You'll Want To Steal This Restorative, Hip-Releasing Yoga Sequence

When I'm dealing with a stressful period of time and need a mindful release, this is my very favorite sequence.

Focus your inhale on areas where you feel that you have built up tension from the day—hips and shoulders are the most common areas of tension. On the exhale, release everything built up in these areas. Aside from being an effective stress reliever, meditation also helps improve concentration, productivity, creativity, sleep, sex drive, and overall well-being.

This pose is one of my favorite poses for stretching out the spine, shoulders, and upper back. Many of my clients spend the whole day at the computer and walk away from the day with sloped shoulders and poor posture. Not only does this pose help lengthen and align your spine, but it is also an absolutely divine stretch that helps decrease tension, anxiety, and insomnia.

Camel pose is a wonderful, restorative heart opener. It will help you stretch and open your entire front body, including your belly, chest, throat, hip flexors, thighs, and ankles as well as release any stress, worry, and negative emotions.

Pigeon pose is a simple, effective way to loosen all of the emotional junk that we build up throughout the workday. Most people have a love/hate relationship with this pose—I always tell my clients to breathe into the tight and tense areas and with every exhale it will release little by little. Pigeon pose also provides a deep stretch for your glutes and psoas muscles, which can help relieve back pain and sciatica.

Twists are incredibly restorative as they massage the digestive organs and aid in kidney and liver detoxification and help relieve gas, bloating, and constipation. Twists also help reduce fatigue and anxiety. On every inhale, lengthen your spine, and on the exhale, twist to deepen further into the pose. Repeat for 10 deep breaths.

Tight hamstrings are a common ailment. Sitting in your office and car can really destroy your hamstring flexibility, which can throw your whole body out of whack. This stretch helps loosen all of your leg tension that has built up throughout the day. This pose will also help relieve lower back pain, sciatica, digestive problems, and menstrual discomfort. If you can't reach your toes, be sure to use a strap. Flex the extended leg on floor, press the thigh down, and make sure not to let hips lift. On the elevated leg, press up through the heel and draw the toes back. These small adjustments make all the difference.

I love this pose, and using blocks will help to deepen your practice. Place the blocks between your scapula, lay back, and breathe into this luscious restorative pose for up to 30 minutes. This pose helps curtail fatigue, insomnia, stress, and mild depression as well as lower blood pressure and stimulate heart and general circulation.

This pose is my favorite pose to do right before bedtime. It is a gentle inversion that helps recirculate blood flow, calm the nervous system, and will almost immediately help you feel relaxed and rejuvenated.

Want more proof that mindful yoga can change your life? Here's one woman's experience.