Yoga for Tired People

Hey Tired Yogi,

Can I tell you something really big?

Last Monday evening I was doing some work on my laptop when it ran out of battery. I went to plug it in and realised I’d left the charger in the studio after teaching the teacher training at the weekend.

It was already dark, it was freezing, and I’d fully planned on parking myself on the sofa with a cup of tea for the rest of the night. But I needed to finish what I was working on, so I had to drag myself all the way into town to pick it up.

So I just… did it.

And it might sound tiny, but for me it was huge. I didn’t beat myself up. I didn’t launch into the usual “you’re so useless / you always forget things / you’ve ruined the whole evening” narrative. I just went, “Well, that’s annoying,” put my shoes on, and got the charger.

People forget chargers. It’s not a moral failing.

This is the way yoga sneaks into your actual life — you do the practice, and then one day you notice you’re being kinder to yourself without even trying.

Today’s session is all about building self-compassion.

Just a heads-up that this one has a bit more emotional tone than usual. If you’re feeling tender today, take it slowly and stop whenever you need to

I hope you like it.

Much Love,Jo xx

PS: On Sunday 30th November at 8pm we’re having a Soul Circle in the Zoom Studio.The Soul Circle is basically a guided, end-of-month check-in: a little relaxation, a short writing prompt, a bit of gentle conversation in the chat, and a chance to take stock before the month rolls over.

The Zoom Studio is simply where I run live sessions on Zoom. It’s cosy, relaxed, and very “come as you are.”

If you can’t make it, the replay will be in the Practice Library on Monday — that’s the on-demand area where all the recordings live so you can do them whenever suits you.

Hey Tired Yogi,

This weeks session is a little holiday you can take from your armchair.

It’s only ten minutes long, so give yourself a treat and give it a go.

Much love,

Jo x

PS

If you’re looking for a real escape there are still some spots left on our yoga holiday to the beautiful island of Kefalonia in May 2026. It’s a full week of relaxation, delicious food and of course gentle restoring yoga. Click here for more info.

Hey Tired Yogi,

Today’s session is a bit different — it’s a vagus nerve stimulation practice to help shift you from fight-or-flight into relaxation. It’s perfect for days when you’re feeling overwhelmed or want to unwind but aren’t quite ready for breathing exercises or closing your eyes.

I hope you enjoy it 🥰

On Saturday I taught the Yoga in Harmony session at The Glasshouse and it was so lovely. Even more special was getting to meet some Yoga for Tired People folks in real life — such a treat. This is going to be a monthly event up to December, so if you’d like to come along you can check it out here.

I hope you have a wonderful day,

Much love,Jo xx

PS — If you enjoy Yoga for Tired People, I’d be so grateful if you could share it with a friend who might also love it. The whole thing is run by me from my spare room, and every bit of word-spreading makes a difference. Thank you 🤩

Hey Tired Yogi,

We’ve got a super short one today, and its to help rebuild mobility in your shoulders and arms. It’s very simple but very effective, so give it a try and let me know how it goes.

Much Love,

Jo xx

PS

For members of the Zoom studio, this months Soul Restore Session is this Sunday 24th August at 8pm GMT, if you are a member of the Practise Library the recording will be available the next day. You can book in here

What is the Zoom Studio? If you’ve been enjoying the short sessions over on Substack but want more support, more connection, longer practices, real-time classes, a bit of structure - the Zoom Lounge is where we meet. You can find more about it here

Hey Tired Yogi,

I’ve just finished teaching the most relaxing Soul Restore Circle with the Zoom Studio members, and honestly—it was such a joy to see everyone. If you’re a member of the Practice Library, the recording is now available for you to enjoy anytime.

Yesterday I came down with a migraine (my first one in a year!) and was feeling very sorry for myself. So today, all I’ve wanted to do is nourishing practices—massage, pranayama, deep rest. That’s exactly what we did in the session, and it was delicious.

A big thank you to everyone who came along.

