Do I need to do "warm ups" before a Restorative yoga practice?

A Restorative yoga class typically begins with a few warm up poses or a gentle flow.

Why warm up poses?

• They encourage you to connect with your breath, slowly becoming aware of each inhale and exhale ... 
• prepare you mentally for the practice ...  
• and ready your body to really let go, to release tension – the goal of restorative yoga.  

   Welcome your breath into your body

Welcome your mind into your breath.

Welcome your body into the pose.

Welcome to your practice.

Should I purchase my own props?

... or just borrow them at the studio?

As a runner, I can’t imagine borrowing shoes, socks or a running bra! Having your own set of props is optimal as it is hygienic and allows you to practice the yogic principle of saucha!

Saucha is the personal practice of cleanliness – of body, mind, and spirit. At the physical level, saucha applies to our surroundings and props as well as our bodies. Observing saucha in our lives quickly brings the realization that this is a never- ending practice – we must clean again and again! Cleanliness is an ongoing life-style.

While the vast majority of yoga studios clean and disinfect their props, having personal props allows you to ensure that your props are clean – saucha! Plus, they can be tailored to your body and unique needs. Therefore, I recommend purchasing your own set of props.

FOLLOW THE MANUFACTURERS’ GUIDELINES 

FOR CLEANING AND DISINFECTING PROPS.

General guidelines include:

YOGA MAT & BLOCKS: You can purchase yoga mat cleaner or create your own cleaning solution with water and white vinegar (equal parts), or water and a couple of drops of tea tree oil in a spray bottle. Vinegar and tea tree oil contain antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. Spray and wipe down your mat and/or blocks with a soft cloth or paper towel. Clean your mat after each use.

BLANKET & CLOTH YOGA STRAP: Textiles should be laundered regularly. However, it’s the dryer – not the washing machine – that eliminate harmful microorganisms. High heat drying for 30 minutes is most effective.

BOLSTER: Cover the bolster with a pillowcase and launder after each use. If you don’t use a pillowcase, you can remove the bolster cover and launder per manufacturer’s instruction.

EYE PILLOW: Eye pillow covers – they are like tiny pillowcases - can be purchased and laundered. However, you can also use an anti-viral tissue to cover the eye pillow and discard after use.

When using commercial cleaners & disinfectants, read and follow the label instructions.

Do I need a timer? Music? Incense?

A timer can be very helpful for two reasons:
1.  A timer will give you some “structure,” allowing you to relax. You will come out of the pose when the timer goes off, there is no need to stress about “how long.”
2. A timer will wake you up in case you fall asleep!  This has happened to all restorative students, don’t stress about it.  Learning to be aware and at ease takes practice.

Quiet, calming music is an option.  During a restorative practice this may be the only opportunity in the day to be still and focus inward.  For many people, music may simply be too distracting, especially music with lyrics.  Our minds naturally try to “sing along” which prevents us from letting go and relaxing completely.  If you choose to include music in your restorative practice, be sure it is soothing and without words.
See: https://callunayoga.blogspot.com/2020/04/yoga-and-music.html

Incense/scents are an option.  Many people include burning incense and spraying scents as part of their yoga practice, while others experience intense physical and/or allergic reactions to it.  During restorative practice it is a good idea to skip incense and scents. Fragrance-free practice allows your nervous system to send and receive fewer messages and you become present to what is happening in your body and mind – leading to relaxation and tension release.

Are props essential?

Props are essential to a Restorative yoga practice because they stabilize and support your body. Props enable you to fully relax into the poses, enhancing your ability to truly “let go.” Don’t skimp on props!  
Build/stack the props up to your body rather than straining to bring your body down to the props.  Take a few moments to make adjustments as you come into each pose so that you are comfortable, able to release your weight into the props, and relax. **

There is only 1 rule about props – The more, the merrier!

                      

Can anyone practice Restorative yoga?

·      If you are healthy and have no special concerns, it is probably not necessary for you to consult your doctor before practicing Restorative yoga. 

·       However, if you had recent surgery, injury or illness; are pregnant; or are post-postpartum, it would be a good idea to consult with your doctor before you begin a Restorative yoga practice.

·       It is best to wait 2 hours after eating before you begin practicing.  Some people might need to wait longer.

Where can I learn about Restorative yoga research?

Visit Yoga Alliance https://www.yogaalliance.org/About_Yoga/Yoga_Research for a compilation of yoga research on a variety of topics. Visit PubMed Central https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ to search for medical research on the effects of yoga. Below are samples of the types of studies you will find there: Corey, Sarah M et al. “Effect of restorative yoga vs. stretching on diurnal cortisol dynamics and psychosocial outcomes in individuals with the metabolic syndrome: the PRYSMS randomized controlled trial.” Psychoneuroendocrinology vol. 49 (2014): 260-71. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.07.012. Danhauer, Suzanne C et al. “Restorative yoga for women with breast cancer: findings from a randomized pilot study.” Psycho-oncology vol. 18,4 (2009): 360-8. doi:10.1002/pon.1503. Kanaya, Alka M et al. “Restorative yoga and metabolic risk factors: the Practicing Restorative Yoga vs. Stretching for the Metabolic Syndrome (PRYSMS) randomized trial.” Journal of diabetes and its complications vol. 28,3 (2013): 406-12. doi:10.1016/j.jdiacomp.2013.12.001.

Has there been any research on Restorative yoga?

Yes!  The first randomized trial (or high-quality experiment) on yoga was published in 1975 in The Lancet. It showed that yoga was effective for reducing high blood pressure. But that trial only involved 34 participants, and all of them already had high blood pressure, so it is difficult to know whether the effect of the yoga would bear out in a larger trial of healthy people.

