Restless leg syndrome is a sleep-related disorder that can make it very difficult to get quality rest. In addition to conventional treatments, such as medications prescribed by a doctor, doing gentle exercises such as yoga poses before bed can help alleviate your symptoms. Restorative poses, in particular, help your body settle into a sense of stillness and prepare for a good night's sleep.
Preparation
Restorative poses are designed to be held for several minutes, and warming up beforehand can help you settle into them better. Do a few minutes of gentle movement and stretching to warm up cold muscles and get the restlessness out of your body. Props such as blocks, straps, blankets, towels, chairs and pillows can all help support you in restorative poses. Although these poses look simple, they can be surprisingly challenging to beginners, so give yourself time to get used to them and increase your time spent in the poses gradually.
Legs-up-the-Wall Pose
Lie on your back facing a wall. Reach your legs straight up against the wall. If lifting them up seems difficult, you can start by sitting sideways against the wall and swinging your legs upward as you transition down to lying on your back. Use a blanket or small pillow underneath your lower back and buttocks if necessary. Hold for a few minutes, eventually working your way up to five to 15 minutes per yoga session.
Reclining Big Toe Pose
This restorative pose helps stretch the leg muscles. Lie flat on your back with your legs stretched out in front of you. Loop a strap around one ankle, grab both ends of the strap with both hands and lift the leg upward until it's perpendicular with the floor. Keep your shoulders and hips on the ground. Hold for one to three minutes, then release and repeat on the other leg.
Reclining Bound Angle Pose
Sit with your legs bent and turned out and the bottoms of your feet together. Slowly lower your back to the floor, leaning on your hands at first for support. Place blankets or pillows under your knees and head for extra support if necessary. Let your arms rest at your sides at a slight angle. Don't feel the need to push your knees down to the floor; this isn't necessary for a proper stretch. Hold for one minute at first, increasing the time gradually to five to 10 minutes.
Member Comments