The sequence
- Easy Seat · 70 seconds. Sit. Breathe in for about four, out for about six, if that length is easy. Shorter is fine.
- Child’s Pose · 50 seconds. Forehead down. Let the arms be heavy.
- Seated Spinal Twist · 30 seconds. Right hand to the left knee. Sit tall as you turn. Stop before a strain.
- Seated Spinal Twist · 30 seconds. Other side.
- Legs Up the Wall · 80 seconds. Or calves on a chair. Skip the wall if you are pregnant or have an inversion limit.
- Corpse Pose · 40 seconds. Hands on the belly. Feel the breath move the hands.
If you are pregnant, injured, or dealing with back pain, consult a doctor before you follow this page. Stop for sharp pain, numbness, dizziness, or chest pain. This is movement education, not a diagnosis or a treatment. Read the medical disclaimer.
5-minute stress routine is a 5-minute practice written from the pose pages on this site. A short downshift: a seat, Child’s Pose, a twist, and legs up the wall or on a chair. The player above is a timer and a list of cues. It is not a video class, and it is not next to an advertisement. Use the written sequence under the player if you would rather read than watch a clock.
The opening cues include: Sit. Breathe in for about four, out for about six, if that length is easy. Shorter is fine; Forehead down. Let the arms be heavy; Right hand to the left knee. Sit tall as you turn. Stop before a strain. Follow the seconds as a suggestion. If a pose says to stay and your knee or your breath disagrees, come out early. Pausing the timer is part of using it correctly. You do not earn the practice by finishing a number.
Nothing in this routine is offered as a treatment. A short practice may help an ordinary stiff day, a loud afternoon, or the few minutes before sleep, depending on which routine you opened. It does not cure back pain, insomnia, anxiety, or an injury. If you are pregnant, hurt, or unsure whether a shape is appropriate, consult a doctor first. Stop for sharp pain, numbness, chest pain, or dizziness.
Read the pose page linked from any line you have not tried. The safety note there is more specific than this overview. Then come back and do the shorter version if the full 5 minutes is more than you wanted. A shorter honest practice is the one worth repeating.
5-minute stress routine stays inside this site’s pose library. The minutes on the page are a ceiling, not a target you have to hit. Come out of a shape early, use the modification on the pose page, and leave the last cue for another day if you want. The practice counts when it is calm enough to repeat, including a practice you cut in half.