Most of us don’t know what it really means to rest, and we sleep in a tensed, busied state of mind and body. Because we live highly stressful lives in which we exercise the analytical parts of our brain all day and minimally move anything else in our bodies, our bodies tense up gradually throughout the day. Unfortunately, most of us feel so drained at the end of the day that we just slump down on the couch instead of properly winding down for proper relaxation and restoration.
When I started taking Dahn Yoga classes after work instead of going straight home and heading for the couch, I first saw myself having much more energy to enjoy the rest of my evenings. Soon I started noticing that I needed less and less sleep — I used to require a full 8 hours of sleep at least, or I’d be out of sorts all next morning. But now, I need to sleep 6 hours at the most, and usually 5 is plenty. I sleep much more relaxed and deeply, so my whole body can rejuvenate quickly and effectively.
If you can’t make it out to a Dahn Yoga class, then I’d recommend doing 5-10 minutes of toe-tapping at least before going to bed. It’s very easy – sit or lie down with your legs stretched out comfortably, bring your feet together, and swing the tops of your feet out and in rhythmically, as you keep your heels together. Feel your toes lightly waving about and the inside of your feet lightly tapping against each other. You can close your eyes to focus on the sensations in your feet more deeply, and keep breathing out comfortably through your mouth to keep releasing tension.
