7 yoga poses to help you relax and stop your afternoon spiral

Every day around 2 p.m. I become convinced that the day is slipping away from me. No matter how productive my morning has been, that early afternoon mental alarm convinces me that I haven’t accomplished anything, sending me into a fun little spiral of to-do list reconfiguration, time blocking, and silent panic. Think of it as the anxious cousin of the (perhaps more common) afternoon slump.

Each time this spiral occurs, I have found that certain yoga poses trigger anxiety, or at least those poses alleviate it Mine fear – help stop the madness. And they do that in a very short time. Falling into my favorite forms quickly slows down my mental chatter, slowing my sense of urgency to much more reasonable and manageable levels.

Which specific position helps depends on the day and my mood. Some afternoons call for more relaxing, restorative poses that help me breathe through the moment. Others require an attitude with a little more oomph, the kind that gets my blood flowing and distracts me from the frustrating (and also untrue) feeling that there aren’t enough hours in the day.

Either way, after a few deep breaths I usually feel a lot better and can move into the next phase of the day with a more rational attitude.

7 Yoga Poses for Anxiety (Or Whatever You’re Feeling in the Afternoon)

From floor time to a reminder to look beyond what’s directly in front of me, these poses get me out of my head and back into my body.

1. Savasana

Look, a little floor time never hurt anyone. In fact, giving in to your overwhelm, to the point where all you want to do is lie down in a dark room, is one of the most efficient ways to move past it. Savasana is a medicine. Breathe deeply here for 1 minute, 5 minutes or 20 minutes.

2. Eagle pose

Sometimes a shift in focus is all it takes to get through an afternoon slump. Eagle Pose, with its twisted limbs and balance on one leg, demands all your attention. While some yogis fear Eagle, I find comfort in the pretzel pose, almost like I’m giving myself a very complicated hug. Finding ease in this pose helps me invite an easier energy into the rest of my day.

3. Grasshopper pose

Locust Pose asks you to set everything on fire. The backbend is a quick way to counteract all the forward bending and slouching you’re used to, and activates your core while lifting your heart. On a particularly tough day, a dynamic version of Locust—one in which I flee, slowly lower myself to the mat, and repeat—helps me out of the funk.

4. Downward Facing Dog

Finding yoga poses for anxiety doesn’t have to be complicated. Instead, there’s something very comforting about returning to a form you know well. Just as downward facing dog provides a home base during many yoga flows, the pose serves as a kind of reset when my mind is running away from me. If any part of my body is tight, Down Dog helps facilitate the release, giving me a space to breathe that is relaxing without feeling passive.

5. Legs against the wall

For a quick and alarmingly effective relaxation, try Legs Up the Wall. Many consider this reversal a miracle cure, as it relieves symptoms of anxiety, soothes headaches, and even promotes restful sleep. It’s also very easy to adjust as needed: bend your legs, bring the soles of your feet together, add supportive supports. Once I’m back on Earth, the world generally seems like a more bearable place.

6. Boat pose

As mentioned, a little core work can be a great way to feel embodied immediately. Boat Pose stretches my tight hamstrings and immediately engages my core (my abs start shaking within seconds). It also effectively silences my thoughts and brings my focus back to the present moment.

7. Extended Side Angle Pose

Extended Side Angle combines several elements that I appreciate: full body extension, heart opening, and a chance to look up. Something about the pose always makes me feel optimistic and expansive, which makes whining about the time of day seem ridiculous. A few deep breaths on each side and I’m ready to take on the world, even as the clock keeps ticking.