Now, this week’s Yoga for Tired People session is probably the most requested ever: a 20-minute Yoga Nidra / Body Scan. If you’ve never tried one before, you’re in for a treat. (Though chances are, you have—you might’ve just called it something else or not known what it was.)

We’ll gently bring awareness to each part of the body and relax it until we are so utterly relaxed. It’s heaven.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it.

Much love,Jo xx

Hey Tired Yogi,

Here’s something gentle for your weekend or your next break between tasks—a 20-minute walking meditation.

Pop your headphones in and press play when you’re ready. You can do it on your regular walk to the shops, or in the garden, or looping round your block. You don’t have to walk slowly or look serene. This is about how you’re paying attention, not how you look doing it.

Let me know if you try it—I’d love to hear where it took you.

With love,Jo x

Hey Tired Yogi,

Take a break from your screen with this super quick relaxation.

Your neck and upper back will thank you.

If you’re looking for a slightly longer version you can find one here

Have fun

Love Jo

xx

PS Don’t forget we have the Soul Restore Circle on Sunday 16th June at 8pm for members of the Zoom Studio and the recording will be available in the Practice Library from Monday. Book Here

PPS If you missed out on getting a room for our Midsummer Renew Retreat we have had a cancellation so there is one space available. You can find out a bit more about it here (Early bird pricing will be honoured as that’s what the other person paid).

Hey Tired Yogi,

How are you?I just got a really irritating email, so I thought—let’s talk about anger. And frustration.

Confession: I get angry quickly. Like, bushfire quick.But I also laugh quickly. And cry. And feel things deeply. I’m a passionate lady (eyebrow wiggle).

For a long time, I thought that made me bad at yoga.I thought being good at yoga meant being calm all the time. Never rising to anything. Never reacting.

So I tried to shut it down.And of course—then I started getting angry about being angry. Anxious about feeling anxious. Frustrated by my frustration. Just endlessly turning in on myself.

And I think that happens to a lot of us.Not because anger is wrong—but because we’ve never seen it handled well.If you’ve only ever seen anger turn into shouting or coldness or blame, of course it feels scary.But the feeling isn’t the problem. The modelling is.

We mix up anger with aggression. Frustration with being mean.But you can feel those things and still be decent. Still be thoughtful. Still take a breath before you act.

It’s not the feeling that needs fixing. It’s what we do with it.You don’t have to pretend it’s not there. You don’t have to bottle it up.You can let it be without clamouring for a story.

And yeah — sometimes we get an email from a numpty and our whole nervous system lights up.It’s totally normal if that hurts your feelings. It doesn’t make you silly or weak.

Fun fact: emotions only take about 90 seconds to peak and start to fade.It’s the thinking about them — the spiralling, the story-making -that keeps us stuck.

So when that feeling hits—move . Shake your hands. Roll your eyes.Wiggle your body. Make a cup of tea.

Let the perfectly normal experience of having a human emotion happen.

And then get on with your day.

(And of course the usual caveat is—if you’re in a situation that feels unsafe or abusive, you don’t need to breathe through it. You need to get the hell out.)

Much Love,

Jo xx

PS: If you missed it this weeks post was a 5 Minute SOS Session for moving through Anger and Frustration so save it for when you need it.

Hey Tired Yogi

This one’s for when you’re irritated, short-tempered, and absolutely not in the mood to rise above it.

It’s a seated session quick, simple, and easy to do at your desk. There’s a few strong exhales and some movement to help your body process your emotions.

It’s not about calming down. It’s about shifting the feeling so it doesn’t sit in your jaw all day.

And yes, even if you do yoga every morning and eat flaxseeds or whatever, things will still get under your skin. That’s just how it goes sometimes.

Love,Jo x

PS

If you’re wanting join us for the live sessions there are still a couple of spaces left in the Zoom Studio if you are wanting to join before the doors close.

Hi Tired Yogi,

It’s a bank holiday Monday here in the UK which can mean only one thing - gardening and trips to the garden centre.

So as promised here’s a ten minute session for warming up or cooling down for a day in the garden. This session would also be perfect after a long car journey. I’ll be using it myself as I’m driving to the Lake District for a…