The Best Online Yoga Workout Videos for Calming Your Mind and Toning Your Body

Yoga is an incredible workout: not only does it increase flexibility, strengthen muscles, and calm your mind, but it can also seriously whittle your waist, ease lower back pain, improve blood pressure and cholesterol, even boost your immune system. But while the list of health benefits is long, not everyone has the time, money, or patience to fit regular yoga classes into their workout routines. To the rescue: these free online yoga videos let you reap yoga's many health perks without leaving the comfort of your living room. The best part? They start at just 5 minutes long, so you can fit in a sequence anytime, whether it's first thing in the morning or while you wait for dinner to cook. Pick one (or a few!) to practice daily and learn for yourself how yoga can benefit your mind and body.

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Time: 15 minutes

Your morning sets the tone for the entire day, so if you wake up feeling tired and stressed, you won’t be off to the best start. A quick early-morning yoga flow is a great way to clear your mind and wake up your sleepy muscles. In this 15-minute sequence, instructor Irina Ovsiannikova from YG Studios in New York City demonstrates the ideal yoga flow to motivate and energize you for the day ahead.

Time: 5 minutes

Celebrity yoga instructor Hilaria Baldwin is all about using yoga to combine fitness with mind-body balance. This flow draws upon her five major principles: perspective, breathing, grounding, balance, and letting go. The quick sequence features moves that are guaranteed to help you feel balanced and centered, perfect for incorporating mindfulness into your daily routine.

Time: 15 minutes

Feeling overwhelmed? Yoga can help you take a step back from your busy schedule and find balance. A stressed-out mind often means a tense body (think: a clenched jaw, a stiff neck), so a calming yoga flow can give you a sense of relief both inside and out. Clinical therapist and yoga instructor Lauren Taus leads the way in this short but restorative flow, which is designed to give you an opportunity slow down and de-stress.

Time: 10 minutes

Challenging your muscle memory keeps your mind sharp! In this sequence, Health's contributing yoga editor Kristin McGee puts a new twist on the standard yoga flow, shaking up classic sequences so they feel brand-new. McGee says this routine is perfect for yogis of all skill levels. As a bonus, studies show that making your brain’s processing center work harder may help with long-term memory retention.

Time: 10 minutes

Looking to quickly tone your lower body? Health's contributing yoga editor Kristin McGee has the solution with this short-but-intense flow that's guaranteed to get you sweating. The entire routine features poses that are intended to target the lower body by strengthening and toning your butt, back, and thighs.

Time: 15 minutes

In addition to boosting your physical health, yoga may also help improve your mental health by replacing negative feelings of anxiety and depression with positive ones. In this video, celebrity yoga instructor Mandy Ingber created a sequence that's designed to promote feelings of happiness in a matter of movements.

Time: 11 minutes

While the holidays are amazing, they inevitably come with their own unique set of stressors, from family drama to gift shopping. Taking time for yourself is especially important during stressful times, and yoga can help. In this video, Equinox trainer Noemi Henriquez demonstrates an 11-minute flow that was specifically designed to challenge your body and help you unwind during the busy holiday season.

Time: 10 minutes

Why practice yoga alone when you can do it with a friend? Certain yoga poses are perfect for two people to do together, and teaming up with another person can also help you further increase your flexibility. In this video, Health's contributing yoga editor Kristin McGee demonstrates 10 yoga poses you can do with a buddy for a sequence filled with balance and bonding.

Time: 10 minutes

Stretch and strengthen tense muscles with this flow from Health's contributing yoga editor Kristin McGee. The sequence is particularly helpful for people who are suffering from back pain or poor posture, since the movements will help open shoulders, increase flexibility, and strengthen your upper body.

Time: 15 minutes

Rebecca Weible, yoga instructor and owner of Yo Yoga!, created this better-skin flow to bring out your inner radiance through asanas that leave you feeling refreshed. The challenging sequence promotes circulation throughout the body, which will give your cheeks a naturally rosy hue and leave your skin looking brighter in no time.

Time: 20 minutes

Wake up your batteries, stat, with this energizing flow led by Tiffany Cruikshank, founder of Yoga Medicine and an expert in the restorative power of yoga. She says that the sequence helps deliver "calm invigoration" so you feel both peaceful and motivated by the time you're through. The slightly longer routine affords you plenty of time to find your center and truly connect with your body, which makes for a happier and healthier day.

Time: 10 minutes

This sequence helps you de-stress by skillfully combining challenging yoga moves with mindfulness techniques. It's led by Kirby Koo of Yoga With Kirby, and focuses on breathing exercises to help you reach a calmer, more peaceful state of mind.

Time: 5 minutes

Downward Facing Dog is one of the most frequently-appearing poses in yoga class, but certain health issues can prevent some yogis from doing the move. Health's contributing yoga editor Kristin McGee demonstrates a 5-minute flow of upright asanas that strengthen the abs, arms, butt and thighs—no Downward Dog necessary.