel on the floor – Sit back on your heels with your knees apart and feet together.
Separate your feet – Gently move your feet to the sides, creating space for your hips.
Sit between your feet – Lower your hips toward the floor, keeping your back straight.
Relax your hands – Place your hands on your thighs or in your lap, and breathe deeply. Hold the pose for one to three minutes.

#6 Tree Pose

Tree Pose, or Vrksasana, is a balancing yoga posture that strengthens the legs and improves focus while promoting a sense of grounding and stability.

After doing this pose, you may experience:

Enhanced balance – Strengthens the ankles, calves and core for better stability.
Improved concentration – Focuses the mind and enhances mental clarity.
Increased leg strength – Works the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes.

To do this pose:

Stand with feet together – Shift your weight onto one foot, lifting the opposite foot to your inner thigh or calf.
Place your foot– Avoiding the knee joint, keep the foot above or below the knee.
Raise your arms – Extend your arms overhead, palms facing each other, or bring them to a prayer position at your chest.
Hold the pose– Focus on a fixed point in front of you to maintain balance. Hold for 30 seconds to one minute on each side.

#7 Fish Pose

Fish Pose, or Matsyasana, is a heart-opening posture that stretches the chest and neck while promoting relaxation and mental clarity.

From this pose, you may benefit from:

Chest expansion – Opens the chest and shoulders for optimal breathing practice, improving respiratory function.
Relief from tension – Alleviates tightness in the neck and upper back.
Mental clarity – Stimulates the mind and reduces stress.
Muscle strength – Works the pectorals, intercostals and neck extensors.

To do this pose:

Lie on your back – Position yourself on the floor with your legs extended and arms at your sides.
Lift your chest – Press your forearms into the floor and lift your chest, arching your back and resting the top of your head lightly on the mat.
Open your chest – Spread your collarbones and breathe deeply into the open space.
Relax into the pose – Hold for 30 seconds to one minute, then slowly lower your chest back to the floor.

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