Did you know that 75-90% of all doctor consultations are for stress-related problems? And yet many people have no idea that they are living in a way that is stressful for their body and mind – “I’m not stressed, I’m just really busy,” is something I hear frequently. Society these days favours busy-ness, constant doing, and we’ve somehow come to see this as a measure of our importance, even at the expense of our health. We’re not designed to be busy all of the time though, and taking time to relax and calm the nervous system is as vital for our body to work properly and keep us in good health as eating, sleeping and cleaning our teeth! Our whole system functions properly when we’re in a softer, more relaxed state. Relaxation is not a luxury; it is a necessity.

If you’re going through a stressful time or just always seem to be on the go, you might notice some of the following*:

  • problems with digestion e.g. IBS, constipation, or feeling like certain foods (bread, pasta, gluten) don’t agree with you
  • sleep problems e.g. unable to fall asleep or get back to sleep during the night, feeling unrested on waking, or waking up at every little sound
  • unexplained aches and pains
  • inflammation
  • irregular or missed periods
  • difficulty thinking clearly and making decisions
  • weight gain or difficulty losing weight
  • often feeling under the weather, lingering or recurrent illness
  • anxiety, anxiety / panic attacks
  • low mood, lethargy, depression
  • allergies or skin conditions getting worse
  • flare-ups of conditions like fibromyalgia

Very simply, stress causes functions such as immune, reproduction, sleep, and digestion to switch off (my blog about the “fight or flight response” talks about this in more detail), so we end up with the kind of symptoms mentioned above, as well as an increased risk of developing more serious conditions and diseases in the longterm. Being in a relaxed state, however, has the opposite effect: the immune, sleep, reproductive and digestive functions all switch on, and vital healing, growth and repair work can take place. The good news is, we can get all these benefits from just twenty minutes of relaxing (watching TV doesn’t count!), so no more excuses about not having time to relax!

I find that if I take time to relax when I come home from work, before cooking or starting on chores (but after feeding my cats, of course, they’d never give me any peace otherwise!), it feel replenished so I have energy to get things done but in a more calm and relaxed way, and my whole evening is more productive and enjoyable. My personal yoga favourites to ground, rest and revive are constructive rest pose, salamba supta baddha konasana, viparita karani, legs-over-chair, and savasana (corpse pose).

Steps for a simple savasana:

  1. Choose a time when you won’t be disturbed, and you don’t need to rush out straight afterwards. Set a timer (turn the volume down a bit so you don’t get a fright!) so you can really let go.
  2. Your body will cool down as you relax, so make sure you have enough layers on, and cover yourself with a blanket for extra comfort.
  3. Lie down on your back – if you have trouble getting up and down to the floor, you can lie on your bed.
  4. Stretch out your legs and let them rest at least hip-width apart. Arms just away from your body, about halfway between hips and shoulder-height, palms facing up.
  5. Try placing a rolled blanket or a bolster under your knees – this can feel really good for your lower back.
  6. Let your head roll gently side to side a few times, gently releasing tension from your neck, then allow your head to rest in the middle. Lengthen the back of your neck, drawing chin down – you many need to place a folded blanket under your head to help with this.
  7. Close your eyes if comfortable to do so. Make any adjustments you need to clothes, blanket, body; they will keep pulling your attention and stop you from relaxing properly!
  8. As you exhale, let your arms and legs become heavy. Allow your jaw to gently hang slack, teeth and lips apart a little, soften your forehead and try to breath through your nose.
  9. Allow yourself to just be. When your mind starts chattering, just let your awareness come back to the feeling of your body, heavy on the ground.
  10. Allow yourself 20 minutes to be completely still, nowhere to go, nothing to do, just breathing.
  11. When you’re ready to come out, gently move your toes and fingers, have a stretch, then roll over to rest on your right side for a few breaths then come up to sitting from the side (better for your back).
  12. Sit for a moment to notice how you feel, and then you’re ready to carry on with your day.

If you’d like to learn more about restorative poses for relaxation, or to enjoy a guided savasana, please join me for a class – you can find the current schedule here.

*Not intended as a diagnosis, please check with your doctor first.