The body has a way of feeling weak, tired and worn out, but there is a means of regaining your strength and feeling relaxed which is yoga. We have all seen the sleek advertisements for yoga as a high-intensity fitness, but it’s true power lies far away from the calorie burn. Yoga is, at its heart, a tool for building resilience, a way to train your muscles and your mind to handle daily life activities with a bit more grace. According to Amber Wallin, founder of Hot Mess Yoga, this ancient practice is not just about flexibility; it’s about stress prevention. It’s a way to dial down the internal tension before it becomes a full-blown flare-up. Here is how you can use yoga to melt away the mental stress and reclaim your sense of calm.

Setting the Stage for a Yoga space

Before you even step onto a mat, the environment matters

• The Digital Handoff: Keep your phone in another room. The goal is to remove the temptation to check notifications, allowing your brain to fully disconnect from the “social jetlag” of the digital world.
• Comfort is King: Forget the expensive designer gear. If you feel most “at home” in your oldest sweatpants or even just your underwear, that is exactly what you should wear. Whether you like the room to be warm or crisp with the A/C on blast, make the space yours.
• Zero Expectations: You don’t need to be able to touch your toes. You don’t need to look like a statue. Your practice is for you. If you need a block, a pillow, or a modification, take it. Your most important goal is simply to show up.

Why does stretching help the brain?
Wallin explains that grounding poses are specifically designed to stop mind chatter, that repetitive loop of anxiety.
When you hold a pose for an extended time, you aren’t just stretching muscles; you are engaging your parasympathetic nervous system.
By taking long, deep breaths, you manually slow your heart rate. This hack triggers a relaxation response that tells your brain it is safe to let go of the fight or flight signals.
When you focus entirely on the rhythm of your breath, it becomes physically harder for your mind to focus on the things that are stressing you out.