Breathwork & Movement To Find Peace: Morning Yoga For Anxiety

I first experienced anxiety in September 2024. It started with a panic attack. There was a voice in my head that overpowered my ability to talk back. And the anxiety that followed in the coming weeks and months, including frequent panic attacks, complete loss of appetite, and insomnia – was the fear of the panic attacks returning. I utilized all the practices I could think of to help get me through that time – mental health practitioners, meditation, yoga, journaling, exercise, and even guided meditations.

But one thing that drove me crazy with the guided meditations was that they never seemed to apply to my thought process directly. In fact, they often guided me into a place that felt even less secure – and I did plenty of guided meditations that left me feeling less grounded and more anxious than when I started.

So when I started creating my own Yoga for Anxiety Program, I knew I wanted to be different.  Instead of speaking in absolutes or keeping people firmly rooted in a specific visualization, I reminded people that they didn’t have to take everything that I was saying for granted. If I said something that didn’t resonate with you, I wanted you to ignore it – and I specifically mention it in every routine. 

By the end of the program, we created 6 different routines:

• Calm Your Nervous System (Yoga for Anxiety Series #1)
• Anxiety Relief: Reclaiming Confidence & Power (Yoga for Anxiety Series #2)
• AM Yoga To Move Through Anxiety (Yoga For Anxiety Series #3)
• Evening Anxiety Relief (Yoga For Anxiety Series #4)
• Overcoming Overthinking & Rumination (Yoga for Anxiety Series #5)
• Emergency Break for Anxiety, Panic & Overwhelm (Yoga for Anxiety Series #6)

If you’re looking for an all-purpose anxiety support program, to help you with whatever you need today, right now, check out the Yoga for Anxiety Program for Man Flow Yoga – now in the Man Flow Yoga Members’ Area & App!

Morning Yoga for Anxiety: A Gentle Flow to Reset Your Mind and Body

Whether you woke up with a knot in your stomach or you’re carrying over lingering tension from last night, we’re going to focus on our bodies, tune into our breathing, and use targeted coaching to move through those anxious feelings.

This 20 minute version is available for free, And a 30-Minute version is available to members.

(Not a Member? Join today!)

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By the end of this flow, the goal is to shift your state so you can move into your day feeling calm, confident, grounded, and ready for whatever comes your way.

Grab your mat, maybe a couple of blocks, and let’s get started.

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Step 1: Child’s Pose

Start down on the mat with your knees wide and your big toes touching. If your knees or hips are feeling tight this morning, bring your knees a bit further forward.

• For a lower-intensity option: Bring your forearms down to the mat and let your head rest on the ground. If your forehead doesn’t quite reach, place a block under your head for support.
• For a more active stretch: Straighten your arms completely and reach forward into a traditional Child’s Pose.

Once you settle in, slow down your breathing and check in with your body.

It is completely normal for anxious thoughts to rush in the second we slow down. When we stop running away or distracting ourselves with busywork, those quiet thoughts finally get a chance to make themselves heard.

The Practice: Hear those thoughts, acknowledge them, but practice not engaging with them. Notice where anxiety shows up physically—tingling sensations, tight shoulders, or a pit in your stomach—without reacting to it. Keep your breathing steady through your nose and keep your body calm, even if your mind is racing.

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Step 2: Cat-Cow

Slowly press up into a Tabletop position with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.

1. Scapular Glides: Press your shoulder blades up toward the ceiling, slightly rounding your back. Then, keeping your arms straight, sink your chest down and let your shoulder blades draw together. Repeat this a few times to build physical awareness in your upper body.
2. Cat-Cow Flow: Inhale as you arch your back, dropping your belly and looking forward (Cow Pose). Exhale as you round your spine, tucking your chin and tailbone (Cat Pose).

Move through about five rounds at your own pace. Focus heavily on your connection to the floor—feeling your hands, knees, and feet on the mat.

While you move, your brain will want to fix, resolve, or out-think your anxiety to create certainty. Remind yourself that you can’t out-think an anxiety loop—you have to feel your way through it physically.

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Step 3: Low Lunge

From Tabletop, step your right foot forward between your hands and drop your left knee to the floor into a Low Lunge.

Keep this lunge very relaxed and supported:

• Use blocks under your hands if you have them.
• Untuck your back toes.
• Relax your chest down toward your thigh and tuck your chin slightly toward your throat to protect the front of your body.

