Blog | St. Louis Corporate Yoga

All You Wanted to Know About Corporate Yoga

Corporate yoga classes are proven to add to your business’s revenue and profits.

Offering yoga classes at the workplace has many advantages. You are welcome to browse through our site for research results and different articles on how yoga can support reaching your objectives, let it be a decrease in employee absence due to illness or a better work atmosphere.

In order to make it easier to find the information you are looking for, we put together a list of major topics with all the relevant articles gathered in one place.

Feedback from our corporate yoga students:

On our “Praise” page you will find more than 10 different video testimonials from our happy yoga students from different organizations we work with.

Plus check out the following 2 articles with more feedback:

https://stlouiscorporateyoga.com/happy-yoga-corporate-clients-about-st-louis-corporate-yoga/

https://stlouiscorporateyoga.com/st-louis-corporate-yoga-clients-feedback/

Corporate yoga program design:

It is our passion to help all companies interested in starting an on-site program to find the perfect arrangement! We believe that no two organizations are the same so their needs and possibilities vary wildly, too.

We make sure to create the most fitting program for your particular situation. The following articles give insight how we accomplish this goal:

10 reasons to get started today: https://stlouiscorporateyoga.com/10-reasons-for-a-corporate-on-site-yoga-class-started-today/

Your company’s unique needs: https://stlouiscorporateyoga.com/st-louis-corporate-yoga-design-program-fits-companys-unique-needs/

One-on-one yoga instruction for executives: https://stlouiscorporateyoga.com/how-about-one-to-one-yoga-private-for-top-executives/

Benefits of yoga in any organizations:

There is much to be said about the benefits your company and employees will reap as a result of yoga wellness initiatives. We gathered 5 of our most important articles on this subject here:

Yin yoga for corporate: https://stlouiscorporateyoga.com/how-can-yin-yoga-help-benefit-corporate-yoga-classes/

Stronger bonds among employees: https://stlouiscorporateyoga.com/yoga-in-the-workplace-produces-stronger-bonds/

Yoga benefits St. Louis companies: https://stlouiscorporateyoga.com/st-louis-corporate-yoga-benefits-st-louis-corporations/

Finding balance: https://stlouiscorporateyoga.com/reigniting-balance-in-our-work-life-with-yoga/

High energy, positive results: https://stlouiscorporateyoga.com/yoga-natural-high-energy-positive-successful-life-results/

Specific health conditions and yoga:

Many symptoms and even full blown health conditions could be partly remedied with including yoga in your life. We selected 5 articles that will give you interesting insights and practical suggestions!

Eye strain, tired eyes: https://stlouiscorporateyoga.com/eye-strain-remedies/

Diabetes: https://stlouiscorporateyoga.com/diabetes-and-yoga/

Sitting as a silent killer: https://stlouiscorporateyoga.com/sitting-is-silently-killing-you/

Better sleep: https://stlouiscorporateyoga.com/sweet-sleep-for-increased-productivity/

More energy: https://stlouiscorporateyoga.com/need-more-energy/

Important: We advise to consult your doctor before beginning yoga if you suffer from health issues! Please let your yoga teacher know about any health conditions you have so she/he can help you enjoy yoga without any risks.

We understand that you will have very concrete questions about how to integrate corporate yoga offerings into the employee benefits structure of your organization. We would like to invite you to a complimentary consultation so that you have the best chance to have all your questions answered. It is easy to set up a consult with us! Simply call us at 314-630-1677 or email to info at claytonyoga.com to schedule your session.

We are happy to meet you at your offices, of course to save you precious time.

Please ask about our latest corporate yoga case study! The results speak for themselves and we cannot wait to share them with you.

Eye Strain Remedies

Have you ever counted how many hours per day you spend in front of computers? Or any other screens for that matter? It is not just computer monitors stressing our eyeballs… it is your smart phone, iPad, and any other handheld device you use regularly.

With all the screen time, most people began suffering from the consequences. Itchy eyes, tearing, blurred vision and even headaches – this is the price we pay for too much time in front of these devices.

Let us give a few very simple eye “exercises” that will remedy the situation. The best part you can do these at your desk, you don’t even have to wait for your company yoga class.

Most of the time when looking at screen, you focus on things directly in front of you. This puts a lot of strain on your eye muscles. Just think about it: your eyes are designed for both long distance and short distance use.

When was the last time you actually gazed into to distance? Urban living and office work cuts back on the opportunity for this. No wonder it is so easy to lose sight of “the bigger picture” in our lives.

