Former yoga teacher in Wellington New Zealand
When I was researching the purpose of śavāsana (corpse pose), I came across a comment from restorative yoga expert Judith Lasaster that it takes the average person 15 minutes to physiologically relax. She talked about this in a podcast on
This adapted version of plough pose (halasana) avoids putting pressure on the neck and avoids moving the neck into flexion. It still offers a way to stretch the hips, back and hamstrings along with the relaxation benefits.
Some yoga poses can help trigger the rest and digest response, or the parasympathetic nervous system. They work by giving the body physiological cues that it should move into the rest and digest state. They’re known as inversions. Here a few gentle options to try.
Restorative yoga is more than just getting comfortable with extra pillows. It offers relaxation by stretching fascia, triggering the rest and digest response and supporting conscious relaxation like meditation.
There are a number of variations of child’s pose that offer ways to stretch while resting. This is one of my favourites, especially after taking a heavy pack off. Think of the action you see cats do when they dig