Yoga at Home: How to Start and Reap the Benefits

By, Brittany Petty – O2X Yoga Specialist, LICSW, E-500 RYT

Finding the time to slow down seems like the ultimate paradox today. Life is busy, jobs are demanding, and adding to the list of “to-dos” can feel daunting. However, building a home yoga practice can be both beneficial and accessible. Practicing yoga at home, as evidenced by a study done on yoga practitioners who established a home practice during the COVID lockdown, reduces stress and anxiety and enhances immunity. The study investigated the effects of yoga in daily routine and its benefits for physical and mental health by establishing a “yoga group” and a “non-yoga” group. Results revealed that the “Yoga group also showed less anxiety, stress, fear, and having better coping strategies than the non-Yoga group. The Yoga group displayed striking and superior ability to cope with stress and anxiety associated with the lockdown and COVID-19. In the Yoga group, participants performing meditation reportedly had relatively better mental health” (1).

Starting a home yoga practice improves time management, which makes all those “to-do” list items feel less overwhelming and more attainable. Studies have shown a connection between a regular yoga practice to improved sleep hygiene overall and a decrease in insomnia. It is also a great self-study practice in navigating your body, brain, and breath with grace and understanding. (2)(3). Below is a guide on how to get started:

1. Gather Your Equipment

Yoga is low-cost with high reward. You’ll need to purchase a yoga mat and can optionally invest in helpful props such as yoga blocks, a strap, a bolster, and a blanket. The essential piece of equipment is the yoga mat, though the listed props often enhance the benefits of postures, regardless of whether you’re a beginner or an experienced practitioner.

2. Curate Your Practice

If you want to dedicate a space to practice, choose one that isn’t too far off your daily path. When cultivating a new habit, it’s important to make it as accessible as possible. If your yoga space is in an attic room you haven’t visited in three years, your practice might not last. Instead, pick a corner of a common space, such as a home office or even your kitchen if that’s where you spend most of your time! Yoga travels with you, and the space required is really just the size of your mat.

3. Start Simple, and Build from There

In the beginning, it’s more important to build the habit of a home practice than to focus on what it looks like. Start with a short, basic, beginner-friendly practice and build from there. Once your practice becomes part of your routine, you can experiment with longer and more challenging practices. Begin with basic poses like Mountain Pose (Tadasana), Child’s Pose (Balasana), and Downward Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) to help build a foundation. The O2X app offers video resources and tutorials with beginner-friendly routines.

4. Track Your Progress

Keep a yoga journal or use an app to record what you practiced, how you felt, and any progress you noticed.

5. Listen to Your Body

Yoga is about connecting with your body. Avoid pushing yourself into discomfort or pain. Modify poses to suit your level and ability. Always come back to the breath and focus on how something feels, rather than how it looks.

6. Integrate Mindfulness of Breath

It’s all about the breath. Focusing on sustained, smooth breathing—often linked with movement—is unique to yoga. Controlled breath is a major reason yoga benefits both body and mind; it strengthens internal muscle systems like the intercostal muscles and diaphragm, as well as skeletal muscles and core. Jon Kabat-Zinn, the creator of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, defines mindfulness as “the awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally” (4). By focusing on the breath, the idea is to cultivate attention on the body and mind as they are, moment to moment, helping with both physical and emotional pain.

7. Invite Distraction

It would be unrealistic to expect our minds to stop thinking or for the people around us to stop their routines. Yoga, meaning “to yoke” or “come together,” is about accepting what is presently true—meeting yourself where you’re at physically and emotionally—and setting realistic, achievable goals. Yoga is dynamic and has the capacity to teach us a lot about ourselves, both on and off the mat. In this way, it is more about mental flexibility than physical flexibility.

Creating a healthy habit is largely driven by internal motivation, external accountability, support, and removing barriers to implementing positive change. Making the new behavior feel seamless is key. Building a regular yoga practice is no different. It’s important to establish an intention (your “why”), know what equipment you need, predict potential barriers, and plan how to overcome them. Additionally, adjust unrealistic expectations. It takes time to create new habits, and aiming too high too soon increases the chance of burnout. But not starting at all guarantees stagnation.

