Three Restorative Yoga Poses for your Lunch Break (or any break!)

In the age of the 24-hour news cycle, it can be hard to disconnect and take time decompress. Many people skip lunch altogether and either eat while working or squeeze in other “productive” activities, such as errands, phone calls or appointments. 

15 minutes of restorative yoga can be a great way to restore your body and mind and help you stay focused and present the rest of the day. 

Here are our three favorite poses to start your Restorative Yoga practice:

Child’s Pose

1. 1. Get a yoga bolster or make a stack of blankets. 
2. 2. Bring your toes together and take your knees wide. 
3. 3. Lean forward and rest your upper body on the bolster.
4. 4. Keep moving your hips toward your heels, to keep you from putting too much weight on the bolster.
5. 5. Hold this position for 3-5 minutes. It’s nice to set a timer – and resist the urge to check!

Supta Baddha Kanasana 

1. 1. Get a yoga bolster, or a large firm pillow (couch cushions can do the trick). Prop it up with a yoga block, or something similar in shape and size. 
2. 2. Put your feet together and let your knees fall apart. You can wrap a blanket around your shins to support your legs. If you need more support, you can prop a block under each knee. It’s important to support your legs enough so that your muscles can relax.
3. 3. Keep your hips on the floor and lay back on the bolster. Prop up your head with a blanket if the front of your neck feels overstretched. 
4. 4. Rest your arms by your sides.
5. 5. Hold this position for 3-5 minutes. 

Legs up the Wall

1. 1. Move your blanket to a wall. Stack one or two blankets on top of each other and place them right up against the wall. 
2. 2. Sit with your left side against the wall. Lean back, and swing your legs up the wall. If you need to, move your hips close to the wall once you are on your back.
3. 3. Rest your heels against the wall and bring your arms out by your sides. 
4. 4. Hold this position for 3-5 minutes. 

These three poses are a great start to developing a restorative yoga practice!

Want to learn more about how yoga can help you?

Click here to schedule a calendal to discuss the benefits of medical therapeutic yoga with one of our physical therapists!