Here's a confession: the students who tell me yoga changed their lives rarely mean their hamstrings. Very often they mean their sleep.
Most of us go to bed with our nervous systems still in "on" mode, the inbox, the news, the never-ending reel. Slow movement and breathing help flip the switch towards the body's natural rest response, something Harvard Health has written about in detail.
Before you start
- Dim the lights and put your phone on the other side of the room. Yes, really.
- Practise on your bed or a soft rug. This isn't a workout.
- Breathe through your nose, and let every exhale be a little longer than the inhale.
The 10-minute sequence
1. Seated breath, 2 minutes. Sit comfortably. Breathe in for a count of four, out for a count of six. Let your shoulders drop a little more with every exhale.
2. Neck and shoulder release, 1 minute. Tilt your ear towards one shoulder and breathe. Switch sides. Then roll the shoulders slowly backwards a few times.
3. Seated forward fold, 1 minute. Legs out long, knees as bent as you like, fold forward over a pillow. Forward folds are naturally calming.
4. Gentle supine twist, 2 minutes. Lie on your back, draw your knees in, and let them fall to one side. One minute each way.
5. Legs up the wall, 3 minutes. Shuffle your hips close to a wall or headboard and rest your legs up it. If that's too much for your hamstrings, rest your calves on a chair instead.
6. Body scan, 1 minute or more. Lie flat, and slowly bring attention from your toes to the crown of your head, softening each area as you go. Feel free to drift off.
You can't force sleep. You can only set the table and invite it to sit down.
Make it a ritual
The real power is repetition. Do the same short sequence at the same time each night and your body starts to recognise it as the signal to wind down. Most people notice a difference within a week.
If stress and poor sleep are what bring you to yoga, tell me when you get in touch. I weave breathwork and restorative practice into every online class, and can build a full evening routine for you in personal sessions.