Why don’t you look at the clouds for a minute or two? Try to focus on the clouds one by one. Look behind them. If there is no cloud on the sky, concentrate on “dipping” your eyes into the blue of the sky. You prefer trees or sky-scraper? No problem. Pick an object that requires you to look into the distance.

Your eye muscles need some exercise, too. Those muscles help you focus and keeping them flexible might improve your sight and keep your eyes healthy.

Let’s get back to the cloud or skyscraper you were gazing at in the last exercise. Now try to move your eyes around the edges of the object. Use your eyes as a paint brush or pencil and paint/draw the edges of the cloud. You don’t have to draw every tiny edge, though. If you look at a tree, your draw the trunk and an outline of the crown – this will give your eye muscles the necessary workout.

Go ahead, roll your eyes! Slowly circle your eyes around an imaginary clock. Make the movement smooth and slow in a clockwise direction a few times. Then repeat in the counterclockwise direction, too. Breathe in deeply and exhale twice as long during this exercise.

When exercising your eye muscles, speed is not desirable. You might get dizzy as a result. Take your time and rather do only 1 repetition than rushing to do 4.

It is best to practice these easy to do eye-loving movements every day. It takes only a few minutes at most and your eyes will thank you for it.

An extra tip: when looking on the clouds, get your creativity going. Try to come up with names for the clouds on the basis of how they look. Create a short story. Do you see any images, even faces? After taking a few minutes of creative gazing, you come back refreshed to your projects. Don’t be surprised if you find a few extraordinary solutions…
Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos

Office Yoga Poses of the Month – Shoulder Openers

We understand it is not always possible to get to your yoga class with more and more work piled up on the desk. That is why we bring to you our monthly blogpost with easy to follow in the office or at home stretches.

This month, we wish to feature shoulder openers. All of us carry a great deal of tension in our upper back, shoulders and even arms.

Practicing shoulder openers will diminish tension headaches, fatigue and provide the brain with a much needed boost of oxygen. This will then help release tension converting it back into its natural state or vitality. With new energy, you will be able to tackle new projects and have more creative ideas.

SHOULDER OPENING YOGA POSTURES 101

1) Right now in your chair, bring your hands interlaced and above your head. Take 8-10 breaths and feel that stretch through your thorasic and upper back muscles.

2) For the second pose, bring one hand around the opposite elbow and pull that over the crown of the head, stretching the tricep muscles of the arm. Again, hold the posture for 8-10 breaths. Change sides.

3) For the third and best yoga pose in the office place, stand next to the office chair and interlace your hands behind you. Stretch downward through the arms and the hands. Keep rolling open the collarbones and feel the top of the chest open, the key is to soften the rib cage down and back and feel the top of your chest opening like ‘Superman’ with the collarbones smiling big and bright.

4) From a seated position, lift the arms out to the sides and above the head, palms touching. Exhale slowly to the count of 5 and bring the arms back down.

Some other suggestions for inviting yourself to practice include an at home practice too. Create a sacred part of your house where it is solely dedicated to quiet time. Quiet the distractions and light soft candles, or tea lights throughout your home. Play soft music, and clear away any clutter.

Navigating our way back to compassion and spirit requires us to stay grounded. Yoga is a system of tools designed to bring our fragmented selves back into wholeness and balance.

The interesting thing about being grounded, is that your empathy and team building skills go through the roof.

The most important step in yoga is to try. If you do not practice, you will not receive benefits. Secondly, give yourself space to be gentle and learn from the different postures and techniques. Every single yogi begins their practice with resistance and tension in the body. Be gentle as you bump up against your edges.

Your company doesn’t have yet a corporate yoga program? Let us help you create a unique program for you! Please call us at 314-630-1677.

How About One to One Yoga Private For Top Executives?

Did you know that St. Louis Corporate Yoga in addition to offering 11 weekly corporate yoga on-site classes also offers fantastic one on one yoga instruction to top level corporate executives and company team managers?

Our yoga on-site privates are very affordable and take place within the setting of your company. The total cost includes sales tax, driving time and all handouts and is offered as a bonus package for companies that are promoting St. Louis Corporate Yoga classes at their workplace.

There are times when a company president or manager would prefer to practice outside the company of their work colleagues. Yoga postures are designed to open the meridians or energy centers, to help students to play their edge, wake up life force power, and feel empowered, calm and more peaceful throughout the day.

