Top 18 'Nervous-System-Soothing' Yoga Poses to try for Finding Your 'Off-Switch' in a Constantly-On World
In a world that buzzes with notifications, deadlines, and a never-ending to-do list, finding the ‘off-switch’ can feel like a myth. We’re constantly plugged in, and our nervous systems are paying the price. This state of high alert, known as the sympathetic nervous system response or "fight-or-flight," is fantastic for escaping a predator but exhausting when triggered by an email inbox. So, how do we consciously shift gears into our "rest-and-digest" mode?
The answer lies in activating the parasympathetic nervous system, the body's built-in brake pedal. This is where we heal, digest, and restore. While deep breathing and meditation are powerful tools, sometimes the body needs to lead the way. Yoga, with its unique blend of physical postures (asanas), breathwork (pranayama), and mindfulness, is a master key to unlocking this state of calm. It’s a physical language that tells your brain and body, "It's safe to relax."
This isn't about contorting yourself into a pretzel or achieving a perfect handstand. This is about gentle, intentional movement designed to soothe, ground, and release tension. Think of these 18 poses as a menu of options you can turn to anytime you feel overwhelmed, anxious, or simply need to reconnect with yourself. Ready to find your off-switch? Let's begin.
1. Child's Pose (Balasana)
There’s a reason this is the go-to resting pose in many yoga classes. Child's Pose is a deeply grounding and introspective posture that instantly signals safety to your brain. By folding inward, you create a shell-like space that blocks out external stimulation. The gentle pressure of your forehead on the mat can stimulate the vagus nerve, a key player in activating your parasympathetic nervous system.
To practice, start on your hands and knees. Bring your big toes to touch and spread your knees as wide as is comfortable—either close together or mat-width apart. Sink your hips back toward your heels and fold your torso forward, resting your forehead on the floor. You can extend your arms forward or rest them alongside your body, palms facing up.
Pro-Tip: If your forehead doesn't comfortably reach the mat, rest it on a stacked fist, a block, or a folded blanket. This support is crucial for allowing your neck and shoulders to fully release. Focus on breathing into your back body, feeling your ribs expand with each inhale.
2. Cat-Cow (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)
This gentle, flowing sequence is a beautiful way to connect your breath to your movement, a fundamental practice for calming the mind. The rhythmic motion helps to release tension along the entire length of your spine, from your tailbone to the crown of your head. This movement massages the organs of the abdomen, promoting healthy digestion—a key function of the "rest-and-digest" system.
Begin on all fours in a tabletop position, with your wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips. As you inhale, drop your belly, lift your chest and tailbone, and look slightly forward into Cow Pose. As you exhale, round your spine toward the ceiling, tuck your chin to your chest, and press the mat away from you into Cat Pose.
Pro-Tip: Close your eyes and let your breath guide the pace. Don't rush it. The goal is to create a meditative, fluid motion. This mindful transition between shapes is a core principle that wellness expert Goh Ling Yong often emphasizes—it’s in these moments of mindful movement that we truly connect with our bodies.
3. Standing Forward Fold (Uttanasana)
Letting your head hang below your heart has a profoundly calming effect. This gentle inversion increases blood flow to the brain, which can help to soothe anxiety and quiet mental chatter. Uttanasana also provides a deep release for the entire back line of the body, including the hamstrings, calves, and spine—areas where we often hold stress.
From a standing position, hinge at your hips (not your waist) and fold forward. Keep a generous bend in your knees, especially if your hamstrings are tight. This protects your lower back and allows your spine to release more fully. Let your head and neck hang heavy, releasing all tension. You can grab opposite elbows for a gentle traction.
Pro-Tip: Gently sway from side to side to deepen the release in your lower back. The goal is not to touch your toes, but to release your spine. Let gravity do the work.
4. Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)
If you only have time for one pose, make it this one. Viparita Karani is the ultimate nervous-system reset. This passive inversion reverses the effects of gravity on your legs and feet, improving circulation and reducing swelling after a long day. It’s incredibly restorative and requires almost zero effort, allowing your body to sink into a state of deep relaxation.
Sit on the floor with one hip against a wall. Gently swing your legs up the wall as you lie back onto the floor. Scoot your hips as close to the wall as is comfortable. Your body should form an "L" shape. Rest your arms by your sides, palms up, or place one hand on your heart and one on your belly.
Pro-Tip: Place a folded blanket or a bolster under your hips to create a slight elevation. This makes the pose even more comfortable and supportive. Stay here for 5-15 minutes and focus on slow, deep belly breaths.
5. Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)
Similar to its standing counterpart, this seated fold encourages introspection and quiets the mind. It provides a deep stretch for the hamstrings and spine while gently compressing the abdomen, which can stimulate digestive organs and promote relaxation. The act of folding inward creates a sense of security and withdrawal from the outside world.
Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you. You might want to sit on the edge of a folded blanket to help tilt your pelvis forward. Inhale to lengthen your spine, and exhale to hinge from your hips and fold forward over your legs. Don't worry about reaching your feet; simply let your hands rest wherever they land.
