Embracing Child's Pose to relax or invite slumber!

How many times have you woken up in the middle of the night and not been able to return to sleep? We know the struggle by tossing and turning does NOT help so here is a basic suggestion to quiet the mind and encourage relaxed breathing.

There is a yoga posture called Child’s Pose which can be easily done beneath the covers. I love this posture when I feel too alert to settle back down again because the soft forward fold relaxes the nervous system and soothes the spiralling thoughts with deep breathing. Rather than “trying” to  get to sleep your mind focuses on falling asleep in a loving way instead of tossing and turning in frustration. Some days we just take too many of life’s burdens with us to bed.  This posture of stillness can be done before bedtime to prepare for sleep or in the middle of the night. Often there is a disturbance in the wee hours when you switch from restorative physical sleep to your deeper subconscious/REM sleep.

Listen to your breath….

You can use your blanket & pillow beneath your hips, behind your knees or under your belly to create your most comfortable Child’s Pose (for those with wonky knees or tight low backs try different variations). As soon as you feel yourself beginning to relax enough to doze off (sometimes I actually do!) - open up the body to gently lie down and continue to fall into slumber.

Child’s Pose is also a great finishing stretch for ankles, knees and low back after a workout, yoga practice, walk or when feeling overwhelmed during the day and in need of a quick fix. Forget the caffeine, have a glass of water and try this pose instead as it can lessen fatigue and refresh the brain midday. The cool thing is the nervous system innately knows what it needs - we just have to take the break from our busyness and give our body the tools to decompress.   Give it a try next time you feel restless!