One to one personal yoga consultations offer a great way to work out and improve one’s nutritional and wellness lifestyle. Every week, we bring handouts and yoga sequences designed specifically for your body type and what your workout routine needs. For personal training and yoga combined, the price is also very affordable. St. Louis Corporate Yoga enjoys adding these bonus features to our already highly successful and very popular onsite yoga programs.

Typically, our yoga sessions run for 45-60 minutes. This gives special clients the opportunity to ask questions to better help tailor their practice to meet their own individual needs and provide them with optimal support and encouragement. Then we offer a variety of modifications and adjustments to learning challenging and advanced postures. Working one to one is an excellent idea and no matter where the client begins, we often see tremendous results happen quickly.

Greg Christoffel, a long time corporate private one to one client with St. Louis Corporate Yoga says “Yoga is difficult. Needing time and support to better understand it all, yoga privates have given me the confidence and motivation to take better care of my unique body needs, inspire an ongoing diet that works great, improve my overall sleep, and let myself receive uplifting resources, yoga music, sequences to feel great.”

We supply specific take home sequences designed to address specific needs of the client such as too much anxiety, depression or fatigue. Many times, in a one to one session, the client is able to open up more quickly and learn about their own particular body.

Clients feel most comfortable to ask many types of questions and will receive answers directly related to their next step or level. This informal environment offers maximum guidance and support and great tips to encourage an at home and office practice to enjoy yoga throughout the week and encourage individuals who are beginners, and not wanting the burden of having other work colleagues distract them.

To book your private one to one yoga appointment, please contact Michelle at 314-630-1677 or go to our email at info@claytonyoga.com! Let us help create a unique private yoga class that will support you in your personal empowerment to relieve stress and feel great today!

St. Louis Corporate Yoga Clients Feedback

Presenting corporate yoga programs for over ten years, St. Louis Corporate Yoga now teaches 11 corporate yoga classes each week and offers several more private yoga classes to top company executives too.

The top benefits for having on-site yoga classes is the convenience, the team building, fun and challenging movements and the incredible vitality and energy clients feel throughout the day.

The reason yoga is so successful is its emphasis on the breath. Poor breathing is the cause of much tension, stress, exhaustion and anxiety. And even more importantly to understand, poor breathing is an epidemic bad habit in today’s society.

Our yoga instructors will guide clients to learn how to practice yogic breathing. This deeper breathing will allow for greater circulation with less work, less stress on the heart, improving the overall cardiovascular system and enhancing ability, comfort and awareness in difficult situations.

Here is what several of our corporate clients had to say:

“I can handle the daily problems and hassles better and I have a new variety of positions or movements from yoga to help alleviate my back pain. Many of these I can do during the day, even in my office. I highly recommend Michelle’s class and have so to many friends.” Tom Hinton

“Yoga has improved my overall health and attitude personally and professionally. I am stronger, calmer and more focused. I recently participated in the biometric screenings and ALL of my numbers were great.” Natalie Warren

“Yoga has helped me reduce stress and tension. My balance has improved as I am getting older. The breathing aspect has helped me to quit smoking.” Donna Boeger

St. Louis Corporate Yoga offers a variety of levels in each yoga class. No matter what background and level of ability, every yoga client is encouraged to join and attend class. Because the emphasis is on how you feel and not how you look, St. Louis Corporate Yoga motivates and empowers everyone to be their own personal best. When we are true to our heart, the world bends to support us. Authenticity comes from the soul, not from the ego.

More and more companies are seeing the direct benefits of offering company yoga to their employees. Insurance premiums are lower. Employees report heightened satisfaction at work. In just a few short weeks, clients report greater inner strength, motivation and sense of purpose.

At St. Louis Corporate Yoga, we truly believe that everyone can practice yoga. And that once we find the support is there, we change the way we look at things, and with that newfound perspective, everything in life naturally follows. It is true that life is simply a stretch!

For more information about St. Louis Corporate Yoga, please contact us at 314-630-1677 or email us info@claytonyoga.com. Also to view more corporate yoga video testimonials about this program, please click this link here: http://claytonyoga.com/corporate-yoga/

Yoga = Natural High Energy = Positive Successful Life Results

Yogi’s have known for a long time that our energy levels can facilitiate enlightenment. We have the ability to boost our own levels of energy. The key to increasing our energy is to focus on the inside in a loving and positive manner. Each of us according to the Tibetans is a piece of the divine energy.

