I just got back from a trip to Portugal – it was terrific to travel and explore again. We walked a great deal, on the tiled streets and sidewalks so typical of Portugese cities and towns, on beaches, on dirt roads and woodland paths and on good old pavement. We walked for hours some days, the time drifting by pleasantly as we drank in our surroundings. It wasn’t until day’s end or the next morning that I felt the effects – my old pal arthritis regularly flared in my hip! Good thing the holiday ended with a yoga retreat, or my hip might have locked up for good. (Or so it felt.)
I was reminded of the importance of rest. How luscious it is. And how critical it is to monitor our energy levels as we age. Just pushing through, like we probably did for decades, is no longer going to bring the results we seek. I used to be able to pause, do a little stretching and move on to the next thing. That was then.
So I thought I’d pass along a few tips on optimizing your rest, sometimes referred to as ‘constructive rest’ in my circles, and how, with a few simple poses or practices, you can rejuvenate and recalibrate. I’m not talking better sleep, but better rest.
Tip # 1. Lie down. Going horizontal after being vertical changes the impact of gravity on the body. Sitting doesn’t quite cut it. Lie in such a way that you can elevate your feet, even a little. You may want to put a cushion under your knees or low legs. Putting your feet up above the level of the heart even by a couple of degrees will take pressure off the low body and allow circulation to flow without the gravity’s weight pressing down on them. You could even scooch your hips right up against a wall and go “legs up the wall”.
My favourite position is actually “Legs Over the Chair” (no fancy Sanskrit word for this pose!). LIe down on the floor close to the base of a chair or sofa. Really close, as in with your butt right up against it. Place your lower legs over the seat of the chair, so that your knees are bent at a 90 degree angle. This position, in addition to offering rest to the feet, allows the muscles (hip flexors) that help you raise and lower your foot as you walk to slacken completely. Divine.
Tip # 2: As you lie there, let the jaw drop open a tad. Let the little muscles around the eyes that you use for smiling, squinting, frowning and peering go slack. Let the eyeballs sink into the sockets. Let your tongue come off the roof of your mouth. Amazing how much tension these teeny facial muscles hold. Then breathe, through the mouth and nose, filling up slowly, emptying slowly.
Tip# 3. Self-massage is a gift we can always give ourselves. No special equipment required! Soaking the feet in warm water, then gently rubbing oil into them (any oil you can eat you can massage with…) is a balm. Massage the arch, gently pull and wiggle each toe with your fingers, circle the ankles.
As with so many things in life, it’s the small stuff that makes a difference. And going slow. And allowing yourself to feel. We can’t heal what we can’t feel, as a great teacher of mine likes to say.
Rest easy.
