In our fast-paced 21st century lifestyles, constant digital stimulation and ‘busy culture’ keep our nervous systems on high alert. Yoga is essential because it lowers cortisol and activates the parasympathetic nervous system, our internal ‘rest and digest’ switch. By releasing physical tension and calming mental chatter, yoga bridges the gap between a hectic workday and the deep, restorative sleep that modern life requires.
There are some yoga poses that you can follow.
1. Child’s Pose (Balasana)
How to enter:
- Start on your hands and knees (tabletop position).
- Bring your big toes together to touch and spread your knees wide apart (about the width of a yoga mat).
- Return your hips to your heels. If your hips don’t reach your heels, don’t worry. Just get as close as is comfortable.
- Fold forward and rest your torso between your thighs.
- Lower your forehead to the floor.
- Extend your arms in front of you (palms down) for a gentle stretch, or rest them along your legs (palms up) for maximum relaxation.
How to get out:
- Place your palms flat on the floor under your shoulders.
- Breathe deeply and use the strength of your arms to slowly push your torso back up to an upright sitting position.
- Lift your hips and return to your hands and knees (table top) to neutralize your spine.
Optional: Assume a “counter pose” such as gentle cow pose (lower belly, look up) to stretch the front of the body after folding.
2. Matsya Kirdasana
How to enter:
- Lie on your stomach (prone position) on a flat, comfortable surface.
- Interlock your fingers and place your hands under your head, palms facing down.
- Bend your right knee and pull it up toward your chest, keeping the side of the knee on the floor (similar to a “half crawler” position).
- Rest your right elbow on or near your right knee. If this is uncomfortable, just keep your elbows wide.
- Turn your head to the right and rest your left temple/cheek on the back of your clasped hands.
- Close your eyes and relax your entire body, feeling your stomach press against the floor as you breathe.
How to get out:
- Slowly straighten your right leg and bring it back down to meet the left leg.
- Bring your head back to the center and rest your forehead on your hands for a moment. Release your hands and place them under your shoulders.
- Gently push yourself up into a table position or simply roll onto your back to rest in Savasana (corpse pose).
3. Viparita karani (legs up on the wall)
How to enter:
- Position yourself: Sit sideways with one hip pressed straight against the wall.
- While lying on your elbows/back, swing your legs against the wall in a smooth, sweeping motion.
- Your sit bones don’t have to touch the wall perfectly, but try to get them as close as possible. If your hamstrings feel tight, slide your hips away from the wall a few inches.
- Rest your head and shoulders flat on the floor.
- Place your arms out to the sides like a “T” or “Goal Posts” to open the chest, or rest one hand on your heart and one on your stomach.
How to get out:
- Avoid jumping up quickly, as blood flow takes time to recalibrate.
- Bend your knees: Slowly slide your feet along the wall and bring your knees to your chest.
- Roll over: Roll onto one side (usually the right side) into a fetal position.
- Pause: Stay here for 3 to 5 deep breaths to allow your blood pressure to stabilize.
- Stand up slowly: Use your hands to gently push yourself up into a sitting position, with your head being the last to rise.
4. Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana)
How to enter:
- Lie flat on your back on your mat or bed. While exhaling, bring your knees to your chest.
- Grab your feet: Reach your arms through the insides of your knees and grab the outside edges of your feet with your hands. (If you can’t reach your feet, you can grab your ankles or the backs of your thighs instead).
- Open your knees: Place your knees slightly wider than your torso and pull them toward your armpits.
- Align your ankles: Flex your feet and place your ankles directly above your knees so that your shins are perpendicular to the floor.
- Flatten your spine: Gently press your tailbone and the back of your head into the floor to keep your entire spine long and grounded.
- Optional: Rock gently back and forth to give your lower back a mini massage.
How to get out:
- Release your grip: As you exhale, release your feet or ankles.
- Hug your knees: Bring your knees back together in your chest and squeeze them gently.
- Lower your feet: Slowly place your feet back on the floor one by one, with your knees bent.
- Stretch: Slide your legs long forward into Shavasana (Corpse Pose) to neutralize the hips, or roll to the side to sit upright.
5. Badha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose)
How to enter:
- Sit Upright: Start in a sitting position with your legs extended straight out in front of you (Dandasana).
- Bend your knees: As you exhale, pull your heels toward your pelvis.
- Connect your feet: lower your knees to the sides and press the soles of your feet together.
- Place your heels: Bring your heels as close to your pelvis as is comfortable. If you feel tension in your knees, move your feet further away from your body.
- The ‘tied’ part: Grab your big toes with your first two fingers and thumb, or hold your ankles or shins.
- Extend: Keep the outer edges of your feet firmly on the floor. Imagine your spine rising high, as if a string were pulling the crown of your head toward the ceiling.
How to get out:
- Release your feet: Release your toes or ankles.
- Support your knees: Use your hands to gently lift your knees and bring them back together, as if closing a book.
- Stretch your legs: Slowly extend your legs straight out in front of you.
- Shake it out: Gently bounce or shake your legs to restore circulation to the hip joints.
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