4 Simple Yoga Poses to Help You Cope this Holiday Season

From work parties, to end of year deadlines, family gatherings, heavy meals, and travel, the holidays can be an exhausting time. It's important to remember to make time for slow moments, and in the spirit of giving to others, give yourself the time to care for yourself. So I asked my go to yogi (certified instructor and constant traveler) Mika Vanwinkle to enlighten us with her insight...

Photographed by Bliss Katherine.

Here are 4 simple yoga poses to help you cope with it all...

1) Post-flight or after the long drive Get upside down in downward dog, a headstand, or shoulder stand. You can also lie on your back on a bed or the floor with a pillow under your sacrum and rest your legs up against a wall. Inversions rejuvenate our circulation and lymphatic systems, energizing us and strengthening our immune system. 

2) After a meal Try forward bends – bending forward lightly compresses your digestive organs and supports healthy elimination. Also, deep forward folding can promote relaxation and improve circulation, allowing optimal blood flow to the digestive organs. You can take a standing forward bend or sit with your legs out in front of you, knees bent.

3) For a gentle detox Twisting poses help you to detox by squeezing and cleansing out the belly and inner organs. A seated spinal twist, revolved lunge or triangle, and revolved abdomen pose (lying on your back with your legs to one side, head to the other) are all great.

4) When you need a moment to yourself After all the socializing, you might be craving a little solitude. A rounded plow is a great restorative pose to withdraw from the external world and calm your nervous system. You can position your knees in your armpits and your legs alongside your ears to tune into yourself. Slowly rock side to side on your way out of the pose for a lower back release.

Mika was born in Japan, raised in the U.S & now lives in Brooklyn. She has been modeling internationally for 10+ years and went to NYU for BA in communications & completed a graduate program at Tufts University in Nutrition Communications. She is a Sky Ting certified yoga teacher and loves to cook in her spare time.