Why rest is important, Self care for you to cozy up and rest
Have you ever had the pleasure of attending a restorative yoga class or workshop? Restorative yoga is way different than what you may think of when conjuring up the idea of a yoga practice. You are not balancing on one leg, or holding warrior 2 as sweat drips down your face. It isn’t about about moving, stretching, or “working out” so to speak. Instead, you work with your body, and props like blankets, blocks, bolsters and even scented eye pillows (yes please), to find a fully supported pose and then stay in that pose for about 5 to 10 minutes.
You might be thinking, well, why? What is the point?
The point is to rest. To give the body time and space to feel completely supported and rest, truly.
In our current world, taking time to rest may seem selfish, pointless, or worse yet-lazy.
In our fast paced world it may seem ridiculous to spend time in a workshop resting rather than finally nailing handstand or dancer pose. We are a culture of double shot lattes, massive to do lists, productivity reports and frankly it’s making us sick. We reach for more caffeine or sugar when it may better serve us to reach for a catnap.
As a yoga teacher I can tell you, the place I see my students struggle the most…it’s not balancing poses, or inversions…it’s śavāsana.
The final resting pose is like pulling teeth for some. I teach hot vinyasa flow and my classes can be challenging to say the least, and yet when it is time to rest and allow the practice to wash over you…here come the fidgets, the movements, the how-much-longer-is-this-going-to-be glances up to me.
While it is not always emphasized, being in a state of deep rest, or deep relaxation (not just sleep), can do wonders for our nervous system. This relaxed state helps reduce stress, regulate our moods, and help improve focus.
But you don’t have to go to a restorative yoga practice to incorporate more balancing rest into your day to day.
Here are some self care rituals that can help nourish the body, soul and mind, and allow you to slow down, cozy up, and rest.
bookends
Creating a morning ritual and a nighttime ritual can be extremely helpful in allowing yourself to slow down and get adequate rest at night. This can be as simple as taking 5 deep breaths or a big stretch before leaving the bed, listing out 5 things you are grateful for before standing up, sitting intentionally tech free with a cup of tea or other warming drink, or you could carve out a whole morning routine to help kickstart your day. Whatever you choose, steer clear of your phone, email, the news, TV and YouTube, let this time be solely for you.
At nighttime you might list out gratitude for the day, take a few minutes to journal or draw, or spend the last 10-20 minutes reading before bed. Turning off tech as you wind down, slowly changing out the overhead lights in favor of some floor lamps, salt lamps or candles at night can kickstart your circadian rhythm and allow you to find rest more easily.
add warming beverages and spices
Fall and winter can be a really lovely time to incorporate more warming beverages and foods into your diet. Ayurvedic practices encourage grounding and warming foods as the weather cools down.
Cozy up with some steel cut oats and a tea for breakfast, add some turmeric, curry, paprika, or red pepper into your stews and curry dishes for lunch and dinner. Add some ginger and garlic into your stir fries.
Try this simple turmeric latte as a warming elixir in the morning.
abhyanga
Another practice borrowed from Ayurveda is the practice of abhyanga, which is a full body oil massage. You can do self-massage before your shower and the practice can be done in as quickly as ten minutes (although of course, if you want to love up on yourself for longer-do it up!). Abhyanga is said to increase blood flow, reduce stress, reduce the appearance or cellulite and wrinkles, improve skin smoothness, decrease stress, reduce muscle stiffness. The practice also promotes lymphatic drainage and best of all-it just feels so luxurious to slow down and care for yourself this way.
During the fall and winter months I often opt for an almond or sesame oil, but you can choose any oil that you prefer. Before the practice, I run the bottle of oil under some hot water to warm it up. Start at the scalp and massage as you work your way down your body moving in circular motions. On the arms and legs work in long strokes that follow the length of the bones. On the stomach you can take a circular motion from the right to the left like a rainbow over your stomach to promote digestion. It may feel nice to spend a little extra time on the face, massaging around the temples, cheeks, neckline and jaw. End with a massage of the feet. I like to do this massage in or near the shower so that there is not a risk of slipping and sliding with oily feet on the way to get rinsed off. After you apply the oil you can sit in quiet meditation for 10 minutes or so to allow the oil to soak in and your mind to relax. Then simply rinse in the shower. The oil is meant to soak into your skin so no need to rigorously try to wash it off with soap. If you can pick one day a week to incorporate this practice, that is a great start!
get some fresh air
Getting outside in nature especially as the air starts to cool down and gets crisper is a great way to welcome warmth into the body. A wonderful way start your morning is by stepping outside onto a porch, balcony, or onto your sidewalk and taking in some deep belly breaths. Or, if you have more time, take a brisk walk around the block, get some fresh air and get your endorphins pumping. See if you can aim to take at least a 20 minute walk each day, either by starting your day a bit earlier and getting a morning walk in, or by taking an evening stroll post dinner. Never underestimate consistent daily walks as a source of health, vitality and overall improved mental health and clarity.
Legs up the wall, or another restful pose before sleep
Scoot your tired booty up to the wall and rest your legs up the wall. This simple restful pose is wonderful for relaxation, circulation, helps to ease tired feet and ankles and releases tension in the lower back (a great thing if you spend a lot of your day seated at a desk).
Once you are in the pose, close your eyes and start to breath slowly, deepening your inhale and exhale. Don’t worry if your mind starts to wander, that is completely normal, but see if you can focus back in on your breath and allow yourself to wind down from the day. It can be helpful to set your to do list aside, and list out some gratitude from the day. Focusing on gratitude can be a wonderful way to close out the day and end in a place of peace and relaxation.
Do you have any cozy tips to share? What helps you to feel comforted as the months get cooler? Let me know in the comments down below ❤️ .