Ways to increase our energy are:

Daily exercise
Eating alkaline-non-processed, non-dairy foods
Breathing deeply increasing oxygen rich blood back to our cells
Sleeping well consistently
Focusing on Gratitude and counting those blessings throughout the day
Develop wisdom that our weakness can often become our greatest ally
Letting go of judgment and remembering to value our intuition
Writing in a Journal
Making time for a Friend
Pray every morning you wake up

In everyday life, with all modern day complexities and lack of time, it is difficult to remain true to one’s own inner heart. Yoga trains the mind through stretching to dig deeper, to look on the inside, and find hidden treasures. Moments that we feel deep inner stillness can offer profound awakenings. We discover that although there are weaknesses or cravings, we can notice and not take the bait. Just like an underwater sea diver looking for beautiful coral at the bottom of the ocean, our soul is also searching to develop and heal.

The Buddha taught us that all life is change, temporal and fleeting. When we attach to outcome and cling, we suffer. When we let go, and let good, we allow life back in and we become luminous like a star in the night time sky. And in the words of Saint Francis d’ Assisi I wish to seek not so much to be understood, as to understand.

The Shinto Buddists do not meditate as much as they emphasize gratitude. Through one’s awareness, we come to understand we are never alone, that everything is interdependent. At my new corporate workplace, because of the constant efforts of my employer, the students who sign up, the room coordinator and the cleaning lady, we are able to enjoy a great yoga class.

Being a professional tennis player taught me that having things in itself is an empty experience. More important than things, is being able to feel confident in one’s inner nature, to have a gift, to share, to inspire, and motivate pioneering new ways of living peacefully and collectively on this planet. Now that is one great yoga pose. Being willingness to listen and grow from another, have an open mind and a courageous heart all these qualities keeps us energized and young.

Having too many struggles with people, lawsuits, adversity, and bad energy is extremely taxing to our energy body. Prolonged tension can lead to energy depletion, a cranky mood, and irritability with our friends or much worse, dis-ease in the body.

In order to make the jump into a new paradigm, the desire must come from within. If we are filling our holes or insecurity with a ‘quick fix’, that won’t do. Before we embark upon the change for self-improvement, we must get clear as to why we wish to change.

Are we motivated by joy or by guilt? Our deeper reasons for action provide us with how we shape our tomorrow. Use your breath every day, witness your energy levels when they lower, and do not panic. You newfound muscle of awareness will provide you with objectivity, neutrality and great inner strength. Once you can bow to your inner critic, your tapestry of love will expand into the light and finding deeper meaning and purpose in life again…

How Can Yin Yoga Help Benefit Corporate Yoga Classes?

Yin Yoga is a unique style of yoga that emphasizes relaxation while promoting optimal mind-body functioning. The emphasis is on holding poses for long periods of time while relaxing the muscles of the body.

Up until recently, doctors believed that it was not wise to put pressure or to exercise the joints, believing joints would only wear out. Yin is comprised of weight bearing postures placed on the joints. This opens the deep connective tissue and strengthens our joints. Yin Yoga postures work the deepest layers of tension often located from the top of the knee to base of rib cage. Movement in upper back or head can be kept relaxed and at ease.

Although traditional western medicine has been skeptical about the existence of energy pathways, according to Chinese medicine there has been a great deal of research proving the beneficial flow of ‘chi‘ or energy throughout our meridians.

The connective tissue of our body throughout our body act as a conduit for the flow of energy through the meridians. By activating the connective tissues it may be possible to directly stimulate the meridians and this can profoundly affect health in a positive way.

Yin Yoga is very similar to acupuncture and works with the meridians or energy lines of our body. Additionally, placing our body into particular postures sends electrical currents back to the internal organs which in turn help to promote overall long term health and healing.

For the self-aware practitioner, this can provide another aspect of practice where by specific postures are selected to support the health of particular organs or to even rebalance disruptive emotional states. For example in traditional Chinese medicine, the health of the liver and gallbladder is associated with emotions such as anger and frustration. By practicing yin yoga poses such as swan and dragonfly the flow of energy through the liver and gallbladder meridians can be enhanced and the practitioner may find relief from these imbalances.

Yin Yoga can also challenge yoga practitioners in a unique way whereby the long hold times can often produce a sense of ease with what is uncomfortable. Yin Yoga can foster an increased awareness of the deeper aspects of our selves as they rise to the surface to be confronted.

