Introduction
Some days, even a gentle yoga class can feel like more than you have energy for. Restorative yoga offers another option: settle into a comfortable position, use props to support your body, and give yourself time to rest.
At Hugger Mugger, we think a supportive setup should work for you, whether you’re new to yoga or returning to a familiar practice. You can begin with a few pillows and blankets, or use yoga props if you have them.
Below, we’ll share a short sequence, ways to make each pose more comfortable, and options for adding guidance or mindfulness. The aim is simple: choose positions that feel easy enough to rest in, rather than trying to stretch further or hold a pose perfectly.
What Is Restorative Yoga?
Restorative yoga is a quiet practice that uses props to support the body in restful poses. Instead of moving through many positions, you settle into a few and spend time in each one.
A bolster is a firm cushion often used to support the torso or legs. Folded blankets, pillows, and a chair can also help you find a position that feels comfortable without much effort.
Restorative yoga differs from more active styles in its emphasis on support and stillness. It also differs from yin yoga, which typically involves longer-held stretches. In a restorative pose, you don’t need to seek a strong stretch. Adjust your props until you can rest without bracing.
A quiet practice can be a welcome way to pause during a stressful day. It doesn’t have to produce a particular feeling. If your mind stays busy, you can still give yourself a few minutes of supported rest.
Bolsters
Set Up a Comfortable Space
Choose a spot where you have room to lie down and change positions. A mat can define your practice space, but a comfortable carpet or folded blanket can work, too. Keep your props close so you don’t have to interrupt your rest to search for them.
You can start with items you already have:
- Pillows or cushions to support your torso, head, or legs.
- Folded blankets for padding, warmth, or a small adjustment in height.
- A stable chair for supporting your lower legs.
- An eye pillow, if you enjoy a little coverage over your eyes. You can also leave your eyes open.
If you practice often, a firm bolster can be easier to arrange than a stack of soft pillows. Our Hugger Mugger Standard Bolster offers firm support for restorative positions. A blanket can add a little height or softness where you need it.
Before you settle into a pose, check the parts of your body that aren’t touching the floor. Support your knees, head, or arms if they feel as though they’re hanging. Change the setup whenever you need to.
Key Takeaway: The best prop arrangement is the one that lets you rest comfortably. Add support wherever you notice yourself holding up part of your body.
A 15-Minute Restorative Yoga Sequence
This sequence gives you several options for a quiet practice. The suggested times add up to about 15 minutes, plus the time you need to arrange props and move between poses. Use a timer if that helps, or simply move on when you’re ready.
You don’t have to complete every pose. Pick one or two if you have less time, and skip any position that doesn’t feel comfortable.
Step 1: Settle on Your Back
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Place a folded blanket under your head if that makes the position more comfortable. Let your arms rest wherever they feel easy.
Spend about two minutes noticing the floor beneath you. Breathe naturally without trying to make each breath longer or deeper. If lying flat isn’t comfortable, begin seated in a supportive chair instead.
Step 2: Rest in Supported Child’s Pose
Place a bolster or a stack of pillows lengthwise in front of you. Kneel behind the support, separate your knees as much as feels comfortable, and bring your torso forward onto it. Turn your head to one side or rest your forehead on a folded blanket.
Add another pillow if you have to hold yourself up. A folded blanket under your shins or ankles may make kneeling more comfortable. Stay for about three minutes, turning your head the other way partway through if you like.
If kneeling or folding forward doesn’t suit you, sit on a chair facing a table. Rest your arms and head on pillows on the table, keeping enough height that you don’t have to strain forward.
Step 3: Support Your Legs in Reclined Butterfly
Sit on the floor, bring the soles of your feet toward each other, and let your knees move apart only as far as feels easy. Place a pillow or folded blanket under each thigh so your legs are supported. Then lower yourself onto your back, using a blanket under your head if you wish.
Stay for about four minutes. There’s no need to bring your feet close to your body or press your knees down. If this position feels uncomfortable, keep your knees bent and feet on the floor, or place a bolster under both knees instead.
To come out, use your hands to help bring your knees together. Roll to one side before sitting up to rearrange your props.
Step 4: Rest Your Calves on a Chair
Place a stable chair on a surface where it won’t slide. Sit close to it, then lower yourself onto your back and rest your calves on the seat. Adjust your distance from the chair until your legs feel supported and your knees can bend comfortably.
Place a folded blanket on the seat if its edge feels firm against your legs. Let your arms rest by your sides and stay for about four minutes. If the chair setup doesn’t feel right, rest with a bolster or pillows beneath your knees instead.
Step 5: Finish With Supported Rest
For the final two minutes, stay with your calves on the chair or return your feet to the floor. You can also lie on your side with a pillow between your knees. Choose the position that asks the least effort from you.
This final rest is often called savasana, a resting pose commonly used at the end of a yoga practice. When you’re ready to finish, move your hands and feet, roll to one side if you’re on your back, and take your time coming up.
Use these checks throughout the sequence:
- Move your props closer if you’re reaching or holding yourself up.
- Add padding where a surface feels uncomfortable.
- Change positions before discomfort builds.
- Let the suggested time be flexible.
Bottom line: A shorter, comfortable pose is more useful than staying in a position that asks you to strain.
Restorative Yoga for Stress and Anxiety
When your day feels stressful, choosing a supported pose can give you a defined pause. You might start with your calves on a chair or sit with your arms supported on a table. Both allow you to settle without needing to remember a long sequence.
