How to Reset Your Mind and Body with Evening Yoga

After a long day at work, your mind is likely racing with thoughts, tasks, and stress. But what if you could take just a few minutes to reset, calm your nervous system, and unwind your body from the day’s tension? Enter restorative yoga—a gentle yet powerful way to support both your physical and mental well-being.

I’ve crafted a simple, yet effective after-work yoga routine that I swear by to regulate my nervous system, reduce stress, and relieve physical tension. Whether you’ve been sitting at a desk all day or moving through a busy, on-the-go schedule, these poses will leave you feeling restored, rejuvenated, and ready to relax into your evening.

Here are the key poses I use for my restorative routine, each with its own set of benefits for the body and mind.

1. Elevated Savasana (Restorative Savasana with Legs on a Block or Cushion)

Why it works: Savasana is often called the “ultimate rest” pose in yoga. When practiced with your legs elevated on a block or cushion, it offers more than just physical relaxation—it helps with pain relief, improved circulation, and better sleep. This variation can support back pain and help regulate the nervous system by encouraging deep, restorative rest.

Benefits:

• Back Pain Relief: The gentle elevation of the legs relieves pressure on the lower back and promotes a more natural spinal alignment.
• Improved Circulation: By lifting your legs, you encourage blood flow back towards the heart, which can help reduce swelling in the legs and feet.
• Supports Sleep: The relaxation this pose provides calms the nervous system, making it easier to wind down for a restful night’s sleep.

Tip: Keep your legs relaxed and let your arms rest gently by your sides with palms facing up. Focus on deep breathing to maximize relaxation.

2. Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)

Why it works: This pose is one of my favorites for combating the fatigue that often accumulates in the legs after standing or walking all day. It’s incredibly simple yet offers an array of benefits for both your physical body and mental well-being.

Benefits:

• Reduces Swelling and Fatigue in the Legs: By reversing the flow of gravity, you can relieve tired, swollen legs and feet.
• Improved Circulation: Legs up the wall promotes venous return, helping to reduce bloating and improve circulation.
• Aids Digestion: The positioning of your legs above your heart encourages the relaxation of the digestive system and helps to ease bloating and indigestion.
• Stretches the Lower Back and Hamstrings: While relaxing in this pose, you’ll also get a light stretch along your lower back and hamstrings, which can be helpful after a day of sitting or walking.

Tip: Place your bottom as close to the wall as possible without straining. Keep a microbend in your knees to avoid hyperextension. Stay here for at least 10–15 minutes for maximum benefits.

3. Supported Hero’s Pose (Supta Virasana)

Why it works: Supported Hero’s Pose is excellent for opening the hips and thighs while gently aligning the spine. It’s a wonderful pose to release tension in the lower body and enhance flexibility, especially in areas that tend to get tight after a day of sitting or standing.

Benefits:

• Improved Flexibility: This pose targets the hips, thighs, and ankles, helping to improve flexibility in these often-neglected areas.
• Promotes Spinal Alignment: As you rest in this pose, it helps align your spine and release lower back tension.
• Improves Digestion: The gentle opening of the hips and abdominal area can help stimulate digestion and reduce discomfort from bloating.

Tip: Sit with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and use a cushion or bolster under your back for support. If you can’t sit all the way down comfortably, use a block under your hips for extra height and support.

4. Child’s Pose (Balasana)

Why it works: Child’s Pose is one of the best restorative poses for calming the mind and stretching the body, particularly the lower back, hips, and thighs. It’s a grounding pose that supports the body and invites deep relaxation.

Benefits:

• Soothes the Nervous System: As you fold forward and rest in this pose, it activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping you feel calm and centered.
• Lower Back Relief: The gentle stretch helps release tension in the lower back and hips, which is especially helpful after a long day of sitting.
• Stretches the Hips and Thighs: Child’s Pose also provides a gentle stretch to the hips, thighs, and knees, helping release tightness from the day.

Tip: Keep your knees wide if you feel any pressure on your stomach. Let your forehead rest gently on the mat for additional relaxation.

5. Seated Forward Fold (Paschimottanasana)

Why it works: This seated stretch targets the hamstrings, lower back, and shoulders. It’s a great way to release tightness in the back and calm the nervous system after a busy day.

Benefits:

• Stretch the Hamstrings and Lower Back: Forward folds help lengthen and stretch the hamstrings and lower back, areas that often feel tight after a long day.
• Calms the Mind: The fold allows you to turn inward and focus on your breath, which helps to lower stress and anxiety.

Tip: If you can’t reach your toes comfortably, place a strap around your feet or bend your knees slightly to maintain a relaxed stretch.

How These Poses Regulate the Nervous System

Each of these restorative yoga poses not only helps release physical tension but also regulates the nervous system by shifting the body into a parasympathetic state—the rest and digest mode. After a busy day, this is essential for unwinding and calming your body and mind.

Taking 15-20 minutes at the end of your day to practice these poses can help you:

• Reduce stress and anxiety
• Promote relaxation and restful sleep
• Enhance flexibility in key areas that accumulate tension
• Boost circulation, helping to reduce swelling and bloating

Final Thoughts

Creating a restorative yoga routine after work is one of the best ways to balance your body and mind, particularly when it comes to calming your nervous system and releasing physical tension. By including poses like Elevated Savasana, Legs Up the Wall, Supported Hero’s Pose, Child’s Pose, and Seated Forward Fold, you can foster a sense of calm and relaxation while also reaping the benefits of physical stretches and improved circulation.

Try incorporating these into your evening routine for at least 15 minutes, and notice how your body and mind begin to feel lighter, more relaxed, and ready for a restful night of sleep.