“True silence is the rest of the mind and is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment.” William Penn
It’s true––sleep is a form of nourishment and necessary to wake up refreshed. Or put another way, rest is just as important as work. If all you do is work, you’ll burn out and be less able to live a well-balanced, healthy happy life. And if all you do is sleep or lay around on the couch, you’re missing out on the world around you.
Many of us live busy lives, so it’s important to quiet your mind and tap into your parasympathetic nervous system. Life is all about balancing active, “fight or flight” energy and passive “rest and digest” energy. If you’re a chronic insomniac or only suffer sleepless nights occasionally, an evening yoga practice is a great way to get ready for bed.
Yoga at night can tire out your physical body, but more importantly, quiet your busy mind. You know when you’re exhausted and can’t wait to go to bed, only to have your mind start racing and racing and racing…a gentle evening ritual will give you space to process. If you can quiet and soothe your inner self before laying your head on the pillow, you increase your chances of a rejuvenating night of sleep.
This week we’re focusing on yoga that can help you relax and fall asleep faster. These four classes are all designed to help you chill out and have restful, nourishing sleep. And if you’ve just got a few minutes to spare, try a couple of our favorite restorative poses: Vipariti Karani (Legs up the Wall) and Suptha Baddha Konasana (Butterfly Pose). Restorative yoga helps us step away from “doing” mode to “being” mode and is a great way to release the events of your day.
Tonight, try one of these great classes and see just how sweet your dreams can be! G’night!
Evening Practice - Sarah Shannon
Candlelight Bhakti Yoga - Christen Bakken
Lunar Flow: Ease Into Evening - Denelle Numis
Meditative Zen Practice - Nancy Nielsen