Pro-Tip: Use a yoga strap around the balls of your feet to help you maintain a long spine as you fold. Keep a soft bend in your knees to avoid straining your hamstrings or lower back.
6. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)
This gentle backbend is a wonderful antidote to the slouched posture many of us adopt while sitting at a desk. It opens the chest and shoulders, creating space for deeper breathing and stimulating the thyroid gland. When practiced restoratively with a block, it becomes an incredibly calming and supportive pose.
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. You should be able to just touch your heels with your fingertips. On an inhale, press through your feet to lift your hips off the floor. Keep your thighs parallel. For a restorative version, slide a yoga block or bolster under your sacrum (the flat, bony part of your lower back) and rest your weight on it.
Pro-Tip: In the supported version, let your arms rest out to the sides with palms facing up. This allows your shoulders to relax and your chest to open fully. Focus on breathing into the space you've created in your chest.
7. Reclined Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)
This is one of the most nourishing and restorative poses you can practice. It gently opens the hips and groin area, a place where we often store emotional tension. By lying back, you allow your body to be completely supported, which sends a powerful message to your nervous system that it’s time to relax and let go.
Lie on your back. Bring the soles of your feet together and let your knees fall out to the sides. You can place your hands on your belly or let them rest by your sides. The closer your heels are to your groin, the more intense the stretch will be.
Pro-Tip: For ultimate comfort, place yoga blocks, pillows, or rolled-up blankets under each of your outer thighs. This support allows your hip muscles to truly release instead of working to hold your legs up.
8. Corpse Pose (Savasana)
While it looks like you’re just lying down, Savasana is often considered the most important—and most difficult—pose in yoga. Its purpose is to allow for complete and total relaxation, giving your body time to integrate the benefits of your practice. It teaches the art of conscious surrender, a vital skill for managing stress in daily life.
Lie flat on your back. Let your feet fall open naturally. Rest your arms alongside your body, a little way from your sides, with your palms facing up. Close your eyes and release control of your breath. The goal is to remain still and simply observe without judgment.
Pro-Tip: Don't skip this pose! If your mind is racing, try a body scan. Bring your awareness to your toes, then your feet, ankles, and so on, consciously relaxing each body part as you go.
9. Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana)
This playful pose is a fantastic way to release tension in the lower back and hips. It gently stretches the inner groin and compresses the abdomen, which can aid digestion. There’s an inherent sense of joy and freedom in this shape that can help to lighten your mood and release physical and emotional blockages.
Lie on your back and draw your knees in toward your chest. Grab the outsides of your feet with your hands (or use a strap around each foot). Open your knees wider than your torso and bring them up toward your armpits. Keep your feet flexed and try to stack your ankles directly over your knees. Try to keep your entire back, especially your tailbone, pressing down toward the mat.
Pro-Tip: Rock gently from side to side to give your lower back a massage. If you can't reach your feet, hold onto your ankles or shins instead.
10. Puppy Pose (Uttana Shishosana)
Also known as Melting Heart Pose, this posture is a beautiful combination of Child’s Pose and Downward-Facing Dog. It provides a deep stretch for the shoulders and spine while opening the chest, countering the effects of hunching over a screen. It’s a very passive and calming heart-opener.
Start on all fours. Keeping your hips stacked directly over your knees, walk your hands forward until your forehead or chin rests on the mat. Allow your chest to melt down toward the floor. You'll feel a deep stretch in your shoulders, upper back, and underarms.
Pro-Tip: If the stretch is too intense for your shoulders, place a block or blanket under your forehead for support. Breathe into your upper back and imagine the tension melting away with each exhale.
11. Supine Spinal Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)
Twists are like a reset button for the nervous system. This reclined twist gently massages your internal organs, improves spinal mobility, and releases tension in the back and hips. Lying down removes the effort of balancing, allowing you to sink deeper into the posture and its calming effects.
Lie on your back and hug your knees into your chest. Extend your arms out to the sides in a "T" shape. Exhale and drop both knees over to one side. Turn your head to gaze in the opposite direction, if that feels comfortable for your neck.
Pro-Tup: The goal is to keep both shoulder blades grounding down toward the mat. If your top knee lifts up, place a pillow or block between your knees or underneath your bottom knee for support.
12. Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana)
Pigeon Pose is a powerful hip opener, and since we tend to store a lot of unprocessed emotions and stress in our hips, this pose can sometimes bring up a lot. Practiced gently and with support, it can offer a profound sense of release and relief.
From a tabletop position, bring your right knee forward toward your right wrist. Angle your right shin so your foot is somewhere in front of your left hip. Slide your left leg straight back behind you. If your right hip is lifting off the floor, slide a blanket or block underneath it for support. You can stay upright or fold forward over your front leg.
Pro-Tip: The forward-folding variation is more restorative and calming. Rest your forehead on a block or your stacked hands to allow your nervous system to settle. Hold for at least one minute on each side, breathing into any sensations of tightness.
13. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
It may look simple, but Tadasana is a powerful practice in grounding and presence. It teaches you to feel the support of the earth beneath you, creating a sense of stability and calm from the ground up. This pose improves posture and brings awareness to your physical alignment, which can have a direct impact on your mental state.
Stand with your feet together or hip-width apart. Spread your toes and press down evenly through all four corners of your feet. Engage your leg muscles without locking your knees. Lengthen your tailbone down, lift your chest, and relax your shoulders down and back. Let your arms rest by your sides with palms facing forward.
Pro-Tip: Close your eyes and imagine roots growing down from the soles of your feet deep into the earth. Feel the stability and strength this connection provides.
14. Head-to-Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana)
This asymmetrical forward fold calms the brain and provides a gentle stretch for the spine, hamstrings, and groin. By focusing on one side at a time, it encourages a balanced and mindful approach. The inward-turning nature of the pose helps to quiet the senses and soothe the nervous system.
Sit on the floor with your right leg extended straight. Bend your left knee and place the sole of your left foot against your right inner thigh. Inhale to lengthen your spine, then exhale and fold forward over your right leg, leading with your heart.
Pro-Tip: As with other forward folds, use a strap if needed and keep a micro-bend in the knee of your extended leg. The goal isn't to touch your head to your knee, but to lengthen your spine as you fold.
15. Sphinx Pose (Salamba Bhujangasana)
For those who find deeper backbends over-stimulating, Sphinx Pose is the perfect alternative. It offers a very mild backbend that gently opens the chest and fronts of the shoulders. It's known to be therapeutic for fatigue as it gently stimulates the adrenal glands without creating stress.
Lie on your belly and prop yourself up on your forearms, with your elbows directly under your shoulders and your palms flat on the floor. Press down through your forearms and the tops of your feet. Gently draw your chest forward through the gateway of your arms, keeping your neck long.
Pro-Tip: If you feel any pinching in your lower back, walk your elbows slightly further forward. You should feel a gentle compression, not a sharp pain. Let your belly be soft and focus on your breath.
16. Supported Fish Pose (Matsyasana with Blocks)
This is one of the most sublime heart-opening poses. Using blocks for support allows you to completely surrender into a passive backbend that counters the effects of modern life—slouching, texting, and typing. It opens the throat, chest, and abdomen, creating space for breath and releasing tension around the heart.
Place one yoga block on its medium height where your shoulder blades will rest and a second block on its highest height to support your head. Lie back so the first block is situated between your shoulder blades and the second one cradles your head. Let your arms rest out to the sides, palms up.
Pro-Tip: Experiment with the height and placement of the blocks until you find what feels perfectly supportive for your body. You can keep your knees bent or extend your legs straight. Stay for 3-5 minutes.
17. Garland Pose / Yogi Squat (Malasana)
Malasana is an incredibly grounding pose that connects you firmly to the earth. This deep squat opens the hips, groin, and lower back, releasing tension and improving circulation in the pelvis. It’s a primal, natural human resting position that can feel incredibly calming and centering.
Stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips, with your toes pointing slightly out. Bend your knees and lower your hips down into a squat. If your heels lift, slide a rolled-up blanket or mat under them for support. Bring your palms together at your heart and gently press your elbows against your inner knees to help open your hips.
Pro-Tip: If a full squat is inaccessible, you can sit on one or two yoga blocks. This allows you to receive the hip-opening benefits without straining your knees or ankles.
18. Supported Savasana
We end where we began, in a state of deep rest, but with an upgrade. Adding props to your Savasana can make it even more luxurious and effective. Supporting the body allows the muscles to release on a deeper level, facilitating a more profound state of relaxation and a complete reset for the nervous system.
Lie on your back. Place a bolster or a firm, rolled-up blanket under your knees. This small lift releases the lower back and sacroiliac joint. You might also place a small, folded blanket under your head for neck support and an eye pillow over your eyes to block out light and provide gentle pressure.
Pro-Tip: Cover yourself with a blanket. The feeling of being warm and slightly weighted can be incredibly soothing and help you drop into a deeper state of rest. As I've learned from my own practice and from teachers like Goh Ling Yong, true transformation often happens not in the effort, but in the complete surrender.
Your Invitation to Unplug
In a culture that glorifies being busy, choosing to slow down is a radical act of self-care. Your nervous system doesn't need another productivity hack; it needs permission to rest. These 18 poses are more than just physical stretches—they are invitations to come home to your body, to listen to its wisdom, and to consciously activate your own, built-in ‘off-switch.’
You don’t need to do all of them. You don’t need an hour. Pick one or two that call to you and spend just five minutes there. Notice how you feel before and after. This practice is your personal toolkit for navigating the pressures of a constantly-on world with a little more grace and a lot more calm.
Which pose will you try first to find your off-switch? Share your experience in the comments below—we’d love to hear from you
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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