I have a new yoga class available on YouTube. This one aims to be a more vigorous vinyasa flow, so check it out and let me know what you think! I filmed it towards the end of going on a yoga retreat in Guatemala, and I can’t wait to tell you all about it.
Hi friends. After a long (primarily puppy-driven) YouTube yoga hiatus, I’ve finally posted a video. This flow helped me loosen up after a long ride in the car to New York City and a day of working at a desk. I hope you find it useful. I’ll be planning to post more yoga classes over on my YouTube channel, so follow along if you’re a fan of doing online yoga videos. I like it because we can practice together from anywhere in the world. Enjoy, and have a great weekend!
I know the past few weeks of quarantine, COVID-19, and shelter-in-place have generated different emotions for everyone. Some of us might be adept at dealing with change and uncertainty, while others may be feeling the intense effects of stress and anxiety. No matter how you cope, there’s no denying that life has changed and brought up new concerns for all of us.
I’m normally a great sleeper and, thank goodness, don’t usually have trouble falling asleep, but lately when my head hits the pillow, I become convinced that I must have coronavirus! My mind starts racing, and the slightest tickle in my throat will send me into a whirlwind of worry. Of course, when I wake up in the morning and see the sun shining through my window, I feel fine.
There’s something about the nighttime hours that bring up our most extreme and bothersome thoughts. I hope you haven’t been having the same fears that I have, but if you’ve had any of your own trouble catching z’s, these are five yoga poses to help you fall asleep. I’ll even do some of them in bed if I find my mind racing at night.
This forward fold turns our attention inward and away from the outside world. For the restorative version, I like to place a pillow under my knees or over my thighs, so the fold becomes less intense. Let your weight feel heavy and supported by the floor, then bring your attention to your breath.
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In the yoga world, twists are known for helping the body improve digestion. They also relieve any pain or tension in the lower back. This easy, reclined version relaxes the body as you breathe slowly and deeply. My teacher always recommends twisting to left side first, then the right side in order to align with the flow of digestion in the body.
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This is my go-to favorite yoga pose to help me fall asleep. If I can’t fall asleep or wake up in the middle of the night and want to go back to sleep, this is the position you’ll find me in. You can increase the relaxation by adding pillows to support the knees or under the head.
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This restorative variation of viparita karani (inverted action pose) has multiple effects. Its name tells us that the pose inverts the action in the body. So if you’re feeling too lethargic, this pose will give you a boost. In this case, if your mind and body are too active and it’s time to go to bed, this pose will help you slow down and find rest.
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If you’ve gone to any yoga class before, I’m sure you didn’t need a blog post to tell you this. Many of us are guilty of falling asleep during savasana, the final pose of class. Corpse pose is actually not intended to put you to sleep, but to give the opportunity to focus and relax your mind. Try counting breaths, repeating a mantra or phrase, or conducting a scan of your body parts. You just might find yourself calming down after a few minutes.
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I hope some of these yoga poses will bring you peace if you have any trouble slowing down and falling asleep at night. If you have an extra ten minutes to spare, I posted a sequence on my YouTube channel to help guide you through it.
Sweet dreams!