How Yoga Can Stop Me Looking Like A Zombie

How Yoga Can Stop Me Looking Like A Zombie

We’ve all had those days – we wake up tired and all of a sudden – BOOM – we’re at work, or it’s 10pm and you’re scrolling through Instagram posts wondering where the day went. Well did you know there are a few yoga techniques that could get you out of this rut? Today we talk about 5 tips for getting through the day as more than a zombie.

Tip 1: Wake Up Mindfully

This is so hard. Most people have a morning routine and have been doing it for so long that they just find themselves going through the motions and not really taking in what is happening. To get out of this cycle, start the evening before. Set your alarm with a note that will inspire you the next morning. It could be something as simple as “you got this schnooks” (which is my go to) or even an inspirational quote that resonated with you. When your alarm goes off the next morning don’t just whack snooze or turn it off. Read it back to yourself and remember that today you’re starting out differently. With one hand on your heart, and the other on your belly take 5 deep breaths feel the air come into your lungs. As you do this, keep telling yourself that you’re awake now. Try to stay present, thinking about being on your bed, right here, right now and just simply taking a moment to welcome your body to the morning. Wiggle the toes, take a nice big yawn and a stretch then move about your morning observing what you’re doing as you do it.

Tip 2: Do Some Shower Stretching

There’s enough lifting of arms and bending to the toes in the shower that you might as well make a little stretch session out of it. Plus the warm water can help your muscles release a bit of tension. Move with the breath as you lift your arms high towards the ceiling and inhale. As you exhale bring the hands to the head, inhale them back up, exhale them to your heart, inhale them back up, exhale them to your belly, inhale back up, and exhale them to your feet. Repeat 3-5 times working on removing any thoughts or judgments that might come into your mind as you touch areas of your body. Focus on the breath and the movement. For deeper stretching, try crossing one foot over the other and bending towards it for a stretch along the I.T. band, then repeat on the other side. For a nice twist, square your hips perpendicular to the wall in the shower, then inhale and lift your arms overhead. Exhale, and place your palms to the wall, keeping the hips square in front while you twist from the abdominal. If this if this is feeling good, turn your head in the direction of the twist to feel it all along the spine. Repeat on the other side.

Tip 3: Try This 20 Min Zombie Flow

This is just a little something fun to make sure you have moved your body today. We know that exercise is good for releasing endorphins and can help you get out of a rut, but it’s also good to have a little fun so why not dress up like a zombie while you’re at it and put on spooky playlist.

Tip 4: Take A Savasana

Lying in corpse pose for 10 minutes can have so many profound effects on the body if done daily. It’s a yogi way of moving from a state of awareness and tapping into the parasympathetic system (for rest and digestion where the immune system is restored) so it’s perfect at the end of a busy workday where the mind may be firing off a lot of messages to you. Find a quiet space in your home and set the timer for 10 minutes.  Lay down on a mat or blanket on the floor. You can even prop your knees on a bolster or have a pillow for your head if that’s more comfortable. You don’t want to be so comfortable that you fall asleep though. That’s tip 5! Once you’ve found a comfortable position on your back, spread your arms out to the side, palms facing up, move your feet to the edge of the mat and let the toes go out to the side. Once here, take a few deep sighs. Try to imagine that you are sighing out the day, the negative thoughts, and all the tension that has built up because of this. Take a scan up the body from the toes to feel if there is any physical tension that is still sitting anywhere. Take your time on this. You’ve got 10 minutes all to yourself to relieve anything that’s stuck in there and not serving you.

Once you’re finished with your scan focus in on the space between the eyebrows with your eyes closed and listen to the breath, not trying to change it. As any thoughts come up (because they will) repeat in your mind, ‘release’. You can even say this to the cadence of your breath – ‘re’ on the inhale, ‘lease’ on the exhale. After the 10 minutes are up, slowly wiggle your fingers and toes, take a yawn, a stretch, roll over to your right side, then come up slowly from your resting position.

Tip 5: Get Some Sleep!

It’s easier said than done, we know! But there’s a few things you can think about as you go to bed that could be helpful for your sleep.

• Get yourself into bed 30 minutes before you usually do. This will give you some ‘settling down time’.
• Put away the screens! It’s a good idea to put your phone in another room altogether, but if you use it for your alarm, put it on “do not disturb” mode to give yourself uninterrupted sleep.
• Put your legs up the wall or hang your head over the edge of the bed for 10 minutes, either listening to some calming music or tuning in to your inhales and exhales.
• Listen to a meditation app. There are lots of options out there for meditations just before bed. Do a bit of research and find one that suits you.

Author: Tara Clark
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