8 Lazy Yoga Poses Easy Enough to Do in Bed

Feeling lazy? Practice these 8 easy yoga poses in your bed to overcome laziness. The perfect yoga asanas for a full stretch with minimal effort.

These lazy yoga poses and easy stretches are perfect for the times when just the thought of moving your body is exhausting.

It is no secret that physical activity is good for your health. Getting your muscles moving throughout the week is important for mental and physical wellbeing.

But what do you do when you are feeling sluggish and don’t want to exert much effort? This is when doing a few lazy yoga poses can come to the rescue.

Although you probably won’t be burning a lot of calories, there are many health benefits to adopting a regular yoga routine.

Yoga is an exercise but some people refer to it as a practice. The origin of yoga, which means to unite, is thought to be an area in eastern Asia thousands of years ago.

The combination of mindfulness, body awareness, and stretching that yoga brings to the fitness and spiritual world has made this form of physical activity very popular.

Benefits of Yoga

Improved balance, flexibility, and strength
Relieves chronic pain
Reduces stress and body inflammation
Improves ability to manage stress
Better quality of sleep
Mindfulness
A more positive disposition

One misconception about yoga is that you have to do complex poses to get the most out of your practice. You can experience the benefits of yoga without standing on your head.

Here are nine of the best lazy stretches and yoga poses to get you moving, even when you don’t really want to.

NOTE: Remember, none of the poses should be painful. Feeling some tension is completely normal. If any pain is felt while performing these stretches, stop immediately. This could be a sign of an injury.

Also, while holding each pose be mindful of your breath. This will help you stay centered.

1. Viparita Karani (Legs Up the Wall Pose)

This easy and relaxing pose can help relieve leg and ankle pain or swelling, headaches, lower back pain, and menstrual cramps. Viparita Karani is also known as a natural remedy for jet lag, as it can refresh the body after sitting or standing for long periods of time.

How to do legs up the wall

Grab a yoga bolster. If you don’t have a bolster, you can roll up a blanket or two.
Place the bolster a few inches from the wall. The space between should be large enough for your tailbone to rest.
Sit on the bolster and put your legs against the wall. Your hips and lower back should be supported by the bolster.
Put legs be straight with ankle bones gently touching.
Ensure that thighs are flat against the wall. If your thighs are not flat, you may need to bring your hips closer to the wall.
Hands can rest on your stomach or sides.
Hold for a few minutes.

2. Balasana (Child’s Pose)

During a typical yoga routine child’s pose is often used as a rest between more strenuous poses. Balasana helps to relieve back, neck, and shoulder pain. This is, personally, one of my favorite poses to decrease my chronic back pain.

How to do the child’s Pose

Start by kneeling on the ground.
Touch the top of your feet to your yoga mat and move your feet so your big toes are touching.
Keep your knees hip-width apart and allow your stomach to rest between your thighs.
Bend forward and rest your forehead on the mat. This step can be modified by using a yoga block, pillow, or a few rolled-up towels to support your head.
There are a few different variations of where to place your hands during this pose. The most common are to either stretch your arms in front of you; and place your palms on the ground. Or you can place your back arms by your sides with your palms facing up, this is best if you are having shoulder pain.

3. Chakravakasana (Cat-Cow Pose)

Chakravakasana is a movement that switches between two different yoga poses. The two stretches are commonly called cat pose and cow pose.

Cat-Cow Pose is a great stress reliever because each pose is linked with your breath.

Other benefits include, improved circulation, reduced back pain, better posture. This is another pose that is great for those that spend a lot of time sitting.

How to do a Cat/Cow tose

Start on your hands and knees.
Ensure your body is correctly aligned keep your wrists under your shoulders and your feet under your hips.
Draw in your navel to keep your ab muscles engaged.

How to do a Cat pose (when inhaling)

Stretch the tops of your feet to touch the mat.
Tilt hips forward while keeping knees on the ground. This will cause your spine to naturally round.
Bring your gaze to your navel.

