23 Aug Six tips for deep relaxation
I have a confession to make.
I’ve practiced Yoga Nidra, also known as sleep yoga, yogic sleep or lucid sleeping, in the past and didn’t completely fall in love with it.
It was something so different than anything I’d done before and I had a hard time getting comfortable, causing more unease than relaxation.
But I keep reading and hearing about all the tremendous benefits of this ancient practice and felt it was time to give it another go. So this past Thursday, I took to the Nidra class at Aspire that Joy led.
Drawing from my last experience, I did everything I could going in to make myself as comfortable as possible for the hour-long guided meditation.
It made all the difference in the world and had an incredible experience! I absolutely loved the class and found it to be extremely relaxing. {Joy has THE most soothing voice.}
No joke, I slept so hard and deep that night and woke up the next morning feeling super refreshed. I’m now a believer.
So I wanted to share with you my top six tips to get prepared for deep relaxation in Yoga Nidra:
1. Put on the most comfy clothes you own. You don’t need to match and style doesn’t matter for optimum comfort. You can even wear your pajamas to this class!
2. Bring your own pillow and soft blanket. There’s something very comforting and relaxing about using a pillow and blanket that you already use and like.
3. Our body temperature naturally drops during sleep yoga. Consider wearing a pair of soft socks to help keep you warm and cozy.
4. Ladies, don’t wear a bra with an underwire. I’ve found that they can poke and restrict breathing. If you feel you need a bra, wear one without an underwire or a sports bra designed for low impact. And you won’t be judged if you just don’t wear a bra to this class.
5. Place a bolster, blanket or pillow under your knees. There’s a reason that a pillow is used under knees during a massage and it’s because it helps take stress off the back.
6. Keep an open mind!
Because we’ve had such a positive response to the Nidra classes we’ve held the past couple of weeks, we are going to offer one more sleep yoga class this Thursday, August 27 at 6:45pm.
If you’ve been craving some much-needed relaxation time or need to de-stress, I’d highly encourage you to check out this special class! No experience required. Just $12. Due to limited space, pre-registration is required.