If stillness feels uncomfortable, keep your eyes open and notice something steady in the room. You might feel your feet against the floor or notice the weight of your hands on your legs. There’s no need to close your eyes or focus on your breath if that makes you feel uneasy.
Give yourself permission to move, change poses, or stop. A guided class can also offer structure, but you can decline an adjustment or choose a different position.
Restorative yoga is an option for quiet time, not a replacement for care for anxiety. If anxiety is persistent or interferes with daily life, a qualified mental health professional can help you explore appropriate support.
Add Mindfulness or Meditation
Mindfulness means paying attention to what you notice in the present moment. During restorative yoga, that might be the contact between your back and a blanket, the sound of a fan, or the movement of your breath.
You don’t have to clear your mind. When you notice your attention has wandered, gently return it to something comfortable to observe. If focusing on your breathing feels distracting, choose a different point of attention, such as the support beneath your legs.
Meditation can be part of a restorative practice, but the two aren’t the same thing. Restorative yoga describes the supported poses and restful approach. Meditation is an attention practice that you can do in a pose, seated in a chair, or elsewhere.
Try this simple approach during any comfortable position:
- Notice where your body meets the floor or props.
- Let your breath move at its own pace.
- When a thought draws your attention away, notice it and return to the support beneath you.
- If you become uncomfortable, adjust your position.
You can spend a minute with these steps or return to them throughout a longer pose. Some sessions will feel quieter than others. Neither requires you to change what you notice.
Try a Guided Restorative Practice
Guided restorative yoga gives you spoken directions as you set up and rest. A teacher may suggest poses, offer timing, and remind you to adjust your support. You can follow a class in person or use an audio or video practice at home.
Choose guidance that leaves enough time to arrange your props. It helps when the teacher offers alternatives for kneeling, lying down, or sitting. You should be able to pause a recording whenever you need more time.
You can also guide yourself through a simple practice. Decide which pose you’ll use, set out the support you need, and choose an approximate time. Once you’re settled, check whether your head, arms, and legs feel supported before returning your attention to the room.
Guidance is there to help, not to override your comfort. If a suggested pose doesn’t work for you, return to one that does.
Create a Candlelight Practice Safely
Candlelight restorative yoga uses low light to create a quieter setting. You can use the same supported poses and timing from the sequence above. The lighting is optional, not a requirement for relaxation.
A flameless candle or a dim lamp is a practical choice near blankets, bolsters, and clothing. If you use a real candle, keep it well away from anything that could catch fire and never leave it unattended. Make sure you can still see your props and move safely between poses.
If low light makes it harder to settle or move around, use as much light as you need. A comfortable setup matters more than creating a particular atmosphere.
When You Feel Exhausted
On a day when you feel worn out, getting onto the floor and arranging several props may feel like too much. Choose the simplest position available, such as sitting in a chair with a pillow behind your back. You can also lie on your side and place a pillow between your knees.
Settle for a few minutes without treating the practice as another task to complete. If you need sleep, allow time for sleep rather than expecting a yoga session to replace it. You can return to a longer sequence another day.
Persistent or unusual exhaustion deserves attention beyond a yoga practice. A qualified clinician can help you consider your individual situation. If you’re pregnant, have an injury, or have a medical condition that affects your positioning, ask a clinician or qualified teacher for guidance.
Make Your Setup Easier to Adjust
A restorative pose can look calm from the outside while feeling like work on the inside. If you’re holding your knees up, reaching to touch a prop, or repeatedly shifting your head, the setup may need to change.
Start by bringing the support to you. Move a bolster closer, add a folded blanket beneath your head, or place a cushion under an arm. Small changes can make a pose easier to stay in without asking you to force your body into it.
You may also discover that a position feels comfortable at first but not after a few minutes. That’s useful information, not a sign that you’re doing anything wrong. Come out slowly, change the arrangement, and decide whether to return or choose another pose.
Conclusion
Restorative yoga gives you a way to pause without needing an elaborate routine. Begin with a comfortable position, support the parts of your body that need it, and let the timing fit your day.
- Use pillows and blankets before deciding whether you need other props.
- Choose one pose or follow the short sequence.
- Keep your eyes open, move, or stop whenever that feels right.
Rest is the purpose of the practice, not a reward for holding a pose.
At Hugger Mugger, we’ve supported yoga practitioners since 1986. Explore our bolster collection when you’re ready to find a support for your own practice.
FAQ
What Is the Best Restorative Yoga Pose for Relaxation?
There isn’t one best pose for everyone. Try resting your calves on a stable chair or lying on your side with a pillow between your knees. Choose the position that lets you feel supported without effort.
Can Restorative Yoga Help When I Feel Stressed or Anxious?
A supported practice can give you time to pause when you feel stressed. If stillness or breath awareness feels uncomfortable, keep your eyes open, change position, or stop. Restorative yoga is not a replacement for individual mental health care.
How Long Should I Hold a Restorative Yoga Pose?
You can start with a minute or two and stay longer if you’re comfortable. The sequence above suggests several minutes per pose, but you can adjust the timing. Change or leave a position whenever you need to.
Do I Need a Bolster for Restorative Yoga?
No. Pillows, folded blankets, and a stable chair can provide support for a home practice. A firm bolster can be a useful option if you want a consistent support for your torso or legs.
