5 Yoga Poses to do in Bed
5 Yoga Poses to do in Bed when you and your child wake up
The winter months are for taking time to slow down from yours and your child's busy schedules.
Slowing down is important. A parent at TECA reminded me the importance of slowing down. It has been a theme in my classes. Slowing down helps us to reconnect with ourselves and find true happiness. During the winter months, many people feel stressed from the holidays and over worked, leading to sickness and tiredness. It's important to take time for your self and to remind your child to take time for themselves as well. We call this self-care.
I have put together 5 yoga poses that both you and your child can do in bed right when you wake up to give you some extra self-care time.
1. Full Body Stretch
Stretch your arms overhead and point your toes away from your body and engage all the muscles in your body with one big stretch. Open your mouth and let out an "aaaahhhhhh" when you relax your body.
Benefits: This wakens up your whole body.
2. Knee Squeeze
Bring your knees up to your chest and roll side to side, massaging your spine. Take 5-10 breaths OR Kids can sing a song such as, "Row Row Row your Boat" as they roll side to side.
Benefits: This pose massages the back, relieves lower back pain, and opens the hips.
3. Reclined Spine Twist
Keep your knees bent up to your chest, bring your arms into cactus arms and move the knees over to the right. Look to your left. Breath in through the nose and out through the nose 5-10 times or kids can do "Horse Breath" by relaxing their lips and blowing out to make a funny sound!
Benefits: This pose helps with digestion, opens the chest/shoulders, and brings fluid within your spine.
4. Elbow Circles
Sit on your heels or in Pretzel place your hands on your shoulders with elbows pointing forward. Start moving your elbows in a backwards circular movement. When the elbows are pointing behind, gently squeeze the shoulder blades together to open the shoulders and chest. Do this circular movement 10 times. Encourage kids to count to 10 in English, Spanish, or another language!
Benefits: This removes any toxins sitting in the shoulder joints and encourages the chest to open.
5. Sphinx and/or Cobra
Lay on your belly and place your forearms on the bed with your elbows aligned under your shoulders and palms facing down. Bring the head and chest up for a small back bend. Repeat this 3 times OR move into cobra by placing the hands on the bed under the shoulders and press the upper body into a little more intense back bend. Draw the shoulders down the back to create space between the shoulders and the ears. Breath here for 5 breaths, 3 times. Kids can make hissing sounds like a snake and stick out their tongue like a snake to taste the air!
Benefits: This stretches the spine, belly and lungs along with relieving stress and fatigue.