Many of us treat rest as what happens once everything else is done, and everything else is never quite done. In yoga, rest is part of the practice. Lying in a supported pose for a few minutes, or slowing down before bed, is something you can learn and get better at. This article shows you how to set up restorative poses with things you already own, how to build an evening wind-down and how to follow a short guided relaxation tonight.
Slowing down is a skill
If you are used to being busy, lying still can feel odd at first. The mind keeps listing jobs and the body wants to fidget. That is normal. Like balance, the ability to slow down improves when you practise it. The first few times, five minutes may feel long. Over a few weeks, many people find it easier to settle.
This is why rest deserves a regular place in your week, not only on the days when you are exhausted. A short, quiet practice on an ordinary evening shows you what calm feels like in your own body, so it is easier to find again when a day has been hard.
Restorative poses with household props
Restorative poses are shapes where your body is fully supported, so the muscles can let go. You stay in each one for 3 to 10 minutes, breathing normally. Nothing should stretch hard. If you feel a strong pull, add more support.
Gather two or three sofa cushions or pillows, two blankets, a towel and a clear piece of wall. Use the blankets generously, because the body cools down when it is still and feeling cold makes it hard to relax. If a pose causes pain in your lower back, knees or neck, come out slowly and choose another. Four poses to start with:
- Supported child's pose: kneel with your knees wide, place two stacked cushions lengthways between them and lie forward over them, head turned to one side. Turn your head the other way halfway through.
- Legs up the wall: sit sideways next to the wall, then swing your legs up as you lie back. If the backs of your legs feel tight, move further from the wall, or rest your calves on the seat of a chair instead.
- Supported bridge: lie on your back with knees bent, lift your hips a little and slide a firm cushion under the flat bone at the base of your spine. Rest your arms by your sides.
- Side-lying rest: lie on your side with a pillow under your head, another between your knees and a blanket over you.
An evening wind-down
A wind-down is a short routine you repeat most evenings, so your body learns that the day is closing. Twenty to thirty minutes is plenty. Keep the order the same for a couple of weeks before you change anything, because the repetition is what turns it into a signal. On nights when you are short of time, keep only the last step.
- Dim the main lights and leave your phone charging across the room or outside the bedroom.
- Spend 5 minutes on slow movement: gentle neck turns, shoulder circles and a few rounds of cat and cow.
- Rest in one or two restorative poses for 5 to 10 minutes each.
- Finish with the short guided relaxation below, in bed or on the floor.
A short guided relaxation
Read this through once, then follow it from memory, or record yourself reading it slowly. Lie on your back with a cushion under your head and another under your knees, or on your side if that is more comfortable, and cover yourself with a blanket.
Let your eyes close. Take a few ordinary breaths and feel the back of your body resting on the floor or the bed. Bring your attention to your feet and let them be heavy. Move slowly up through the legs, the hips and the belly, letting each part soften as you notice it. Then notice your hands, arms and shoulders, and let the shoulders drop away from your ears. Soften your jaw and the small muscles around your eyes. Rest your attention on the breath for a few minutes without changing it. When you are ready, move your fingers and toes, roll onto your side and stay there for a few breaths before you sit up.
It takes about ten minutes. If you fall asleep, that is fine. If thoughts keep coming, notice them and go back to the part of the body where you left off.
When to adapt it or ask a doctor
Rest should feel comfortable. Come out of any pose that causes pain, numbness or tingling, and sit up slowly if you feel light-headed. If you are pregnant, ask your midwife or doctor first and avoid lying flat on your back for long. If you have had recent surgery or an injury, or have heart or blood pressure problems, check with your doctor about which positions suit you.
Resting well supports everyday wellbeing, but it is not a treatment. If you have trouble sleeping or feel worn out most days for several weeks, talk to your doctor.
Takeaway. Slowing down gets easier the more you practise it, so give rest a few regular evenings each week. If you would like a longer guided version, our Wellness Reset class includes a full 90-minute restorative session.
This article is general wellbeing education, not medical advice. Read the health disclaimer.