Building an at home yoga practice can be rewarding and attainable. Beginner-Friendly Yoga Routines

1. Morning Energizing Flow (15-20 mins)

• Start with Cat-Cow to warm up the spine
• Transition to Downward Dog
• Flow through Standing Lunge Pose and Warrior II
• Add a standing balance like Tree Pose

• End with Forward Fold and Savasana for 2-3 minutes

2. Relaxing Evening Routine (15 mins)

• Start with Child’s Pose to ground yourself
• Gentle twists in Seated Spinal Twist
• Incorporate gentle hip openers like Bound Angle Pose
• End with Legs Up the Wall and Savasana

3. Strength-Building Routine (20-30 mins)

• Start with Cat-Cow to warm up the spine
• From a table top position, move through a Tiger Pose Sequence, stretching the right arm forward and left leg back, and bringing the elbow and knee together with each exhale, about eight times (Repeat on the second side)
• Move to Plank Pose to engage your core then to Downward Dog
• Move into Chaturanga and Upward Facing Dog
• Flow through Warrior III and Chair Pose
• Include poses like Boat Pose and Bridge Pose for core and glute strength
• Cool down with Pigeon Pose, Savasana for 2-3 minutes.

Sample Weekly Routine

Monday: Morning Flow (15 mins)

Tuesday: Strength Building (20-30 mins)

Wednesday: Restorative or Yin Yoga (20 mins)

Thursday: Energizing Vinyasa Flow (20-30 mins)

Friday: Gentle Stretch & Meditation (10-15 mins)

Saturday: Full-Body Yoga Practice (45 mins)

Sunday: Rest day or a short 10-minute mindfulness session

References:

1. Nagarathna, R., Raghuram, N., Nagendra, H. R., & others. (2021). Yoga practice is beneficial for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and endurance under restrictions and stress imposed by lockdown during COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 613762. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.613762
2. Gothe, N. P., Keswani, R. K., & McAuley, E. (2016). Yoga practice improves executive function by attenuating stress levels. Biological Psychology, 121, 109–116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2016.01.009
3. Turmel, D., Gaumond, I., Bélanger, M., Després, F., & Berthelette, D. (2022). Tailored individual yoga practice improves sleep quality, fatigue, anxiety, and depression in chronic insomnia disorder. BMC Psychiatry, 22(1), 267. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-03912-x
4. Keng, S. L., Smoski, M. J., & Robins, C. J. (2011). Effects of mindfulness on psychological health: A review of empirical studies. Clinical Psychology Review, 31(6), 1041–1056. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2011.04.006

About O2X Instructor Brittany Petty:

Brittany Petty is an O2X Yoga & Resilience Specialist who teaches yoga, mindfulness, and yoga nidra (E-500HR RYT, YACEP) to her students and as a lead instructor in Yoga Teacher Trainings. She has been teaching yoga since 2012 and has been a Yoga Alliance Certified Education Provider since 2015 (E-500HR RYT, YACEP). She attended the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City to complete her Health Coaching Certification (IINHC). Brit went on to receive her Masters of Clinical Social Work (MSW) from Boston University in order to continue to tie her life’s work together; body, mind, and breath. She has teaching and clinical work experience with a range of ages and life experiences, from working as a counselor in the public school systems, to teaching yoga to professionals in the tech space. As she earned her license as an Independent Clinical Worker (LICSW), Brit worked in outpatient therapy and milieu settings with peer support. In June 2023, Brit opened her own Private therapy practice located in Central, MA but serving all of Massachusetts.

About O2X Human Performance:

O2X Human Performance provides comprehensive, science-backed programs to hundreds of public safety departments, federal agencies, and the military. O2X works with clients to elevate culture, improve mental and physical wellbeing, support healthy lifestyles, and reduce healthcare costs associated with injuries and illnesses. Driven by results and cutting edge research, O2X programs are designed and delivered by a team of Special Operations veterans, high level athletes, and hundreds of leading experts in their respective fields of human performance.