The Huge Benefits of Restorative Yoga

What is restorative yoga? It’s a type of yoga practice that is known for it’s relaxing, calming, healing benefits. It’s literally designed to promote overall health by calming the nervous system and helping to improve sleep, reduce stress, accelerate recovery from strenuous workouts, and facilitate rejuvenation.

This is very different than other yoga classes / practices you may have taken like Ashtanga or bikram, which can be fast paced and intense to condition the muscles and cardiovascular system. Restorative yoga has evolved from Iyengar yoga and is about slowing down, finding quiet, and practicing stillness.

While you might think that you are an advanced athlete who can handle handstands with the best of them, restorative yoga is actually fantastic for everyone – from advanced athletes and beginners alike.

Restorative yoga helps to activate your parasympathetic nervous system thereby allowing to you slow your heart rate, normalize blood pressure, relax your digestive system and release muscular tension. It can help reduce stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, which when left unchecked can negatively impact everything from your immune system to your reproductive health. Research shows it may even help defend against metabolic changes like type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension and hyperglycemia. One study found that restorative yoga helped improving fasting glucose and supported general metabolic health.

I have also seen great success with this type of yoga in helping people with arthritis, fibromyalgia etc. Studies show that restorative yoga is also excellent for helping to manage anxiety, occupational stress, insomnia, tension headaches, and ongoing digestive issues.

(BUT ALWAYS DISCUSS WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE DOING ANY TYPE OF WORKOUT IF YOU HAVE A HEALTH CONDITION).

So if you are convinced and ready to try it, postures that are included in a typical restorative yoga sequence include chest openers, twists, hip openers, seated forward folds and gentle backbends.

How do you begin? Here are some basics to get you started. Practice in comfortable clothes that allow you to move freely. Dimly light the room to promote relaxation. You will need a yoga mat and a rolled up towel or blanket. You may want to consider a yoga block, but it isn’t necessary. Here are a few moves to get you started, but you can also consider a restorative yoga class as well or try the restorative workouts in The Fitness App.

Childs Pose
Start sitting on your heels with your knees bent and mat distance apart. Lean forward until your belly is comfortably resting on your thighs. Try to lay your forehead on the mat while you extend your arms straight out in front of you or alongside your your body.
Relax as much as possible as you breathe and hold for five minutes.

Supine Spinal Twist
Lay on your back, pull your right knee up to your chest, place your left hand on the right knee and gently pull the knee over the body to the left. You should feel a gentle twist through your torso. Be sure to keep both shoulders on the mat.
Breathe deeply, and hold for about five minutes. Then repeat on the other side.

Supported Bridge Pose
Lie on your back on your mat. Bend your knees and place your feet on the mat directly under your knees hips-width apart. Press your feet firmly into the mat, and lift your hips creating a straight line from your knee to your hip bone.
Place a yoga block on low or medium height underneath your lower back, and lower your hips on the block for support. Lower the arms by your sides, and breathe deeply. Hold for about five minutes.

Forward Fold
Sit on your mat with your legs straight out in front of you. If you are less flexible support this stretch by bending your knees slightly, and place a rolled blanket or towel under your knees.
Gently hinge at the hips and fold forward allowing your belly to relax on the tops of your thighs. Breathe and hold for about five minutes.

Legs Up the Wall Pose (or “Legs Over a Chair”)
Start by laying on your back on your mat facing a wall  - with your hips about six inches away from the wall. Lift your legs up onto the wall while you keep your shoulders and head totally relaxed melting down into the mat.
Allow your feet to rest against the wall as your legs and belly release, breathing deeply. Place a blanket under your hips for extra support if it feels comfortable. Breath deeply and hold for five minutes.