How to Use Yoga to Help with Burnout

The constant pressure to perform, manage multiple responsibilities, and meet deadlines can take a toll on both your mental and physical health. One powerful way to combat burnout and restore balance is through yoga—a practice that nurtures both the body and mind.

Yoga offers a holistic approach to managing stress and alleviating the symptoms of burnout. Whether you're dealing with emotional exhaustion, physical fatigue, or a sense of disconnection, yoga can be a tool to help you regain your sense of well-being. Here’s how yoga can be a supportive practice for overcoming burnout.

1. Creating Space for Mindfulness

One of the key aspects of yoga is mindfulness—being present and fully aware of the moment. Burnout often stems from being stuck in a cycle of overthinking, worrying about the future, or dwelling on the past. Yoga encourages you to focus on the present, using your breath and movement to ground yourself in the now.

A simple practice like mindful breathing, where you focus solely on the rhythm of your breath, can help calm the mind and reduce anxiety. Whether you’re on the mat or in your everyday life, this mindfulness can offer relief from the overwhelm that often accompanies burnout.

Try This:
Practice a few minutes of deep breathing (Pranayama) each day. Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and inhale deeply through your nose, filling your lungs completely. Slowly exhale through your nose, focusing on the sound and sensation of your breath. Repeat for 5-10 minutes, allowing yourself to relax into the rhythm.

2. Restorative Poses to Release Tension

Burnout can manifest physically in the form of muscle tension, fatigue, and even chronic pain. Restorative yoga poses are designed to relax your body and help release tension that has built up over time. These poses are held for longer periods, allowing your body to fully surrender and heal.

Poses like Child’s Pose (Balasana), Reclining Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana), and Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani) are particularly beneficial for relieving stress and promoting relaxation. These poses encourage deep breathing, allowing the nervous system to shift from a state of fight-or-flight to rest-and-digest.

Try This:
Spend 5-10 minutes in Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose to help reduce stress and promote calm. Lie on your back with your legs extended up a wall, and rest your arms by your sides. Focus on your breath, allowing your body to relax completely.

3. Gentle Movement to Reconnect with Your Body

When you’re burnt out, you might feel disconnected from your body. Gentle yoga movements can help you reconnect with yourself physically, improving your body awareness and encouraging self-compassion. Slow-flow sequences like Cat-Cow (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana) and Seated Forward Fold (Paschimottanasana) can help release tension in the spine, promote flexibility, and ease physical discomfort.

In addition to stretching tight muscles, these movements encourage the flow of energy throughout the body, revitalizing both your physical and emotional state. Incorporating gentle yoga into your routine helps you move with intention and provides an opportunity to care for your body without pushing it to the limit.

Try This:
Start your morning with a gentle Cat-Cow sequence to awaken your spine. Move slowly and mindfully, coordinating your breath with your movement. Inhale as you arch your back into Cow Pose, and exhale as you round into Cat Pose. Repeat for 5-10 rounds.

4. Using Breathwork to Soothe the Nervous System

Stress and burnout are often accompanied by shallow, rapid breathing, which can trigger the body’s stress response. Yoga’s emphasis on controlled, deep breathing helps to reverse this pattern, calming the nervous system and reducing the physiological symptoms of stress.

Ujjayi Breath (Victorious Breath), a form of yogic breathing, is particularly effective in soothing the nervous system. By slowing down the breath and creating a soft sound in the back of the throat, this technique helps bring balance to both the body and mind.

Try This:
Practice Ujjayi Breath by inhaling deeply through your nose, slightly constricting the back of your throat as you exhale slowly. The sound should be soft, resembling the sound of ocean waves. Focus on lengthening your inhales and exhales, and practice for 5 minutes to create a sense of calm.

5. Meditation for Mental Clarity

Burnout often clouds your thoughts, making it difficult to focus or think clearly. Meditation is a powerful tool for regaining mental clarity and creating space between your thoughts. It teaches you to observe your thoughts without becoming attached to them, helping you break free from negative thinking patterns associated with burnout.

Even a short daily meditation practice can significantly improve your mental well-being. As you sit in meditation, observe your thoughts as they come and go without judgment, gradually quieting the mind.

Try This:
Set aside 5-10 minutes each day for seated meditation. Sit in a comfortable position with your eyes closed, and focus on your breath. If your mind starts to wander, gently bring your attention back to your breath without frustration or judgment.

6. Prioritizing Rest with Savasana

One of the most important aspects of healing from burnout is rest. Savasana (Corpse Pose) is the final resting pose in most yoga practices, but it can also serve as a standalone practice for relaxation and rejuvenation. In Savasana, the body is completely at rest, allowing you to integrate the benefits of your practice and fully unwind.

This pose is about surrendering control and allowing yourself to be present in stillness, which is often difficult during burnout. However, it’s in these moments of rest that your body and mind can truly begin to heal.

Try This:
After your yoga practice, spend 5-10 minutes in Savasana. Lie flat on your back with your arms and legs extended, palms facing upward. Close your eyes and focus on your breath, allowing your body to sink into the floor. Let go of any tension or worries, and give yourself permission to rest.

Yoga is an invaluable tool for addressing burnout by providing a space for physical release, mental clarity, and emotional balance. By integrating mindfulness, restorative poses, breathwork, and meditation into your daily routine, you can begin to heal from burnout and restore your overall sense of well-being. Remember, the key to overcoming burnout is self-compassion—take the time to care for your body, mind, and spirit, and allow yoga to guide you on the path to recovery.