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.

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.

 

Hanumanasana: practice makes progress w1

I am really excited about this challenge, it has been in my head awhile and was contingent on my getting a phone with a camera that worked... So here we go!

When I wanted to get bakasana or sirsasana I was practicing those all the time and I eventually got them- the full splits, Hanumanasana, is something I would really like to improve, it opens the gates to so many other beautiful poses.

It is a full body stretch- chest, shoulders, etc. 

I am going to watch my progress with this pose for the next month- I am sure I will learn more patience. I am not looking for a perfect or full splits on either side but progress!!

I will be using pictosaur to track my progress- it's an awesome app by my cousin that marks progress and changes in photos and helps you like up the shot each time based on your last pic. 

Here are my week one pictures: thanks Lori for being my photographer 

The difference between my two side is apparent! 

I use the block to help support me and to hold the pose a little longer with out over stretching and the. Pulling or tearing that hamstring.

Due to the crazy running challenge I am currently doing I am slightly concerned I may move further from the ground- haha.

These pics are post a bind and unwind class full of arm balance and a chin balance attempt so I was pretty warmed up and a little sweaty! 

I will post a good warm up for this pose later this week- perhaps a mini-video??

Please feel free to join in the challenge and post your progress on the FB page. 

Pose of the week: Parvritta Janu Sirsasana

AKA: revolved head to knee

 

I mean holy hotdog sir! This would be one of the fullest expressions of the pose, for the rest of us we will be somewhere around here---->

 

or

 

All of which are great

Benefits: the why

•   great hamstring and groin stretch on the extended leg
•  the twisting action helps to cleanse the liver and kidneys
• lengthens the side body and spine 
• stretches the shoulder 
• helps fight anxiety, insomnia, depression, and fatigue
• is good for mild backaches and headaches

Coming into and out of the pose:

• sit with your legs extended out in front of you, sit up tall with your sits bones rooting down
• open your legs wide into uptavista konasana
• bend your right leg placing your right foot on the inside of your left thigh
• inhale your arms overhead
• exhale extend over your left leg, keep the chest open(ing) towards the sky
• bring your left arm along the inside of your left leg

Modifications and props:

• place a blanket under your sits bones to help you open up 
• keep top arm in cactus, wrap it around the back, grab the toes

Switch sides to even out!! 

Pose of the week: restorative fish

School is back in full swing and for hours a day I am typing or hunched over a book. To counter the long days of poor posture, a supported or restorative fish pose feels amazing.

      Supta matsyasana

                               

Benefits:

- relaxes the nervous system

- helps relieve grief

-opens chest, spine, shoulders, and throat/ neck

Props and modifications:

- bolster or blanket rolled up and placed like picture

- can place the bolster long ways under the spine, the base will line up with your sacrum

- use a block and place it at the most comfortable height and line it up parallel with the bra line, for men, what would be your bro line.

-my favorite is to like the block up perpendicular to the  bra line with the corners of the other end resting  in the two little nooks that are on both sides of the knob that is at the base of the skull. It's like a mini massage.

- either rest in the pose or snow angel your arms for shoulder / upper back massage.

- feel free to use two blacks, one for the bra line the other for the head, or a combination of bolster/blocks

Coming into the pose:

 Take a seat on a mat or softer surface, set up your props ( it will probably take a few try's until you find the sweet spot with blocks), slowly lower yourself onto the props making any necessary adjustments, Relax!!

When you feel opened and refreshed slowly roll off the props coming to the fetal position on one side.out 

This is a great way to start or end class, or even to lay like this at home when you need a little relaxation.

                                             

Then feel free to totally accessorize or pimp your fish out

                                              

Photo3 midlifeexpress.com