The Coaching Exercise: While holding this grounded position, say out loud what you are worried about. Name the elephant in the room instead of pretending it isn’t there. Say, “I am anxious about…” whether it’s work, finances, or a difficult conversation.

Once you’ve said it out loud, ask yourself: What certainty is this anxiety trying to create for me? Anxiety always wants certainty—it wants to know you’re going to be safe and okay.

Step your left foot forward and your right leg back to switch sides. Rest your chest, feel stable through your lower body, and acknowledge what your mind is trying to protect you from.

Then, anchor yourself back in the present moment. Feel the ground beneath you and tell yourself out loud:

“I am safe right now. I am okay right now.”

We can’t guarantee the future, but right here, at this exact moment on your mat, you are safe.

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Step 4: Modified Happy Baby

Gently release the lunge and roll onto your back.

• Pull your left knee into your chest toward your left shoulder, then bring your right knee in toward your right shoulder for a Modified Happy Baby. (Note: If your head tilts backward, slide a block or small pad under your head to keep your neck neutral.)

Feel the stretch through your groin and notice your spine resting flat against the floor. If you want a deeper stretch, reach up and grab the outside of your feet for full Happy Baby, keeping your lower back grounded.

This isn’t a flexibility contest—it’s about creating physical calm so your mind can follow suit. Remind yourself that you have full control over your body, your breath, and your movements right now.

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Step 5: Lying Knee to Chest Side Bend

• Extend your right leg straight out on the mat while keeping your left knee bent into your chest. Reach your right arm straight back overhead, then side-bend your upper body over to the left.

This opens up the right rib cage, allowing you to take deeper, more relaxing breaths.

If anxious thoughts pop back up, set a neutral boundary. Talk to the anxiety like a calm parent talking to a child—don’t yell back or get upset. Just say, “Thank you, I hear you, but we’re going to deal with this later.”

Switch sides: Bring your right knee in, extend your left leg, and reach your left arm up and over to the right side. Focus on expanding your left rib cage with controlled nasal breaths.

Reassure yourself: You are in charge, not the anxious thoughts. You get to decide whether or not you engage with them.

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Step 6: Supported Bridge Pose

Release the side bend and place both feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart, with your knees bent.

Press down through your feet, squeeze your glutes, and lift your hips into a Bridge Pose.

• Restorative Option: Slide a block under your lower back (on the low or mid setting) and rest your body weight on it.
• Arm Placement: Keep your arms long by your sides or take them wide into a “T” position to open up your chest.

This pose puts your body into a slightly exposed position. If that triggers any tension, lean into your physical grounding: focus on the weight of your shoulders on the mat, the firm contact of your feet, and the rhythmic flow of your breath.

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Step 7: Core Engagement & Hip Release

Remove the block and lower your hips to the floor. Lift your feet so your knees hover over your hips.

1. Lower Back Presses: Firmly press your lower back down into the mat to engage your abdominal wall. You can keep your head flat on the floor or lift your shoulders slightly to raise the intensity. Choose a level that feels manageable today, reminding yourself: I am choosing this physical effort; I am in control.
2. Gentle Hip Release: Drop both feet to the floor, wider than your hips. Drop both knees over to the right. Gently press your top (left) knee down and forward toward the corner of the room to stretch the outer left hip. Hold for a few breaths, then drop both knees over to the left to stretch the right hip.

Use the physical weight of your body pressing into the floor to anchor your mind into the present.

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Step 8: Standing Mountain Pose with a Block

Roll to your side and gently bring yourself up to a standing position.

Place your block between your inner thighs. Squeezing the block forces your lower body to stay active so you remain present and engaged.

• Press down firmly through your feet.
• Reach your tailbone down and lengthen your spine.
• Turn your palms forward and tuck your chin slightly to get as tall as possible.
• Keep your rib cage relaxed—avoid puffing your chest out aggressively, as that can inadvertently trigger a physical stress response. Find a tall, neutral posture.

Take five deep, reassuring breaths in this strong stance.

If any lingering anxiety remains, repeat your core affirmations one last time:

1. What am I worried about? (Say it out loud.)
2. What certainty is the anxiety trying to create?
3. I am safe, grounded, and okay right now.

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Ready to Face Your Day

Take one last deep breath in, fill your lungs completely, and exhale to release any remaining physical tension.

Hopefully, you are feeling much calmer, more grounded, and ready to take on your day. Be sure to check out the rest of our anxiety series, including targeted routines for men, evening wind-down flows, and exercises designed specifically to calm the nervous system.

If you found this routine helpful…

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