3 Restorative Yoga poses to combat fatigue and boost your mood

Restorative Yoga poses seem to have a profound effect on energy and mood. Now scientists are closing in on how and why Restorative Yoga poses work.

How often have you walked out of a Restorative Yoga class feeling like a brand new person?

While there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest that practicing yoga asanas (postures) can change your mood, scientific research to understand how and why remains scarce. As it turns out, the link between the poses you’re practicing in Restorative Yoga and how you feel on the inside might just come down to your breath.

Right now, hunch over and notice how you feel: joyful or glum? Can you breathe deeply? Now sit up straight, open your arms out wide, and smile. How does this feel in comparison? A 2017 University of Auckland study is one of several that has identified a direct correlation between modern (computer-based) posture and increasing emotional stress. The field of Somatics teaches that sensations experienced in your body are interpreted by your brain, so slouching could make you feel sad and lethargic while sitting up tall might provoke energy and confidence. 

If you inhabit the slouching, droopy posture most of the time, you might rarely be taking a deep breath in. As I’ve previously written about in my article on how pranayama can hack your nervous system, new studies are emerging that correlate deeper breathing with Vagus Nerve function. The Vagus Nerve is the primary contributor to your Parasympathetic Nervous System, which controls your relaxation response and recent research suggests that deep breathing such as the kind we do in yoga can be effective at improving Vagus Nerve functioning, thereby improving mental health.

These are my top three Restorative Yoga postures to help combat fatigue, develop deeper breath and boost your mood:

Supported Side Bend

This posture gently stretches your obliques, latissimus dorsi and intercostal muscles between your ribs to help decompress your spine after lots of sitting. After spending 3-5 minutes on each side you’ll be able to breathe better. It also encourages feelings of malleability and fluidity.

Supported Open Twist

Enter into this pose from supported Side Bend by simply rolling your top shoulder back. It gently stretches your chest, shoulders, and abdomen to invite a sense of freedom and receptivity, transforming obstacles into possibility. Spend 2-4 minutes on each side.

Heart Pose

This is many people’s favourite posture! By tractioning your chest, shoulders and abdomen, it helps reverse the effects of long periods spent sitting and slouching and invites your breath to deepen. This naturally boosts your energy and supports feelings of joy and abundance. Spend 5-10 minutes here.