We all know that as we get busier, feeling whole-body calm is more difficult. As adrenalin builds and cortisol increases, our bodies are preparing for a major offensive. In stressful times, our body does not know the difference between a real life threatening situation (like a mountain lion charging towards you) versus a perceived stressor (like an upcoming deadline). When we do not give our bodies the care and time to regulate down, pause and rest properly. we begin to experience chronic stress. And chronic stress really isn’t great for our brain and body.

Yoga is a proven tool to help shift yourself into your parasympathetic nervous system, the regulatory nervous system. Your PNS is important to be activated when you’re seeking rest, healing, digestion and reproduction. It’s in this slow downed state that your body can properly function, instead of operating in fight or flight. The more stress we chronically carry, the more our body is inflamed as it fights this invisible stress. As it becomes more inflamed, the immune system is taxed and releases free radicals and free radicals are linked to many, many diseases including mood disorders!

So, it pays to calm down. Truly. Through these 10 simple yoga poses, you can bring about a total mind and body rested state. If you find yourself too amped up or too distracted, try:

Creating the right environment. Light a candle, play soft music, dress in comfy clothes. Find a place in your house that feels calming and like a mini sanctuary.
Letting off some initial steam. If you can feel the adrenalin pulsing, try first releasing that excess energy. Do some fun dance moves, 20 jumping jacks, push against a wall, or practice tensing and then releasing all of your muscles.
Set up your breathing. The entire relaxed state has to start with your breath. Make sure that you are feeling your belly expand on each inhale, moving your breath from your chest into your abdomen. Practice this belly breathing for 3-5 minutes to jumpstart your PNS.