Since then, the number of yoga studies has dramatically increased, but the field is plagued by some of the same problems of that early study. Many yoga studies still involve small numbers of participants. Many lack a control group.  What studies do exist are often short term. 

Still, the quality and quantity of studies has been improving, so we may get better answers soon. "There are more researchers conducting yoga therapy studies, and when the smaller trials suggest benefit, that leads to larger, better-designed trials," said Lorenzo Cohen, chief of the integrative medicine section at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

There is also a move to study the biological outcomes of yoga — how practicing yoga affects things like hormone levels — which will lead us to a more objective picture of what yoga can do for the body.

What have scientists learned about Restorative yoga, so far?

Scientists don't fully understand why the practice makes people feel not just rested but reborn. However, a growing body of evidence suggests it has measurable health benefits. Roger Cole, PhD contributed to one study that showed a six-point-greater drop in blood sugar in a group of prediabetics who practiced restorative yoga (at least 30 minutes three times a week for a year) compared with those who did stretching exercises. There's more: The restorative yoga students lost two pounds more than the stretchers, along with nearly a half-inch more from their waistlines. "We were surprised by the weight loss," says lead study author Alka Kanaya, MD. It made researchers think that another mechanism that they weren't able to measure—possibly more mindfulness, relaxation, or better sleep—might be at play," Kanaya says.

Studies also suggest that restorative yoga can decrease hot flashes during menopause, as well as reduce fatigue and boost quality of life in women with breast cancer. "Long-term practice can also become a buffer to chronic stress," says Aditi Nerurkar, MD, an integrative medicine physician who teaches at Harvard Medical School. 

Clinically documented benefits of Restorative yoga include:

• Improved posture, circulation, blood pressure, and lower cholesterol levels.

• It is good for alleviating back, hip, and neck pain.

• It also improves cardiovascular and respiratory function.

• In addition, it can help boost the immune system.

• It calms the nervous system by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system, which slows down heart rate and breath. This reduces the fight or flight response.

• Certain positions can also help improve digestion and constipation by massaging the organs.

• Furthermore, Restorative yoga can decrease inflammation within the body and increase blood flow.

How did Restorative yoga originate?

B.K.S. Iyengar & Judith Lasater

Restorative yoga originates from the teachings of  master yoga teacher, B.K.S. Iyengar (1918-2014).  Iyengar was "sickly" as a teenager and was taught yoga by his teacher and brother-in-law. Tirumalai Krishnamacharya.  Restorative yoga developed from their need to find therapeutic poses that would help Iyengar to heal and restore his health. He soon became a "star" student.   

When Iyengar was 18 years old, he began teaching yoga.  He noticed students straining to come into poses causing or amplifying existing pain and injury.  So he began using props with his students in order to support their bodies in poses which, in turn, helped his students to alleviate their symptoms of illness, injury, and stress.  While a competitive, "no pain, no gain" mentality was (and still is!) commonplace,  Iyangar developed a "no pain = gain" philosophy which is the foundation of Restorative yoga.  

The development of Restorative yoga began with Iyengar but over the years the practice has been refined and expanded by his students.  In the 1970’s, one of his students, Judith Lasater, brought the practice of Restorative yoga to the United States.  Since then the practice has grown due to her efforts and other teachers’ including Cora Wen, Sudha Carolyn Lundeen, Jillian Pransky, Roger Cole and Bo Forbes.

While the practice of yoga is over 5,000 years old, Restorative yoga is a relatively new style.  It addresses the needs of our fast-paced culture by focusing on the healing power of simply being still -- which is the heart of the practice of yoga and meditation. 

"Learning to relax is at the heart of living well ... consider your practice an experiment which you carry out with the finest instruments at your command: your body, your breath, and your mind."
Judith Lasater, PhD, PT

What is Restorative yoga?

Restorative yoga is the practice of:

• being comfortable in passive poses 
• using props to support and stabilize the body
• in order to promote relaxation and tension release.

Most people are familiar with Hatha yoga. Generally speaking, if you walk into any yoga studio, you will experience a Hatha class which includes a combination of seated and standing poses. It is an umbrella term for all physical yoga, such as vinyasa and power yoga. Hatha is meant to increase energy through active, physical poses. The poses are athletic and utilize muscle strength. Hatha students are encouraged to become comfortable with discomfort and push past mental limits. Many people equate Hatha yoga with “exercising.”

Yin yoga is the practice of going deep into passive poses and staying for several minutes to access joints, connective tissues, and bones rather than muscles. This promotes healing, mobility, and suppleness in the joints, fascia, and connective tissue. Yin yoga is thought to help the flow of energy through the body. Yin classes can be challenging because of the intensity of poses and the length of time you stay in them. Many people equate Yin yoga with “stretching.”

The goal of Restorative yoga is to experience relaxation and restoration. This means that there is very little effort of any kind during a practice. Instead, your goal is to access tranquility and peace through passive, nurturing postures. Restorative yoga uses many props, including bolsters, blankets, and eye pillows, to fully support and comfort your body. Many people equate Restorative yoga with “relaxing.”

Though Restorative and Yin yoga are similar in that passive poses are held for long periods, they have fundamentally different purposes. The main difference is that in a Restorative Yoga class the purpose is to be 100% comfortable, relaxed, and at ease. A Yin yoga class can be intense and discomfort is welcome. Both Restorative and Yin yoga cultivate stillness, meditation, and deep awareness, but they access these states in different but equally beneficial ways.

See: https://callunayoga.blogspot.com/2020/04/i-practice-yoga-why-should-i-read-about.html