Restorative Yoga: Health Benefits and 4 Simple Poses
Yoga is oftentimes recommended as an
antistress activity. The general trend in yoga is towards more active
and athletic forms of the practice, like Vinyasa or Bikram, but it is
far from being the only form of yoga. Restorative yoga is a style of
yoga that encourages physical, mental, and emotional relaxation.
Practiced at a slow pace with the help of props, focusing on stillness
and deep breathing, restorative yoga is appropriate for all levels. To
learn more about this gentle and therapeutic style of yoga, its health
benefits, and a few poses anyone can try, read on.
What is restorative yoga?
Restorative Yoga:
A restorative yoga sequence typically involves only five or six poses,
supported by props that allow you to completely relax and rest. This
yoga style is known to activate the parasympathetic nervous system,
which is responsible for the body's so-called 'rest and digest' state
when the body is relaxed, resting, or feeding.
As the name suggests, this style of yoga “restores” the body and
activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which, in turn, helps the
body rest, heal, and restore balance.
The key features in restorative yoga are the props, which can include
blocks, bolsters, blankets, and more. In a restorative yoga session,
each pose is held for 5 minutes or more, and during these long holds,
the props, rather than your muscles, are what support your body. They
allow you to feel comfortable and focus on your breathing, regardless of
your previous experience with yoga.
What are the benefits of restorative yoga?
The benefits of restorative yoga are generally similar to those of other
forms of yoga, mainly linked to reduced stress by lowering the levels
of the stress hormone cortisol. Clinical research into restorative yoga
has found that it helps shift the balance from your fight-or-flight
response (sympathetic nervous system) to your relaxation response
(parasympathetic nervous system), which decreases respiration, heart
rate, and even alleviates depression symptoms. Lower levels of stress
may result in other positive outcomes, such as less fatigue, a better
quality of sleep, and more vigor.
Because restorative yoga is gentle on your body and generally safe, it
is often recommended for people with acute or chronic injuries or
illnesses. A 2018 study found that cancer patients who practiced
restorative yoga reported an improvement in their psychological and
physical symptoms.
Restorative Yoga Poses
As we mentioned above, restorative yoga is usually done with the help of
props to make the poses gentler. That said, it is possible to practice
any pose without props, too. In general, the poses should be held for a
minimum of 5 minutes, but if you want to hold the pose longer, you’re
free to do so as long as it feels comfortable. Some people hold
restorative poses for 20 minutes or more. Here are a few restorative
yoga poses you can try at home:
Fish Pose
The fish pose can help elongate your spine, release tension in your neck
and shoulders, and open up your chest. It’s an excellent choice for
those who spend a lot of time sitting. To make this pose more
comfortable, you can use a bolster or two folded blankets or towels
under your shoulders and head.
How to do it:
1. Place your bolster or blankets in the center of your mat, parallel to
each other with a small gap between them.
2. Start in a seated position with the blankets behind you.
3. Lie back and rest your shoulders on the blanket closest to you. Rest
your head on the second blanket. You may keep your legs crossed, or
extend them in front of you.
4. Let your arms fall to the sides with your palms turned up.
5. Close your eyes and take deep breaths while releasing tension in your
body. Adjust the placement of the blocks as necessary to find your
sweet spot. If the backbend is too intense for you, lower the height of
the bolsters.
6. Stay in this pose for 10 minutes or more, focusing on deep breathing.
Child's Pose
This pose gently stretches your spine,
hips, glutes, and shoulder muscles. It has the ability to relieve back
and neck pain if your head and torso are supported.
How to do it:
1. Kneel on the floor with your knees hip-width apart, big toes
touching, buttocks on your heels.
2. You can place a cushion or folded blanket between your thighs and
calves for support.
3. Inhale and as you exhale, bend forward. Bring your head down towards
the floor.
4. Extend your arms out in front of you, above your head, with your
palms on the floor. If this is too difficult, you can allow your arms to
rest alongside your body with your palms facing up.
5. Remain in this pose for up to 5 minutes, inhaling and exhaling
deeply.
6. Release by lifting your torso up into a seated position.
Corpse Pose (Savasana)
The corpse pose, also known as savasana, is
one of deep relaxation and stress relief, gradually relaxing one body
part at a time.
How to do it:
1. Place a folded blanket at the top of your mat, and a bolster or two
folded blankets stacked on top of each other towards the end of your
mat.
2. Sit between the folded blankets with your knees bent and back
straight.
3. Lie back with your legs slightly separated and the back of your knees
resting over the bolster/blanket, and your head resting on the other
blanket.
4. Place your arms in a natural position at your sides with palms facing
up. You will have a gap between your arms and body.
5. Stay in this pose for 10 minutes or more. Focus on deep breathing and
releasing the tension in your muscles.
Legs-up-the-wall
This pose gently stretches your hamstrings and the back of the neck, and
it can help ease mild back pain.
How to do it:
1. Place the end of your yoga mat against the wall. Put a folded blanket
in the middle of the mat. Your head will rest on the blanket (you can
also use a blanket or a cushion to support your neck if you like).
2. Sit facing the wall, then lie back as you swing your legs up against
the wall.
3. Try to get your buttocks as close to the wall as is comfortable for
you. For extra support, you can place one to two folded blankets on the
mat about 5 to 6 inches from the wall, so that your lower back can rest
on them.
4. Bring your arms out to the sides, or let them rest on your torso.
5. Breathe in, and as you exhale, let your body relax, releasing your
hips, back, and neck into the floor. Rest in this position for 10
minutes. Focus on deep breathing and releasing the tension in your
muscles.
We hope this article is helpful for you in discovering and enjoying
another style of yoga, which is meditative and gentle. Restorative yoga
is generally considered safe, but if you have any concerns, talk to a
healthcare provider before starting to practice this type of yoga.