“How are you?”

“So busy!”

Sound familiar? With more and more things and activities vying for our time and attention, it’s unsurprising that the first place to take a hit is our rest.! How many times have you felt that mid-afternoon slump? Or caught yourself mid-snore in shavasana? It’s inevitable. With that small taste of rest, the body realizes its deeper fatigue and just says, “Yes! This is what I’ve been waiting for!”

Be a good listener. Let your body’s side of the conversation sink in. And, like the result of a good conversation, receive the message and make an effort.

It isn’t just staying in bed longer or even slipping into bed sooner (though it’s not a bad idea). According to expert, Saundra Dalton-Smith, MD, we actually need seven different kinds of rest (physical, mental, sensory, creative, emotional, social, spiritual). Consider ways to nourish yourself with rest in those many areas of life. There are many self-care options to choose from, but sometimes you just need a few quick go-to techniques. Here are my Top Three Power Tips for Rest.

Each of these tips will help cool the racing mind, ease the breath, and activate the parasympathetic nervous system, helping move us out of the amygdala with flight/fight/freeze and into a calm, controlled state of mind. From here, you can reenter your day with refreshed and renewed senses or settle into a night of sweet sleep.

Here are my Top Three Power Tips for Rest:

1) Marma stick foot massage — A simple massage of the palms and foot soles for 3-5 minutes using the marma stick activates the marma points to ease tiredness, boost circulation, and reduce stiffness. [Click for details on this rejuvenating practice!]

2) Humming Bee Breath (Bhramari Pranayama)—Humming Bee Breath pacifies Vata by activating the parasympathetic nervous system. It calms anger and mental agitation of Pitta, and produces a calming effect on the cranial nerves, increasing memory. To learn more about Brhamari Pranayama, see Yoga: Ancient Heritage, Tomorrow’s Vision, page 350-353.

3) Surina Hasta Mudra—From su meaning “pleasant” and rina meaning “dark night of dreamless sleep, this mudra, reminiscent of a sleeping infant’s hands, will set the scene to help you slip into a sweet state of calm in preparation for deep rest. Practice this mudra any time you need to bring pleasantness to the mind.

Now you have three quick and easy ways to provide a much-needed respite to your hard-working self. Give your senses a 2-minute holiday any time in your day!

PREPARE FOR YOGA NIDRA WITH THESE THREE PRACTICES

Relax your Senses

Deep Tissue Relaxation

Guided Relaxation

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