Why You Should Try Restorative Yoga

What exactly is restorative yoga? 

“Essentially, it’s a slower pace of yoga. Often referred to as restorative and yin yoga, this type of practice is complementary to more invigorating styles, such as strengthening and conditioning classes like vinyasa. In a yin or restorative class, poses are held for between three to five minutes, which helps to instil a sense of calmness and relaxation.” – Monica Ruiz, instructor at House of Wisdom and yoga & meditation teacher

“Restorative yoga is a completely different experience from most contemporary yoga. In a nutshell, prepare yourself for deep relaxation. Props are a distinguishing characteristic of this style of practice, and many of the poses in a restorative practice are on the ground, either supine or prone, where the body is supported by bolsters and blankets. It’s not uncommon to hold postures for quite some time – often up to 15 minutes, and the eyes are closed for the majority of the practice.” – Anna Ashby, teacher at Triyoga

What are the benefits?

“Restorative yoga has so many benefits. Primarily, it dampens the nervous system ‘survival’ response, promoting relaxation, which effectively shifts the metabolism to rejuvenation mode, resulting in an increased sense of wellbeing and vitality and a stronger immune system. Secondly, it recalibrates your awareness so that you become more attuned to stillness and space, and thirdly, it cultivates openness by revealing patterns of holding, blocking, or bracing, both physically and mentally, that in time can be softened and released. Living in a city can throw the nervous system off balance, and a restorative yoga class will help slow the heart rate down and allow the body and mind to fully rest.” – Anna

Exactly how does it help release tension in the body?

“These types of yoga help with your fascia, an invisible mesh that covers and goes through all body tissues, as deep as in between your cells, binding tissues together. Fascia is the network of connective tissue that surrounds and includes your muscles. This webbing is involved in musculoskeletal well-being and proprioceptive capacity (body sense, or knowing where you are in space), and it influences how signals of sensation (like pain) travel from your body to your brain. Interestingly, research shows that fascial release influences our nervous system, affecting the core of our muscles. This network is rich in sensory nerve endings, and gentle pressure on your fascia may help communicate to your nervous system that there is no longer any need for increased tension in that area.” – Monica

How does it differ to other forms of yoga like vinyasa?

“Vinyasa is a movement-led practice, which involves invigorating sequences primarily led by the breath and the movement. However, vinyasa does not allow the release in deep connective tissue and fascia that is so necessary, especially with our current lifestyles which can be draining and exhausting. Yin and restorative yoga emerge as a balsam to compensate for these stress-related activities, engaging with your sympathetic nervous system (relax and restore) while the parasympathetic (action taking) gets a chance to rest, providing a space for the whole body to heal at all levels.” – Monica 

Who should try it?

“As restorative yoga focuses on improving your natural range of motion, it’s ideal for those recovering from an injury as well as those who want to increase their capacity to recover from more intense workouts and improve performance. If you’re interested in mindfulness, then this type of yoga is definitely worth a try, too, as it often includes meditation and breathing exercises. In these softer styles of yoga you are still and very much in the moment, which in itself is a powerful mindful practice.” – Monica 

“Restorative classes are very mellow, making them a good complement to more active practices and an excellent antidote to stress. There is a common misconception that restorative yoga is only for old people – while it certainly promotes healing, recovery and longevity, this practice is for everyone. If you have a nervous system, then restorative yoga is for you. In fact, a huge part of the practice is learning how your nervous system works to be able to take proactive and specific steps to support balance.” – Anna