Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Monday, February 2, 2015
3 evening poses to do in bed
As a new mom I have dedicated hours of time reading about developing healthy sleep habits for baby. Advice on newborn and infant sleep is infinite, often times contradictory, and to me, exhausting. I have tried so many things and yet we still wake up every four hours, hence I am usually pretty tired and have no trouble falling to sleep early and often. However, all of this reading has got me thinking about some adults I know who have trouble settling in at night and getting to sleep (mom).
I know time is precious and a fifteen minute bedtime flow may not be realistic for parents of little ones or super busy people (who isn't these days). Here are three poses that feel good, can be done in bed, help the nervous system settle down.
Pose 1: Double pigeon. For people earlier in their yoga practice or with tighter hips traditional or reclining pigeon may be more comfortable. Getting deep into the hips feels really good to me and I really enjoy double pigeon.
1. Sit up tall and feel your sits bones root down into the mattress, spine stays long.
2. bringing your right shin parallel to the end of the bed, stack the left shin on top. Make sure the ankle bone is stacked directly on top of the knee. (You can place a pillow between the left knee and right ankle if there is space.
3. Flex both feet to protect the knees.
4. Take a deep breath in as you grow tall and lengthen the spine
5. On a long exhale begin to hinge forward from the hips any amount while keeping the sits bones rooting down.
Pose 2: Baddha Konasana
1. With sits bones rooting down and spine long bring the soles of the feet together, using your hands open the soles of the feet (like a book) towards the ceiling. If the knees are hanging in space you can place blocks under the knees or a rolled up towel/blanket to support them.
2. Keeping the back of the neck long (gaze neutral) begin to hinge forward with a flat back
3. Rounding the spine evenly, relax the head and neck, hold this pose for at least five rounds of deep inhales and exhales.
Pose 3: Viparita Karani
One of my favorite restorative poses, when I was pregnant I did not invert and would look forward to handstand / headstands in class so that I could take legs up the wall. This is great at the end of the day to take the stress of the feet and reverse the blood flow. You can get super fancy and take reclined baddha konasana (photo 2) with the legs up the wall, or head board in this instance.
1. Sitting sideways, scooch your hips to the edge of the headboard / pillows.
2. Slowly recline back on your elbows as you work your legs up the wall
3. Relax!!
(you can always place a bolster under your back/hips)
If you really want to find a way to fall asleep deeply and quickly, have a baby! Just kidding...you won't get to sleep through the night but you will fall right back asleep.
2. Make your room an oasis: get rid of distractions and clutter and FLAME RETARDANT CHEMICALS. Having a beautiful bed makes it inviting. Soft organic cotton sateen sheets and a cozy duvet always help. Our bed is so cozy it is hard to get out and getting in feels like a spa treatment. I have never had to purchase a mattress before, mine came with my husband, until buying a mattress for baby!
While doing research I learned about all the chemicals that come in our mattress and I can't help but think that all these flame retardant chemicals and vocs hinder health and are not good to inhale all night long as we sleep. I have mixed feelings about buying a new mattress-- ours is soo comfy so I will be nervous to buy a new one but, at the same time, I can't wait to get a more environmentally friendly, flame retardant and other VOC free, made in the USA mattress. Casper is a mattress company that does all that. Their website explains how they have replaced these chemicals. I am really impressed with their site and company and they are worth checking it out.
3. Take a nap: From all my baby sleep reading I have repeatedly seen "Sleep begets sleep", so you have my permission to take a nap! My mom swears she is not a napper, she has never been able to just take a nap--- well there is a formula I found in Healthy Slee Habits, Happy Child by Dr. Marc Weissbluth and scribbled mom next to it. "As adults, an afternoon nap is most refreshing when we take it at the time we are biologically most drowsy. Take the midpoint between the time when you most easily fall asleep at night (example: 10:00 p.m.) and most comfortable awaken naturally in the morning(example 8:00 a.m.) . Then, twelve hours from the midpoint is your best nap time (example 3:00 p.m.)" (Weissbluth 27). So be a little Spanish and take a siesta-- you will sleep better a later.
