A stiff neck, strained shoulders, a back that needs a little attention: after a long day at work, the body may want to slow down. A few gentle yoga poses can help create a moment of relaxation, without any pressure to perform. About 15 minutes can be enough to give yourself a break.<\/p>\n
After several hours in the same position, the cat-cow pose helps to gradually regain mobility. Start on your hands and knees, with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. As you inhale, gently arch your back. As you exhale, round your spine, bringing your chin slightly towards your chest. Repeat this about ten times, slowly and gently, focusing on fluidity rather than depth. The idea is not to "correct" your body, but simply to offer it some movement after a day that is often very static.<\/p>\n
From a position on all fours, gradually draw your hips back towards your heels and extend your arms in front of you to enter Child's Pose. Your forehead can rest on the floor if that's comfortable. Stay in this pose for one to two minutes, breathing naturally and without trying to go any deeper than feels comfortable. If your hips remain far from your heels, a cushion can provide added comfort. This pose can be a true transition between the workday and the evening, provided it's a pleasant experience for you.<\/p>\n
Prolonged sitting can leave you feeling stiff around your hips. The butterfly pose offers a gentle way to mobilize this area. While seated, bring the soles of your feet together and allow your knees to open naturally to the sides. If you wish, lean your torso slightly forward. There's no need to push with your knees or try to lower yourself further: simply let the position evolve with your breath. One to two minutes may be enough to take the time to feel what feels good.<\/p>\n
Need to do almost nothing? Lie on your back and place your legs against a wall, as comfortably as possible. Your arms can remain at your sides. This position, often appreciated after a long day spent standing or sitting, primarily offers a moment of calm and rest. Stay in this position for a few minutes, up to five or ten if it suits you. Again, this isn't a "miracle" position: some people will appreciate it greatly, others much less so.<\/p>\n
Finally, lie on your back and bring one knee towards you. Then gently let it roll to the opposite side, while looking to the other side if it remains comfortable. Keep your shoulders as relaxed as possible. One minute on each side is sufficient. The twist should remain gentle: there's no need to try to go far or achieve an intense stretching sensation.<\/p>\n
In short, this little routine can become a pleasant end-of-day ritual, but it's not necessarily suitable for everyone, and its effects can vary from person to person. A posture that's comfortable for some may be uncomfortable for others. The best guide, therefore, is how you feel. If you have back, neck, or knee problems, are pregnant, or have joint issues, it's best to consult a healthcare professional before starting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A stiff neck, strained shoulders, a back that needs a little attention: after a long day at work,...","protected":false},"author":8385,"featured_media":446784,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"disable_msn":true,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5639],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-446756","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bien-etre"],"image":{"medium":["https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/postures-yoga-relacher-tensions-200x113.jpg",200,113,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/postures-yoga-relacher-tensions-500x281.jpg",500,281,true]},"custom":{"td_video":"","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/postures-yoga-relacher-tensions.jpg","author":{"name":"Julia Perez","avatar":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/cropped-julia_perez-96x96.jpg"},"categories":[{"term_id":5639,"name":"Well-being","slug":"bien-etre","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":5804,"taxonomy":"category","description":"
The Well-being section of The Body Optimist shares practical advice on staying active, sleeping better, managing stress and understanding everyday aches and pains. Written for women of every size and body type, it starts from a simple idea: taking care of your body works best through enjoyment and consistency, not pressure or guilt.<\/p>\n
When you return to physical activity, consistency matters more than intensity. A few ways to ease back in:<\/p>\n
Everyday movement counts too: walking or biking to get around, taking the stairs and gardening all add up as physical activity.<\/p>\n
Here, your body isn't a project to fix. We talk about exercise for pleasure, mood and health, never as a way to \u201cmake up for\u201d a meal or to lose weight, and every tip should work for you whatever your body type. The articles in this section provide general information and do not replace advice from a healthcare professional.<\/p>\n
The World Health Organization recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, such as brisk walking. It also stresses that some activity is better than none: every session counts, even a short one, and what matters most is finding a pace you can keep up over the long run.<\/p>\n
Consistency is the first lever: go to bed and get up at similar times, weekends included. A quiet, dark, cool bedroom, less screen time in the evening and a dinner that isn't too late all make it easier to fall asleep. Loud snoring or waking up gasping for air is worth mentioning to your doctor.<\/p>\n
Ongoing fatigue can have many causes: lack of sleep, stress or mental overload, but also iron deficiency, a thyroid disorder or depression. If it lasts several weeks despite rest, or comes with other symptoms, see your doctor to find out what's behind it.<\/p>\n
Want to go further? Explore all our topics in the Health section<\/a>, follow moms-to-be in the Pregnancy section<\/a> and enjoy a varied way of eating, without restriction, with the Nutrition section<\/a>.<\/p>","parent":360,"count":1718,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":5639,"category_count":1718,"category_description":" The Well-being section of The Body Optimist shares practical advice on staying active, sleeping better, managing stress and understanding everyday aches and pains. Written for women of every size and body type, it starts from a simple idea: taking care of your body works best through enjoyment and consistency, not pressure or guilt.<\/p>\n When you return to physical activity, consistency matters more than intensity. A few ways to ease back in:<\/p>\n Everyday movement counts too: walking or biking to get around, taking the stairs and gardening all add up as physical activity.<\/p>\n Here, your body isn't a project to fix. We talk about exercise for pleasure, mood and health, never as a way to \u201cmake up for\u201d a meal or to lose weight, and every tip should work for you whatever your body type. The articles in this section provide general information and do not replace advice from a healthcare professional.<\/p>\n The World Health Organization recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, such as brisk walking. It also stresses that some activity is better than none: every session counts, even a short one, and what matters most is finding a pace you can keep up over the long run.<\/p>\n Consistency is the first lever: go to bed and get up at similar times, weekends included. A quiet, dark, cool bedroom, less screen time in the evening and a dinner that isn't too late all make it easier to fall asleep. Loud snoring or waking up gasping for air is worth mentioning to your doctor.<\/p>\n Ongoing fatigue can have many causes: lack of sleep, stress or mental overload, but also iron deficiency, a thyroid disorder or depression. If it lasts several weeks despite rest, or comes with other symptoms, see your doctor to find out what's behind it.<\/p>\n Want to go further? Explore all our topics in the Health section<\/a>, follow moms-to-be in the Pregnancy section<\/a> and enjoy a varied way of eating, without restriction, with the Nutrition section<\/a>.<\/p>","cat_name":"Well-being","category_nicename":"bien-etre","category_parent":360}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/446756","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8385"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=446756"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/446756\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":446785,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/446756\/revisions\/446785"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/446784"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=446756"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=446756"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=446756"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}What you'll find in the Well-being section<\/h2>\n
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How do you get back into exercise after a long break?<\/h2>\n
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Our approach<\/h2>\n
Articles to get you started<\/h2>\n
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Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n
How much exercise do you need each week?<\/h3>\n
How can you sleep better?<\/h3>\n
Why am I tired all the time?<\/h3>\n