Take a minute, pause, and breathe. How often do you take the time to really take care of yourself?
We get it. You've got a lot on your plate. There are bills to pay, meals to make (or get), and cleaning to do – the list goes on and on. But you must still take a little time each day to give yourself some love.
Listen to some music, read a book, connect with nature, and most importantly, do yoga.
Yoga can relieve stress and anxiety and help you cool down after a workout or a long day at work. You can do two types of yoga at home for relaxation: restorative and yin. In this post, we discuss the benefits of these two types of yoga. First, let's break them down by what they are and how they differ from each other.
What is Restorative Yoga?
This type of yoga does what it claims: relaxing and rejuvenating. Restorative yoga is a gentle type of yoga that relaxes the body and mind. The practitioner uses props to support the body to hold yoga poses for long periods, which allows for a deeper meditative state.Your heart slows down, your breathing becomes steady, and your muscles release tension.
We offer Slow & Restore classes at Synergy to help you relax and release tension. This class is for those who are beginning their practice, want to deepen their practice, or those who have been away for a while. It includes gentle movement, breathing techniques, and relaxation to help disconnect from the stressors of life. The relaxing and supportive held poses leave you feeling nourished and well-rested. All levels welcome.
What is Yin Yoga?
Yin yoga is a yoga style that targets the connective tissue in the body – the ligaments, joints, and bones. Most poses are on the floor and held for 3-5 minutes. You'll use props like blocks and blankets to fully support your body. These props help to stretch your connective tissue, allowing your body to release slowly. The connective tissues in the body integrate slowly, so you have to work them out over time.
We offer Yin Yoga classes at Synergy to help you regulate the flow of energy in the body. It is a more meditative approach with a physical focus much deeper than Yang like practices. Yin yoga is a wonderful way to maintain the flexibility of the body, to deepen the connection with the breath and train the mind to remain present through the entire practice. All levels welcome.
What is the Difference?
Restorative and Yin Yoga are similar in that they stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes relaxation. They both use props to support the body and hold the poses longer than usual, which gives the body a chance to relax and restore itself fully. And they are both suitable for all ages and levels.
However, Yin involves stretching and gently stressing targeted tissues. In contrast, Restorative yoga allows your body to heal and relax.
Benefits of Restorative and Yin Yoga
Restorative Yoga
- Reduces stress and anxiety: Deep breathing and relaxing muscles will help relieve stress and anxiety. Also, stress can cause inflammation throughout the body. Restorative yoga is a great way to ease the tension and stress in your body. This form of yoga will help you calm down and get a better night's sleep.
- Improves your well-being: Practicing restorative yoga poses will relax your back and spine, improve circulation, and promote detoxification. You will feel calm and well-being as a result.
- Helps you relax: Relaxing after a long day isn't easy, but restorative yoga makes it easy. These poses use props to support the body and hold poses for long periods. You can then focus on clearing your mind and relaxing deeply.
Yin Yoga
- Improved flexibility: You'll stretch and increase your flexibility with this type of yoga. You can perform your day-to-day activities more comfortably if you increase your range of motion.
- Improves the flow of energy in your body: Like restorative yoga, yin yoga increases the flow of energy in your body through the meridians. As a result, you will sleep better and have more energy.
- Lengthen connective tissues: This type of yoga will stretch and lengthen connective tissues in your body, like tendons and ligaments. By relaxing your muscles and ligaments, your body will recover faster after a workout.
- Boost your circulation: Yoga increases the flow of energy in your body. Since so many poses involve lying on the floor, it's easy to feel the effects of increased circulation throughout your whole body.
As you can see, Restorative and Yin yoga couldn't do more to help your body heal and relax. Both types of yoga have many physical and mental benefits. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your mat and get started today.
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