Yoga for Relaxation and Benefits
The simple poses discussed below will not only help tidy up the nervous system, but also unload the “clogged” areas of the body.
Here are some other benefits of practicing asanas the moment you feel excessive tension:
– relieve stress on overly tense muscles;
– relieve stress;
– relieve headaches and migraines;
– help cope with insomnia.
For pregnant women, relaxation asanas have one more additional function! Conscious practice teaches how to manage the relaxation process in a stressful situation like childbirth. A mom who spends too much energy on panic, ends up with little or no energy left for the last stage of labor.
In addition, the practice of yoga inherently follows a special order of breathing. It turns out that physical effort and breathing are inextricably linked. By learning to regulate the rate of inhalation and exhalation, you will be able to fully control your body and labor.
In addition, pregnant women experience disproportionately more physical and psychological stress. On the contrary, relaxation asanas restore energy, reducing the amount of the stress hormone cortisol. And this has a beneficial effect on the health of both the mother and the baby.
You can find the full video lessons in your personal MomsLab online program for pregnant women. Now we will get acquainted with the basic relaxation asanas.
The relaxation pose in yoga
Shavasana is the most accessible pose
Shavasana is usually practiced as the final stage in a set of exercises.
Classical shavasana is performed on the floor on a mat. You can put one plaid under yourself, and cover yourself with the other for more comfort.
How to do it? The woman lies on her back. The legs and arms are slightly apart, and the palms are facing up. Eyes closed, concentrate on breathing.
Visualize the tension leaving the body from head to toe. Make sure that the body is stretched in one straight line, without a clamp in the neck. If it is uncomfortable to lie on your back, you can put a pillow under one side, as well as under your head and back. In this way, we stay in a half-lying pose.
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Stay in shavasana for at least 10 minutes. Catch and fix every distracting thought. Promise yourself to think about it later, until your consciousness is completely empty.
It’s helpful to incorporate meditation practices during shavasana. You’ll find them on the MomsLab program.
Butterfly lying down.
If you are already familiar with the classic “butterfly”, then performing the pose will not be difficult. It is best to enter the asana 30 minutes before bedtime to improve falling asleep.
Place a pillow or a plaid, rolled up several times, under the head and the thorax. Legs bend, knees apart, and fix the feet in a connected state under the buttocks. If you feel discomfort in the hip joint, feel free to put pillows under the knees. The asana will still be effective.
Important: come out of asana as gently as possible, so as not to damage the joints and stretched tendons.
The classic butterfly pose.
The pose opens up the pelvic area, gently preparing the mother-to-be for labor.
Sit on the floor, with your back straight and your head looking up. Bend the legs so that the knees look in different directions. The feet are united in front of you, as in the previous asana, close to the pelvis.
To make the exercise easier, it is possible to put a solid support under the pelvis. If you can’t keep your back straight, start the exercise by the wall.
The bent candle pose
During pregnancy, the pose will come in handy. First, it is very effective at the first signs of varicose veins, and secondly, it relieves swelling and unpleasant tension in the legs.
These properties are due to the fact that while performing the pose, blood “flows” back to the abdominal area and the heart. The brain is oxygenated and blood circulation in the legs is restored after leaving the pose. You will feel a general relief and a burst of energy.
Arrange a place for practice by the wall. Put a pelvic pillow directly under it, and spread a soft mat or blanket perpendicular to the wall. Lie on the mat sideways at first, with your legs bent. Gently roll over onto your back, bending and lifting your legs so that they fully extend along the wall. Open your arms at your sides, palms up. Exit the asana in reverse order – bend your legs and turn onto your side.
It’s not recommended to stay in the pose for too long, if you have high blood pressure. For beginners, 3-5 minutes will be enough.
Safe Yoga for Stress Relief
When you practice yoga without a trainer, it is important to follow technique and safety rules:
- Do not forget about breathing. By no means hold it for a long time from stress, although sometimes it seems to be easier. Ideally, try to feel each exercise with inhalation and exhalation so that you gradually and comfortably slow down the pace of breathing.
- Don’t go against yourself! Uncomfortable to the point of pain – it means your technique needs correction or there are contraindications. Immediately stop doing it.
- Don’t ignore the advice to simplify the postures if you are just starting. Go into the asanas and stay in them only through pleasant sensations. There is no need to try to overpower yourself.
- It is necessary to consult a doctor before practice. Pregnant women should not do the asanas if there is any bleeding or a threat to the health of the mother or the baby.
We hope that the practice will bring you only pleasant sensations and help you prepare for labor!
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