Our evening routines have changed drastically in the last 10 years. It used to be that adults would leave their jobs and come home to prepare dinner and then a tv show before bedtime. In the last decade, answering emails, scrolling through social media platforms, and perhaps watching the local news has increased our stress level.
Our sympathetic nervous system gets triggered when we feel stress. Our bodies go into a Fight or Flight response, resulting in sweaty palms, an agitated heartbeat among other things which make it hard to fall asleep. A relaxing nighttime routine will be a Segway in activating the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest) which will result in a lowered heart rate as well as a relaxed body and mind allowing for a peaceful night sleep.
Scroll down and take note of a relaxing 5 step nighttime routine.
1- Devices off: Place your phone or device on “silent mode” or “do not disturb”.
2- Quiet Space: Lie on your bed with dim lighting or lights off maybe with some ambient music and lavender aroma therapy oil diffusing or on your bedding.
3- Gentle twist: Draw the knee in towards the chest and twist it across the midline of the body. Hold the twist for 5 to 10 breaths and then bring the body back to neutral. Repeat on the second side.
4- Take 5 breaths. Bring awareness to an imaginary bright light shining on your tiptoes and visualizing the light travel up the body until it reaches the crown of the head with the full inhale and travel back towards the feet with the full exhale.
5- While lying on your back begin to scan the body beginning with the feet then moving to legs, glutes, belly, arms, hands, chest, shoulders, neck, face muscles and scalp. Encouraging each body part to fully relax as the area is scanned.
I hope you get the results many have benefitted from with these simple steps. I’d love for you to share your comments with me on our social media platforms or email.
email at: info@yanetyoga.com