The One Yoga Move That Helps Lena Dunham With Her Anxiety

There's a reason why you always look forward to that moment in yoga class when the instructor tells you to get into child's pose: The restorative position is the perfect way to take a rejuvenating break mid-practice. Think of it as a physical reset button.

"It's something you would literally see a baby squat down and do," says Lena Dunham, Girls star and passionate at-home yogi. "It makes you feel really safe and also energized."

The writer-director-actress credits the restorative position—which doesn't require any complicated twists or tricky balancing—with helping relieve her stress and anxiety. "[Child's pose] is a way to enter a private space that you might need to move through whatever you're experiencing," she adds.

So whenever you start to feel overwhelmed, over-worked, or just need a moment, make like Dunham and lean back into child's pose.

Watch this episode of "Lena Dunham Does Yoga" above—and keep reading for tips on how to properly get into child's pose, according to her go-to yogi Beth Cooke.

"Child's pose is a great place to start (or to take a break whenever needed)," says Cooke. Here's what to do when you need it.

1. In a tabletop position, open your knees wide and keep your feet together while lowering your forehead to the mat and spreading your arms out in front of you.

2. Take a moment to redirect your focus and set your intention.

Our brand-new video series "Lena Dunham Does Yoga" features none other than Lena Dunham and her yoga instructor BFF Beth Cooke going with the flow at home. Because when the actress-director-writer (and burgeoning yogi!) invites you to her Brooklyn apartment for an afternoon of vinyasa—and totally unfiltered girl talk—you grab your mat. Tune in for new episodes of the series every day, all week long.

There are other, more alt-methods for dealing with stress—read about how "woo-woo wellness" went from weird to waitlist. Or you could always try stress-reducing dessert (seriously).