Best Home Yoga Mat Exercises for Stress Relief 2025

Stress is a common challenge in our fast-paced lives, and incorporating yoga into your routine can be a powerful way to find relief. In 2025, these home yoga mat exercises are not only effective but also easy to incorporate into your daily schedule. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced yogi, these workouts can help you unwind and recharge. Below is a curated list of the best yoga mat exercises for stress relief that you can perform at home.

1. Child’s Pose (Balasana)

• Duration: 1-3 minutes
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Calories Burned: 20-30
• Equipment Needed: Yoga mat
• Description: Kneel on your mat, sit back on your heels, and stretch your arms forward while relaxing your forehead on the ground. This pose helps calm the mind and relieve tension in the back.

2. Cat-Cow Stretch (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)

• Reps: 10 cycles
• Duration: 2-3 minutes
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Calories Burned: 30-40
• Equipment Needed: Yoga mat
• Description: Start on all fours. Inhale as you arch your back (cow) and exhale as you round your spine (cat). This flow increases flexibility and reduces stress.

3. Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)

• Duration: 1-2 minutes
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Calories Burned: 25-35
• Equipment Needed: Yoga mat
• Description: Stand tall, then hinge at your hips to fold forward. Let your head hang heavy. This pose helps release tension in the neck and shoulders.

4. Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)

• Duration: 2-3 minutes
• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Calories Burned: 30-40
• Equipment Needed: Yoga mat
• Description: Sit with legs extended, and hinge at your hips to reach for your feet. This pose calms the mind and stretches the spine.

5. Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)

• Duration: 5-10 minutes
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Calories Burned: 20-30
• Equipment Needed: Yoga mat
• Description: Lie on your back and extend your legs up against a wall. This restorative pose reduces anxiety and promotes relaxation.

6. Corpse Pose (Savasana)

• Duration: 5-10 minutes
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Calories Burned: 15-25
• Equipment Needed: Yoga mat
• Description: Lie flat on your back with arms at your sides, palms facing up. This pose is essential for deep relaxation and stress relief.

7. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)

• Reps: 10-15
• Sets: 2-3
• Duration: 30 seconds hold
• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Calories Burned: 40-50
• Equipment Needed: Yoga mat
• Description: Lie on your back, bend your knees, and lift your hips while keeping your shoulders grounded. This pose opens the chest and relieves tension.

8. Supine Spinal Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)

• Duration: 1-2 minutes per side
• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Calories Burned: 25-35
• Equipment Needed: Yoga mat
• Description: Lie on your back, draw one knee to your chest, and gently twist it across your body. This pose helps detoxify and relieve tension in the spine.

9. Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana)

• Duration: 1-2 minutes per side
• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Calories Burned: 30-40
• Equipment Needed: Yoga mat
• Description: From a downward dog position, bring one leg forward and extend the other back. This pose opens the hips and can help release emotional stress.

10. Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)

• Duration: 30 seconds per side
• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Calories Burned: 40-50
• Equipment Needed: Yoga mat
• Description: Stand with legs wide apart, turn one foot out, and bend that knee while extending your arms. This pose builds confidence and focus.

Summary of Reps, Sets, Duration, and Calories Burned

| Exercise | Reps/Sets | Duration | Difficulty Level | Calories Burned | |-------------------------------|-----------|---------------------|------------------|------------------| | Child’s Pose | N/A | 1-3 minutes | Easy | 20-30 | | Cat-Cow Stretch | 10 cycles | 2-3 minutes | Easy | 30-40 | | Standing Forward Bend | N/A | 1-2 minutes | Easy | 25-35 | | Seated Forward Bend | N/A | 2-3 minutes | Moderate | 30-40 | | Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose | N/A | 5-10 minutes | Easy | 20-30 | | Corpse Pose | N/A | 5-10 minutes | Easy | 15-25 | | Bridge Pose | 10-15 | 30 seconds hold | Moderate | 40-50 | | Supine Spinal Twist | N/A | 1-2 minutes per side| Moderate | 25-35 | | Pigeon Pose | N/A | 1-2 minutes per side| Moderate | 30-40 | | Warrior II | 30 sec | N/A | Moderate | 40-50 |

Updated January 2026

These yoga mat exercises not only promote relaxation but can also enhance your overall well-being. If you're looking for more personalized guidance, consider incorporating live 1-on-1 personal training with HipTrain. Our certified trainers offer affordable sessions that can fit into your busy schedule, and we are HSA/FSA approved for eligible expenses.