I know time is precious and a fifteen minute bedtime flow may not be realistic for parents of little ones or super busy people (who isn't these days). Here are three poses that feel good, can be done in bed, help the nervous system settle down.
General rule for sleep encouraging poses: fold forward and extend your exhales :).
Pose 1: Double pigeon. For people earlier in their yoga practice or with tighter hips traditional or reclining pigeon may be more comfortable. Getting deep into the hips feels really good to me and I really enjoy double pigeon.
1. Sit up tall and feel your sits bones root down into the mattress, spine stays long.
2. bringing your right shin parallel to the end of the bed, stack the left shin on top. Make sure the ankle bone is stacked directly on top of the knee. (You can place a pillow between the left knee and right ankle if there is space.
3. Flex both feet to protect the knees.
4. Take a deep breath in as you grow tall and lengthen the spine
5. On a long exhale begin to hinge forward from the hips any amount while keeping the sits bones rooting down.
Pose 2: Baddha Konasana
1. With sits bones rooting down and spine long bring the soles of the feet together, using your hands open the soles of the feet (like a book) towards the ceiling. If the knees are hanging in space you can place blocks under the knees or a rolled up towel/blanket to support them.
2. Keeping the back of the neck long (gaze neutral) begin to hinge forward with a flat back
3. Rounding the spine evenly, relax the head and neck, hold this pose for at least five rounds of deep inhales and exhales.
Pose 3: Viparita Karani
One of my favorite restorative poses, when I was pregnant I did not invert and would look forward to handstand / headstands in class so that I could take legs up the wall. This is great at the end of the day to take the stress of the feet and reverse the blood flow. You can get super fancy and take reclined baddha konasana (photo 2) with the legs up the wall, or head board in this instance.
1. Sitting sideways, scooch your hips to the edge of the headboard / pillows.
2. Slowly recline back on your elbows as you work your legs up the wall
3. Relax!!
(you can always place a bolster under your back/hips)
If you really want to find a way to fall asleep deeply and quickly, have a baby! Just kidding...you won't get to sleep through the night but you will fall right back asleep.
Other ways to support your sleep:
1. Lavender oil: diffuse it or rub it onto the soles of your feet ( I then like to rub my feet on my sheets so they smell good as well).2. Make your room an oasis: get rid of distractions and clutter and FLAME RETARDANT CHEMICALS. Having a beautiful bed makes it inviting. Soft organic cotton sateen sheets and a cozy duvet always help. Our bed is so cozy it is hard to get out and getting in feels like a spa treatment. I have never had to purchase a mattress before, mine came with my husband, until buying a mattress for baby!
While doing research I learned about all the chemicals that come in our mattress and I can't help but think that all these flame retardant chemicals and vocs hinder health and are not good to inhale all night long as we sleep. I have mixed feelings about buying a new mattress-- ours is soo comfy so I will be nervous to buy a new one but, at the same time, I can't wait to get a more environmentally friendly, flame retardant and other VOC free, made in the USA mattress. Casper is a mattress company that does all that. Their website explains how they have replaced these chemicals. I am really impressed with their site and company and they are worth checking it out.
3. Take a nap: From all my baby sleep reading I have repeatedly seen "Sleep begets sleep", so you have my permission to take a nap! My mom swears she is not a napper, she has never been able to just take a nap--- well there is a formula I found in Healthy Slee Habits, Happy Child by Dr. Marc Weissbluth and scribbled mom next to it. "As adults, an afternoon nap is most refreshing when we take it at the time we are biologically most drowsy. Take the midpoint between the time when you most easily fall asleep at night (example: 10:00 p.m.) and most comfortable awaken naturally in the morning(example 8:00 a.m.) . Then, twelve hours from the midpoint is your best nap time (example 3:00 p.m.)" (Weissbluth 27). So be a little Spanish and take a siesta-- you will sleep better a later.
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