Cow Pose (when exhaling)

Curl toes under.
Tilt the pelvis back so your tailbone sticks up in the air slightly.
Keep the neck long while gently bringing your gaze to the ceiling.
Take seven to twelve breaths following this routine of inhaling moving into the cat pose and transitioning to cow pose when exhaling.

4. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

The cobra pose is perfect for getting a good stretch in on a lazy day. This pose helps to improve strength and mobility in the spine, relieve back pain, and open the chest area.

How to the Cobra pose

Begin laying on your stomach
Place palms flat on the ground directly under your shoulders
Slightly bend elbows back while keeping them tight by your side
When inhaling lift your chest off the ground
Roll shoulders away from your ears and maintain a neutral neck

TIP: Feel like you aren’t lifting high enough? Try engaging your legs and ensure your pubic bone is anchored to the mat

5. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Dog)

A downward dog might be one of the most well-known yoga poses. The benefits of this relaxing pose include increased blood flow to the brain and reduced back pain. This stretch also helps to loosen your hamstrings and calves. Ab, arm, leg, and back muscles are strengthened when practicing this pose.

How to do the Downward Dog

Begin on your hands and knees. Align your wrists under your shoulders and knees beneath your hips
Push back through your hands and lift hips while slowly straightening arms and legs
Spread fingers to create a strong base
Allow your head to hang while keeping your shoulders away from your ears
Sink your heels into the floor. This is where you should focus your weight to take the strain off your arms and hands
Hold this pose for about one minute

6. Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I Pose)

Although this isn’t a battle stance, this pose does help you to strengthen your arms and legs. Warrior I pose can help to open hips and stretch hamstrings. This pose is also great for improving balance and core strength. It is a favorite of those that have sciatica.

How to do the Warrior I pose

While standing on the mat, step one foot forward
Bend your front knee into a lunge. Feeling unbalanced? Ensure that your core is engaged
Turn your back foot 45 degrees, while keeping that back leg straight
Press shoulder blades down away from your ears and lift your arms straight above your head
While keeping your gaze on your hands squeeze your shoulder blades together
Hold for as long as comfortable
Switch legs and repeat

7. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

The Mountain pose is used as the base yoga posture for many different standing poses. Tadasana helps to improve posture, strengthen legs, and bring the body into alignment.

How to do the Mountain pose

Create a solid base by keeping your feet together and spreading your toes out
Engage your quadriceps. It should feel like your knees are rising. Do not lock your knees
Widen sit bones by turning your thighs inward
Roll shoulders down and away from your ears
Allow arms to hang naturally while keeping palms facing forward
Stand tall and keep your gaze straight. Imagine your head is connected to the ceiling by a string
Take your time with this pose and go through seven to twelve breath cycles

8. Savasana (Corpse Pose)

Savasana, also known as corpse pose, is usually found at the end of a yoga flow. It is used to take time to think about the practice that you have just completed. This pose can also be done before bed to help you decompress after a long day.

Corpse pose allows the body to release any pent-up tension. When completed correctly, you may feel more relaxed, centered, and with lower levels of stress.

The goal of this pose is to stay present and aware. Although doing the pose is physically easy, it is thought to be one of the most difficult yoga poses to maintain mentally.

How to do the Corpse pose

Start by laying down on your back
Separate legs hip-width apart and allow your feet to fall naturally
Keep arms at your side with your hands relaxed and palms facing the ceiling
Roll shoulders down away from your ears
Close your eyes and imagine any tension you may feel leaving your body
Although your mind may wander, focus on your breath
Allow yourself 7-12 minutes to stay in this position and relax. Set a timer to prevent you from worrying about the time.
Slowly move your fingers and toes to bring your body back to a normal state

Experiencing the benefits of yoga is achievable without putting out maximum effort. Each of these lazy poses helps to move your muscles and relax your mind. This teaches us a great lesson for life: It isn’t always necessary to “do the most”. It is possible to attain positive results from doing less.

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As author Scott Perry says in his book Endeavor, “Less is more. Progress is made through precise, persistent, and purposeful pushes.” Happy stretching!