Having trouble sleeping?
Add some yoga to your routine for a goooood night’s rest!
Practice some or all the following yoga poses and/or breathing techniques during the day, before bedtime, or when you wake up during the night. Practice each technique for 3 to 5 minutes. Combining the poses with the breathing technique will give you an extra boost! Except for Corpse Pose where you just chill and maintain your normal breath.
Positions:
Legs Up the Wall: Lie on the ground on your back and put the back of your legs up a wall (keep your legs straight), so your body is in an L-shaped pose. Relax into the position. Prop head if it helps the neck relax. (Accesses Kidney and Urinary Bladder Meridian).
Lying Butterfly: Lie on the ground on your back. Press the bottoms of your feet against each other and let your knees fall out to the sides. You can put a pillow under your knees if this feels too strenuous. Hands at the belly or above the head. Eye pillow with lavender may be nice. (Accesses Kidney meridian)
Stirrup Pose: Use the wall or ottoman. Wide feet and knees fall to side. (Accesses Liver Meridian)
Wide Knee Child's pose with threading arm under: Be sure the arm is at an angle so that you do not get numbness. Also, the arm and head can be up on a bolster. (Accesses Liver Kidney, Small and Large Intestine Meridians)
Corpse Pose: Lie on the ground on your back with legs straight, arms by sides, and palms facing up. Breathe slowly, focusing on your inhales and exhales.
Breathing:
Ujjayi Breath (Ocean Breath or Victorious Breath): Inhale through the nose. With your mouth closed, exhale through your nose while constricting the back of your throat as if you are saying “ha” but keep your mouth closed. This exhalation should sound like the waves of the ocean (or like Darth Vader from Star Wars).
Lengthened exhalation: Not to maximum inhale or exhale. Maybe 3 counts in and 6 or more out.
Pause after exhale: Spend some time with the breath stopped after the exhale. This is not the same as holding your breath. The throat stays open to not create pressure in the head or chest. While the breath is paused, let the mind draw inward, maybe at the 6th Chakra, behind the eyes.
These restorative and yin yoga poses with breathing techniques may relieve tension and stress at the end of the day. Some believe that the more you regularly practice these poses, the more you likely can get a good night’s rest. Give it a try and let us know how it helps you! Consider keeping a sleep journal over the next 30 days to see the changes.
Private Sessions or Small Group Classes to Improve Your Sleep
Want some 1:1 instruction on how to create and implement a snoozilicious yoga routine? Book a private yoga therapy session with Dogwood Studio’s Yoga Therapists (SAM) today! We also offer Yin Yoga and Restorative Yoga class that may help you to sleep better.
Dogwood Studio’s Yin and Restorative Yoga classes:
Yin Yoga:
MONDAYS at 6 pm and WEDNESDAYS at 2 pm (July 8th through August 19th)
Also a once a month Friday Yin Yoga class at 6 pm taught by SAM.
Next Friday night Yin classes are JULY 19th and August 16th!
Restorative Yoga:
THURSDAYS weekly classes are Thursdays at 6 pm.
For Class Descriptions go to: https://dogwoodstudioyoga.com/classes
Register for private sessions and classes HERE! You can also use the following MindBody link on your computer “Here” or download the MindBody App on your phone and find Dogwood Studio in Carrboro.
