Posted on March 29, 2026 at 05:05 AM
Well, we all know we need a rest. Rest is not only essential for emotional balance, it supports body repair as well as longevity. But the act of doing nothing can be a difficult exercise. We are asked to put everything, including our thoughts, aside for a while. This is a completely foreign concept to many of us.
Rest was not encouraged when I was growing up. It was the crowd that I saw. I was just encouraged to work hard, do my best, and work harder. I noticed work and sleep, not that elusive thing called rest in between. It wasn’t until I was actually teaching yoga that one of my mentors asked me, “Who designed rest for you?” That’s when I realized I didn’t have a model.
If I hadn’t eventually tried restorative yoga, I’m not sure I would have known how to find relief. Since becoming a teacher of restful practices—including restorative yoga and yoga nidra—I have witnessed how important survival is in order to move forward in life with greater presence and skill. We will always face challenges in our personal and professional lives, and these challenges will always be against the backdrop of what is happening in the world outside of our control. Understanding how these situations affect our nervous systems is an important first step in learning how to develop our ability to reverse. It gives us the opportunity to say, “I know I have the skill to face this moment, but do I have the space to face it?”
Restorative yoga answers the question of how to rest despite the challenge, sadness, fear, anxiety, etc. that you endure. It allows you to practice comfort alongside the inevitable stresses of life.
The following sequence of restorative yoga poses asks nothing of you except your willingness to hold and stay for a while. It’s designed to help you take all the effort away as you recline your body and allow yourself to be supported. You’ll feel your nervous system settling into a state of calm – or something like it – in just three positions. (And maybe sooner.) Ideally, you’ll allow about an hour to hold each pose for 15 minutes each. However, you will also find benefit in doing something that resonates in the five minutes you have.
Restorative yoga for (almost) instant calm.
When the world feels too loud, return to this sequence. Gather all the comfort items — pillows, blankets, blocks — and set a timer for 10 or 15 minutes for each position. Allow yourself to experience some time to be free from any obligations or worries beyond the moment in front of you so that you can recharge and remember what rest looks like.
What you’ll need
Chair, sofa or cushion; supportive or firm pillows; 3-4 blankets; 2 blocks 1 belt or yoga strap; Cover the eye
Also recommended, though not essential: Comfortable socks; Additional pillows and a weighted blanket as a topper
Restorative boat pose
Leaving your hips heavy while your legs remain passively elevated can help ease the effects of the day. You’re probably already familiar with this Legs up the wallHowever, lifting your upper body and creating an opening across your chest at the same time brings an additional sense of spaciousness and calm.
How to: Position yourself facing a sofa, chair, or cushion. If you are using a hard chair, place a blanket over the seat. Set up a block at the highest height below your head and a block at a medium height below your middle back. Place one or two firm pads on the blocks to create a supported ramp for you. (If you don’t have blocks and a bolster, you can create a gently slanted support using stacked books and a sofa cushion.)
Place your legs on the sofa, chair, or pillow. Get close enough so that your knees are deeply bent and the back of your knees feels supported. If you have a belt, place it around your legs just below the knees to keep your legs hip-distance apart rather than extending out to the sides. If you don’t have a belt, wrap a blanket around your shins to get the same effect.
Sit with your back at the base of the bolster and slowly lower the entire length of your back onto it. Gently rest your arms beside your body, slightly away from your sides, with your palms facing up.
Lower your gaze. Take a full breath in, and as you exhale, allow your entire body to settle a little heavier into the supports below you. If your arms hang above the floor, place some pillows under them. Let every part of you feel supported.
Stay here and relax, and notice how the breathing naturally deepens without any effort on your part. I recommend staying for 15 minutes, but any amount of time you can stay here will help.
When you’re ready, slowly roll onto your back alongside your set of supports and keep both feet on the floor. If you want, make some subtle movements here. Then twist your body to one side. Take a moment here.
Weak twist
This prone position is less intense than most twists, resulting in the body being able to release more easily. When set up carefully, it may feel like you are taking a long, slow exhale throughout your entire body.
How to: Keep your restorative boat setup in place. Sit with one hip next to the bolster so that you are facing the side wall. Bend your knees and allow your hips to stack. Slowly lower your upper body onto your pile of supports, twisting slightly to rest your chest and side body on the support. Turn your head to face the same direction as your knees. Notice if you need to lower the pile below your upper body for comfort. If there is any discomfort under your hips, bring a folded blanket under you for additional support.
Stay here for five to ten minutes. Use your arms to slowly press away from the support stack and take your time as you return to sitting. Flip so your other hip is sitting next to the pile of supports and repeat the twist on the other side.
Belly Savasana
This is one of the least used restorative yoga poses in existence, yet arguably one of the most powerful poses for regulating the nervous system. Gentle pressure on your abdomen provides support as well as ground contact. When the entire frontal body fully contacts the support, the nervous system quickly calms down from the corresponding sensation Self-hugging or Deep pressure touch. It’s as if you’re stuck without a job.
For people who find it difficult to feel comfortable in traditional savasana, this prone position often works well.
How to: Bring the bolster lengthwise along the length of the rug. Place the two pieces side by side on the lowest level on the end of the ottoman closest to you. If the bolster is taller than the cubes, place a folded blanket over the cubes to create a similar height. Roll up a second blanket and place it near the other end of the mat to support the ankle.
Come on your hands and knees facing blocks and supports. Lower the front of your hip bones onto the stable support of the block and your stomach and chest onto the bolster pad. Place your ankles on top of the rolled blanket. Turn your head to one side, placing your cheek on the bolster. Let your arms rest wherever they feel most natural, whether they’re next to your thighs with your palms facing up or with your elbows bent in a cactus shape next to your bolster. Soften into the support below you as you exhale. Stay here for as long as you want.
