RESTORATIVE YOGA POSES: A GUIDE TO DEEP RELAXATION AND PARASYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM ACTIVATION
Restorative yoga is a great way to reduce stress, anxiety, and pain. It can also improve sleep quality, boost mood, and increase energy levels.
When you think of yoga you probably think about a practice which aims to stretch and strengthen the body, usually through some active movement and stretching. You may be familiar with Hatha or Vinyasa styles of yoga which have certainly gained a lot of popularity. These are probably the most common types of yoga you’ll find in your local studio and also see depicted on TV and in the media. However, since you’ve found this blog post you might actually be aware that there are other types of yoga which take a different approach. Restorative Yoga is one such type of yoga that uses props to support the body in passive poses. This allows the body to fully relax and release tension. This is because Restorative Yoga Poses actually interact with the parasympathetic nervous symptom in a number of interesting and beneficial ways.
First, the slow, deep breathing that is practiced while in Restorative Yoga poses helps to activate the parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for the “rest and digest” response, which helps to slow the heart rate, lower blood pressure, and relax the muscles and slow, and the good news is deep breathing can help support all of these functions! Second, the supported poses in Restorative Yoga help to release tension from the body, and this is often a pretty common reason why people try Restorative Yoga, since we all seem to have a little extra tension in our bodies from time to time. Third, the calming environment in which Restorative Yoga is typically practiced can also help to promote relaxation and activate the parasympathetic nervous system. This is, of course, not unique to Restorative Yoga Poses as a similar calming environment is typical of most yoga and meditation practices, although many people find themselves more at home trying Restorative Yoga Poses than they would sitting upright and cross legged trying to “clear their mind”.
Research has shown that Restorative Yoga can have a number of positive effects on the parasympathetic nervous system, including:
Reducing stress and anxiety
Improving sleep quality
Reducing pain
Improving mood and well-being
Overall, Restorative Yoga is a great way to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and promote relaxation and well-being.
Restorative Yoga is a great way to reduce stress, anxiety, and pain. It can also improve sleep quality, boost mood, and increase energy levels. If you’re looking to try it for yourself, we have a number of fantastic Restorative Yoga practices in our On Demand Video library. One such practice we can encourage you to check out would be our Nightly Nourish class, which is a Restorative Yoga practice you can try just before bed.
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