SaraBethYoga: 15 Minute Seated Yoga Stretches for Headaches, Anxiety & Tension

I love SaraBethYoga‘s gentle yoga/flexibility workouts. She probably has more intense yoga workouts but I am not really interested in them. I love her gentle, deep stretches. Everything is done at a controlled pace–no rushing, and you hold the stretches for longer periods of time. I used this short practice as a sort of finisher after a more intense yoga fusion workout. I suffer from chronic neck and shoulder pain. This was a perfect little finisher to stretch my neck and shoulders out after a more aggressive workout. She also stretches your spine and other muscles in your upper body. As the title indicates, the entire practice is done sitting cross-leg.

15 Minute Seated Yoga Stretches for Headaches, Anxiety & Tension is 16:59 minutes; it is actually about 15:30 minutes. The last 1:30 minutes is Sara talking about her free 7 day yoga challenge.

1. Sit cross-leg with hands on knees and eye closed, focus on your breathing while Sara talks
2. Still cross-leg, reach one hand out to side, fingers on mat and tilt head in opposite direction; place other hand on head to assist in the stretch; tilt head down toward knee, hand moves to back of head
3. Interlace fingers and stretch arms out in front of you, rounding the back; extend arms w/ hands still interlaced overhead and do a side bend stretch
4. Hands are still interlaced, both elbows are bent, bring one elbow behind your head
5. Reach one arm to side, fingers on mat, and reach opposite hand across body to mat beside other hand, twisting torso toward hands; trail fingers of one hand (hand that was crossing body) along floor in a half circle to other side of body, reach arm out to side, overhead and back to start beside other hand so torso is twisted
6. Still cross-leg, hinge torso forward over one knee, forearms on mat, forehead resting on knee
7. Seated spinal twist in opposite direction
8. Legs still crossed, place hands on mat behind you and raise hips, pressing them forward and arching spine
9. Repeat 5-7 on other side of body
10. Repeat #8
11. Sit cross-leg, hands folded in lap and eyes closed, focus on your breathing while Sara talks; the music stops and Sara stops talking for silent meditation

For more info on SaraBethYoga and other (free) streaming workouts I’ve sampled and reviewed, check out my Streaming page.