Build Your Immunity with Restorative Yoga Poses
by Ellen Livingston
You've all heard that chronic stress adversely affects your health. When stress becomes chronic, toxic byproducts build up in your body and this can lead to disease. In response to stress, your adrenal glands secrete hormones that act upon the autonomic nervous system to prepare the body for "fight or flight". When this stress is not quickly resolved (as is so often the case in today's chronically stressed lifestyles), the body's ability to heal itself is compromised, as many systems such as digestion and elimination are shut down so that the body can direct its primary energies to the perceived crisis.
An effective way to counteract the adversity of chronic stress is to practice deep relaxation, and to learn to give the body deep rest. Many research studies have now proven the immense health benefits of deep, conscious relaxation. Even 5 minutes a day of inducing the "relaxation response" (a term coined by a doctor to describe the physiological and mental responses that occur when one consciously relaxes) can help to break the unhealthy cycle and heal the effects of chronic stress.
Restorative yoga poses can effectively help you with stress in several ways. By supporting your body with physical props, you are freed from having to make any muscular efforts. You can completely relax into the pose, resting on the props and allowing them to do the work of opening and stretching your body. By doing a sequence of a few restorative poses, including forward bends and backbends, your spine will be moved in several directions, and your organs will be massaged and stimulated. An inverted pose has the additional benefit of reversing the effects of gravity and gently returning fluids to the upper body. Restorative yoga also helps to balance the breath, and thus the energy and heart rate.
The more regularly you practice, the greater the benefits. It is generally more helpful to practice a little bit each day, or several times a week, rather than a long practice every now and then. Don't wait until stress builds to monumental proportions! Begin with just one or two restorative poses at a time, for a total of 5 - 15 minutes. If you have already established a more active practice, consider devoting one or two days a week to a restorative practice. Choose whatever time of day you know you will feel the least rushed. Experiment with different times. But do try to wait a couple of hours after eating before practicing, and make your practice space as quiet and distraction free as you can.
You should feel comfortable and relaxed in each pose. You may feel some intensity of stretch or opening, but you should not feel pain or lasting discomfort. If you do, come out of the pose slowly, and adjust your props. Breathe through your nose, with a slow and steady breath. Set a timer for each pose, so that you can completely relax and forget about the time.
Here are 3 very simple but extremely effective restorative poses you can safely begin with right now at home, in 15 minutes and with minimal props (a couple of blankets and/or towels and pillows, a wall, and if available an eyebag). Please contact me if you have any questions about setting up these poses. You can learn more about these and other restorative poses in my restorative class at A2 Yoga on Fridays at noon.
1. Legs-up-the-wall Pose: To enter this inverted pose,
simply sit sideways to the wall and roll back as you swing
your legs up the wall. Allow your lower back to be
supported by the floor. If your head tilts back so that
your chin lifts toward the ceiling, place a folded blanket
under your head to support the natural curve at the back of
your neck, being careful not to crunch your chin down into
your neck. Legs are straight but relaxed, arms by your
sides with palms facing up, eyes closed. Breathe deeply,
and feel the tension draining out of your legs, your back
totally supported, and your chest open and free. If you
experience any strain in this pose, experiment with moving
slighter closer or farther from the wall, and/or slightly
bending your knees.
(Caution: do not practice this pose if you have a hiatal
hernia, are menstruating or more than 3 months pregnant, or
if you have sciatica.)
2. Supported Child's Pose: This grounding, quieting pose gently stretches the lower back and relieves shoulder tension. Kneel on a rug or blanket with your knees spread apart and your toes pointed straight back. Sit back on your heels. If needed for support, place a folded towel into the bend of your knees, and/or a rolled towel under the front of the ankles. Experiment with these extra props. Place a pile of pillows and/or blankets between your thighs, and bend forward, resting your chest and cheek easily on the props and dropping your tailbone toward your heels. If you need more support, add more height with more blankets or pillows, and/or place a long-roll blanket on your heels to sit back on. Half way through the practice, turn your head to rest on the other cheek. Rest your arms either reaching back toward your feet, or forward around the edges of the blankets/pillow stack. Close your eyes and be comfortable. Let your belly relax and be supported. Breathe slowly. (Caution: do not practice this pose if you are more than 3 months pregnant, or if you have a chronic back condition such as spondylolesthesis, spondylolysis, spinal stenosis, disc disease, or nerve symptoms.)
3. Basic Relaxation Pose: Simply lie flat on the floor (on
a rug or blanket for comfort), with your feet a bit wider
apart than your hips, and your arms spread out to your
sides, palms facing up. Place a rolled towel or blanket
under your knees and another, smaller roll to support the
natural curve of your neck. Close your eyes and practice
the Centering Breath: one extra long, slow inhale and
exhale, followed by several normal breaths, and repeat this
cycle as many times as you wish, returning to normal
breathing before coming out of the pose.
(Caution: if you are more than 3 months pregnant, practice
a side-lying version of this pose.)
For a wonderfully beneficial 15 minute restorative practice, stay in Legs-up-the-wall Pose for 5 minutes, Child's Pose for 3 minutes, and Relaxation Pose for 7 minutes. Practice these healing poses as often as you wish!
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