5 Restorative Yoga Poses to Pair with Savasana

Savasana may be the final resting pose in yoga, but it doesn’t have to stand alone. When paired with a few simple restorative postures, your practice can gently guide your body and mind into a deeper state of relaxation, especially if you’ve had a busy day, feel emotionally charged, or struggle to switch off.

These poses work by targeting your parasympathetic nervous system, promoting vagal tone, and encouraging your body to release habitual tension patterns.

Here are five of my favorite restorative yoga poses that act as stepping stones to Savasana, including what they do, why they work, and how to modify them safely.

1. Supported Child’s Pose (Balasana)

I absolutely love this pose! And for good reasons. Supported child’s pose creates a sense of containment and safety, perfect for calming the limbic system (our brain’s emotional center).

This is a beautiful pose for any time, but if you're experiencing a breakup or grief, or any kind of loss, it is the perfect comfort pose. At a basic level, you're hugging your bolster, and I have frequently used this pose when feeling lonely or without human support.

When your belly is supported on a bolster or cushion, it creates gentle abdominal pressure that encourages diaphragmatic breathing. This activates the vagus nerve, helping regulate heart rate, digestion, and emotional calm.

What happens in the body:

• Stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system

• Relaxes the psoas muscle, which is often tense from stress or sitting

• Lengthens the lower back and decompresses the spine

  
  

Adjustments for injuries:

• Knee pain: Place a rolled blanket behind the knees or widen them further apart.

• Ankle discomfort: Fold a blanket under the shins and ankles.

• Pregnancy: Widen knees and turn the head to one side (or use an elevated bolster to avoid pressure on the belly).

  
  

Cue for stillness:

Let your forehead rest on the mat or a block to stimulate the third eye point (between the eyebrows). This helps quieten internal mental chatter.

Learn more about The Benefits of Child's Pose in Yoga: A Physical and Emotional Sanctuary.

2. Reclined Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)

This heart-opening posture encourages passive chest expansion, which often improves oxygen intake and releases chronic tension in the pectoralis minor and intercostal muscles.

Emotionally, opening the front body while supported allows for vulnerability without threat, and can be incredibly powerful for trauma recovery and emotional release.

What happens in the body:

• Softens the pelvic floor and groin

• Encourages vagally-mediated breathing into the lower ribs

• Promotes baroreceptor response, which helps lower blood pressure

Adjustments for injuries:

• Hip discomfort: Place blocks or folded blankets under the knees for support.

• Lower back tension: Use a bolster under the spine and keep knees slightly closer together.

• Pregnancy (2nd/3rd trimester): Recline on an inclined bolster to avoid lying flat.

  
  

Cue for stillness:

Place a light sandbag or folded blanket over the pelvis for grounding. Close your eyes and let the breath become rhythmic and slow.

3. Supported Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)

This pose gently stimulates the thyroid and thymus glands, which are key players in hormonal balance and immune function, and brings subtle compression to the baroreceptors in the chest and neck area.

These pressure-sensitive nerves help regulate blood pressure and heart rate, encouraging the parasympathetic nervous system to take the lead.

It also supports lymphatic drainage and healthy circulation by reversing the usual posture of the torso and hips.

Supported Bridge Pose offers a gentle heart opener while grounding the hips and spine, making it both energising and calming. When supported with a bolster or block under the sacrum, it becomes a powerful tool to shift the body from stress into rest.

What happens in the body:

• Gently stimulates the thyroid and thymus glands

• Opens the front of the hips and chest

• Soothes the lumbar spine

  
  

Adjustments for injuries:

• Neck issues: Ensure no pressure on the neck; head neutral.

• Back issues: Use a bolster under the sacrum, not the lower back.

• Knees: Keep feet hip-width apart and stable.

  
  

Cue for Stillness:

Allow your sacrum to be fully supported by the prop beneath you. Let the spine lengthen from the back of your heart toward the crown of your head. Soften the skin of your throat and jaw. Notice the gentle expansion of the ribs as you breathe. Trust the support beneath you to hold everything you don’t need to carry.

4. Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)

This gentle inversion reverses blood flow from the legs toward the heart, improving venous return and calming an overactive sympathetic nervous system. It also reduces swelling in the feet and legs, making it ideal for those of us who stand or walk a lot.

What happens in the body:

• Reduces cortisol levels and activates restorative brainwave states

• Increases lymphatic drainage from the lower body

• Calms the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, responsible for the stress response

Adjustments for injuries:

• Tight hamstrings: Move the hips slightly away from the wall to reduce the stretch.

• Lower back pain: Slide a folded blanket or bolster under the sacrum.

• Pregnancy (late stages): Avoid this pose unless approved by a healthcare professional; instead, try elevated legs on a chair.

  
  

Cue for stillness:

Rest your arms out to the sides, palms facing up, and focus on lengthening the exhale, so it is at least twice as long as your inhale.

5. Reclined Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)

Twists are deeply calming for the autonomic nervous system, especially when held passively. This pose compresses one side of the abdomen, which supports digestive function, while gently stretching the opposite side.

It also helps release residual spinal tension and prepares the body to lie flat in Savasana.

What happens in the body:

• Stimulates the enteric nervous system (gut-brain axis)

• Balances the left and right brain hemispheres

• Supports cerebrospinal fluid flow, promoting clearer thought and mental ease

  
  

Adjustments for injuries:

• Knee/hip pain: Support the legs with blankets between the thighs or underneath the knees.

• Spinal issues (e.g. scoliosis): Keep the twist gentle and guided with props.

• Pregnancy: Avoid strong compression; try a side-lying version with a pillow between the knees.

  
  

Cue for stillness:

Keep the gaze in the opposite direction of the knees, or close your eyes to centre the focus inward.

Make Savasana a more restorative yoga pose with a bolster

This is sooo much nicer than lying directly on your mat! An enhanced version of Savasana, using props offers more physical comfort and emotional support.

Placing a bolster under the knees releases the iliopsoas complex, which often holds unconscious tension.

A small cushion under the head keeps the cervical spine in neutral alignment, helping reduce subtle muscular holding patterns.

What happens in the body:

• Triggers alpha and theta brainwaves, associated with deep meditation

• Reduces muscle spindle activity, creating a full-body sense of release

• Encourages heart rate variability (HRV), an important marker of nervous system resilience

  
  

Adjustments for injuries:

• Lower back discomfort: Elevate knees higher with additional bolsters or blocks.

• Neck tension: Use a small rolled towel under the neck or skull base.

• Anxiety: Cover the body with a blanket for a sense of containment and warmth.

Cue for stillness:

Soften your jaw, tongue, and eyes. Let your breath be natural and unforced. Stay for 10–20 minutes if time allows.

🌼Final Thoughts

These five poses are like stepping stones to Savasana. They allow the body to release deeply held tension in stages, shifting gradually into stillness.

Practicing them regularly can train your nervous system to respond more quickly to rest cues, especially helpful if you struggle with anxiety, burnout, or overstimulation (I know I do!).

Hold each pose for 5–10 minutes, or longer if comfortable. To enhance the restorative effect, use props, gentle lighting such as candles or fairy lights, add soft music, and gentle breathing.

Whether you’re recovering from stress, dealing with insomnia, or just need to feel more grounded, pairing these restorative yoga postures with Savasana can become a powerful home practice.