Yoga Poses and Breathwork for Stress Relief: Lion’s Breath, Sitali & Savasana

Two calming breathwork techniques — Lion’s Breath and Sitali — and two restorative poses — Supta Virasana and Savasana — for stress relief, with step-by-step instructions and safety notes for each.

Combining yoga poses with breathwork is one of the simplest ways to calm both body and mind. Slow, deliberate breathing activates the body’s relaxation response, while gentle poses release physical tension. This guide covers four practices that work well together, from an energising release to deep rest.

How Do You Do Lion’s Breath (Simhasana)?

Simhasana, or Lion’s Pose, combines a posture with a forceful exhale, and is often called Lion’s Breath. It releases tension in the face, jaw and throat and many people find it a cathartic way to let go of stress. In yogic tradition it is associated with the throat chakra (vishuddha), linked with communication and self-expression.

1. Kneel or sit comfortably, hands resting on your knees with fingers spread.
2. Breathe in deeply through the nose.
3. Open your mouth wide, stretch your tongue out towards your chin, and breathe out forcefully with a “ha” sound, like a roar.
4. Many practitioners also gaze upward towards the point between the eyebrows.
5. Breathe normally, then repeat two or three times.

Practitioners describe feeling energised and lighter afterwards. It can feel silly at first — that is part of its release. Anyone with jaw, neck or respiratory problems should practise gently.

How Do You Do Sitali (Cooling Breath)?

Sitali is a traditional cooling pranayama described in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. It is especially soothing in hot weather or after vigorous exercise or energising breathwork such as Bhastrika. In Ayurveda, it is used to calm pitta, the dosha associated with heat.

1. Sit comfortably with a tall spine and relaxed shoulders, and close your eyes.
2. Stick your tongue out slightly and curl its sides upward to form a tube.
3. Breathe in slowly through the rolled tongue, feeling the cool air.
4. Draw the tongue in, close the mouth, and breathe out slowly through the nose.
5. Repeat for about ten breaths.

The ability to roll the tongue is partly inherited, and not everyone can do it. If you cannot, try Sitkari: gently press the upper and lower teeth together, part the lips, and breathe in through the teeth, then breathe out through the nose. Avoid cooling breaths in very cold weather and if you have a cold or low blood pressure.

How Do You Do Supta Virasana (Reclining Hero Pose)?

Supta Virasana is a reclining backbend that stretches the front of the thighs, the hip flexors, the abdomen and the chest. Supported with props, it can be deeply restful, and practitioners often find that slow breathing in the pose helps release fatigue.

1. Kneel with your knees together and feet slightly wider than your hips, then sit between your heels. Place a block or folded blanket under your buttocks if your hips don’t reach the floor.
2. Lean back slowly onto your hands, then your forearms.
3. Lower your back onto the floor, or onto a bolster or stacked cushions for support.
4. Rest your arms by your sides and breathe slowly for one to three minutes.
5. To come out, press onto your forearms and rise slowly.

A strap around the thighs can stop the knees sliding apart. Practise on an empty stomach.

Caution: this pose puts significant pressure on the knees. Avoid it if you have knee, ankle or lower-back injuries, and never force the knees. Beginners should start with the seated version, Virasana, or practise with plenty of support.

How Do You Do Savasana (Corpse Pose)?

Savasana, the final resting pose of yoga, is one of the most effective for stress relief — and one of the hardest to do well, because it asks you to do nothing at all.

1. Lie on your back with legs slightly apart and arms by your sides, palms up.
2. Close your eyes and let the body feel heavy.
3. Breathe naturally, or scan slowly through the body, relaxing each part.
4. Rest for five to ten minutes, then roll to one side before sitting up.

A pillow under the knees helps if the lower back is uncomfortable. See how daily practice supports wellbeing in our article on daily yoga benefits.

How Do You Put These Practices Together?

A simple 15-minute sequence: begin with three rounds of Lion’s Breath to release tension, then ten rounds of Sitali to cool and calm, hold Supta Virasana (with support) for one to three minutes, and finish with five to ten minutes of Savasana. In yoga, breath — the carrier of prana — is the thread that links the poses; when stress makes breathing shallow, these practices restore a slower, fuller rhythm. For more breathing methods, see our pranayama guide, and for everyday techniques, 10 practical stress-management techniques. Also read our tips to manage stress and anxiety.

Yoga and breathwork support wellbeing but are not a treatment for medical conditions. If you have an injury, a heart or blood-pressure condition, or are pregnant, consult your doctor before starting.

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