10 RELAXING YOGA POSES YOU MUST TRY FOR A CALM WEEKEND - FOR A BETTER BODY AND MIND.

For a calm, easy weekend, try these 10 relaxing yoga poses.

Yoga can help your body and mind relax, and it can make a weekend feel a lot more restful. Most yoga practice includes breathing exercises (pranayama) and meditation, which help quiet the mind and lower stress. Focusing on your breath and staying in the moment brings a real sense of calm.

Plenty of studies have looked at how yoga affects physical and mental health. Everyone responds differently, but the research is encouraging. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology found that yoga significantly reduced stress and symptoms of anxiety and depression. A study in the International Journal of Yoga found that a 12-week yoga program led to significant gains in flexibility and muscle strength. In other words, yoga is good for the body and the mind.

10 relaxing yoga poses to try

1. Child's Pose

This pose stretches the back, shoulders, and hips. It's a resting pose that lets you let go of tension, which helps with stress and fatigue. It gently stretches the spine, hips, and lower back, so you feel less stiff. It can also help digestion by gently massaging the internal organs, which is nice if your stomach is upset.

How to do it:

• Kneel, sit back on your heels, and reach forward, lowering your chest to the mat.

• Stretch your arms out in front of you or rest them along your sides.

2. Supported Shoulderstand

This inversion helps calm the nervous system and may improve circulation. In Supported Shoulderstand (Salamba Sarvangasana), you lift your legs and lower body overhead while your hands support your upper back. Turning upside down boosts blood flow to the upper body and head, which is good for the brain and may ease mild headaches or tiredness.

How to do it:

• Use props to support your shoulders and lift your legs overhead.

• Keep your hands on your lower back for support.

3. Corpse Pose

A classic relaxation pose that calms the nervous system. Corpse Pose (Savasana) is often called one of the most important poses, even though it looks like lying down. It helps release tension in muscle groups all over the body, which is great if your muscles are tight or you carry chronic tension. Practicing it regularly can help you sleep better, because it relaxes you and lowers stress.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with legs extended and arms at your sides, palms up.

• Close your eyes, focus on your breath, and let your body fully relax.

4. Standing Forward Bend

This pose stretches the whole back of the body and helps release tension. In Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana), you fold at the hips and reach toward the floor. It lengthens the spine and helps flexibility all the way from the neck to the lower back.

How to do it:

• Stand with feet hip-width apart, hinge at the hips, and fold forward.

• Let your head hang heavy and hold opposite elbows if that feels comfortable.

5. Legs Up the Wall Pose

This pose helps you relax, lowers stress, and can help circulation. Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani) is a gentle inversion where your legs rest up a wall and your upper body lies on the floor. Raising your legs helps blood flow back toward the heart, which improves circulation. It's especially good if you sit or stand for long stretches.

How to do it:

• Sit next to a wall and swing your legs up, resting your heels against it.

• Relax your arms at your sides or rest your hands on your belly.

6. Cat-Cow Stretch

This gentle flow releases tension in the spine. Cat-Cow moves between two poses, Cat (Marjaryasana) and Cow (Bitilasana), and it's often used as a warm-up. The main benefit is a more flexible spine: rounding and arching your back moves every part of it.

How to do it:

• Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position.

• Inhale, arch your back, and lift your head (Cow). Exhale, round your spine, and tuck your chin (Cat).

7. Seated Forward Bend

This pose stretches the spine and hamstrings and calms the mind. In Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana), you sit with your legs straight out and fold forward at the hips. It lengthens the spine and helps flexibility from the base of the spine to the neck.

How to do it:

• Sit with your legs extended in front of you.

• Inhale and lengthen your spine. Exhale and fold forward from your hips.

8. Supine Butterfly Pose

This pose opens the hips and inner thighs and helps you relax. In Supine Butterfly (Supta Baddha Konasana), you lie on your back, bring the soles of your feet together, and let your knees fall open. You'll feel a deep stretch in the groin that releases tightness in the inner thighs.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back, bring the soles of your feet together, and let your knees drop out to the sides.

• Rest your hands on your belly or at your sides.

9. Easy Pose with Forward Bend

This pose stretches the lower back and brings a sense of calm. It combines a seated meditation posture with a gentle forward bend (it's also called Sukhasana with a Forward Bend, or a Paschimottanasana variation). You sit cross-legged in Sukhasana, which opens the hips and helps hip flexibility.

How to do it:

• Sit cross-legged and gently fold forward.

• Rest your forehead on the mat or a cushion.

10. Reclining Bound Angle Pose

This pose opens the hips and chest and helps you relax. Reclining Bound Angle (Supta Baddha Konasana) is a gentle, restorative pose where you lie on your back with the soles of your feet together and knees open. The supported, open position helps calm the nervous system and lower stress.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back, bring the soles of your feet together, and let your knees drop out to the sides.

• Support your knees with props if you need to.