Yin Yoga allows us to draw our attention towards the internal phenomenon within us so that we are able to come closer to maintaining awareness of the subtle flow of energy. We may become awakened to the way we store tensions within the body and as we release the physical pressure, we allow and let go of the cellular memories and can gain access to an enhanced sense of clarity.

This facet of the yin practice, is especially useful for those who sit all day at their desk. In addition to the sense of quietude that can be experienced during a Yin Yoga session, these wonderful postures can also result in quite intense and illuminating occurrences that are invaluable for those seeking personal and spiritual growth.

Let’s create a unique yoga program for your company’s individual needs, please contact us at info@claytonyoga.com or 314-630-1677.

Need More Energy?

Late winter is the time that many people complain about having very little energy to go through the day. No wonder … after the winter, our bodies are depleted and usually low on some vitamins and minerals. And we all feel the impact… some days seem to drag on for too long, we don’t feel productive at all and struggling with taking action. Getting stuff done seems to be just wishful thinking on some days.

A few easy tips to increase your energy in the spring time:

Go outside, walk and breath in the spring air! Go on a walk during your lunch hour instead of shopping. Stop and look at the beauty of spring, breathe in the smell of new life. Feast your eyes on the energizing colors around you.
Pay attention that you get enough sleep. You might need a bit more at this time of the year so try to get at least 7 hours of sleep every day. If you feel very tired and under pressure but have to finish a project, it might make more sense to get some zzzzzz before you attempt to continue working. Yes, this sounds counter intuitive as you feel that you are losing valuable time, but you can abuse your body only to a certain extent….
Let citrus fruits brighten your day. Sniffing at oranges or lemons will make you more alert. Of course eat them, too. Let the peel sit on your desk for a continued dose of lingering scent.
Elevate your mood with essential oils. With low energy levels, the chance to feel depressed, hopeless and inactive grows. Turn to pure scents to gently increase your capacity for joy. Peppermint, rosemary, basil, pink grapefruit, orange, ginger, lemon and lemongrass are just a few of the natural oils that can work wonders for your mood.
Enjoy a handful of raw nuts every day. Cashews, almonds and hazelnuts… full with magnesium goodness will help you get an energy boost without the sugar.
Add color to your life for a better mood. Yellow, orange, red, vibrant blue and green – colors influence our lives. Leave those dark winter colors behind and let your home and office get a makeover. Just adding a few strong accents of color will have a huge impact on your energy levels.
Feeling dead tired? You might be dehydrated without even noticing it. To really understand how much water you drink, get a water bottle, fill it up and keep track of how many bottles you finish per day. Most people get less water than they need to function properly. Your brain needs water so if you need your brain working properly… go and get a glass of water now.
Begin practicing yoga! If you are lucky to have on-site yoga classes at your company, definitely take advantage of those. No corporate yoga classes yet at your workplace? St. Louis Corporate Yoga can help your company to build the best yoga course for your colleagues and employees. All you need to do is to connect with us through our contact page or give us a call at 314-630-1677.

Let’s get you energized!

Diabetes and Yoga

Prevalence Of Diabetes And Pre-Diabetes In The United States, 2007

Did you know that more than 8% of the total population of the US suffers now from diabetes? And this number is consistently growing: just in 2010 1,9 million people were newly diagnosed with this condition according to the American Diabetes Association’s 2011 National Diabetes Fact Sheet (released Jan. 26, 2011 Source: http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/diabetes-statistics/). There are estimated 79 million people who are in the pre-stages of diabetes.

How many of your employees are suffering from this new epidemic or are in the pre-diabetes phase? And what is the impact on your organization as a result?

The costs of diabetes are horrendous for our society. Not just the economic burden we suffer as a result if this disease. We should not forget about the consequences of loss in quality of life for all the sufferers and their families.

Some of the most serious complications as a result of diabetes are:

heart disease and stroke
high blood pressure
blindness
kidney disease
nervous system disease (Neuropathy)
and amputations.

Here are the shocking facts about the real cost of diabetes for the US economy:

“New research provides revised comprehensive estimates that suggest that the U.S. national economic burden of pre-diabetes and diabetes reached $218 billion in 2007. This estimate includes $153 billion in higher medical costs and $65 billion in reduced productivity. The average annual cost per case is $2,864 for undiagnosed diabetes, $9,975 for diagnosed diabetes ($9,677 for type 2 and $14,856 for type 1), and $443 for pre-diabetes (medical costs only). For each American, regardless of diabetes status, this burden represents a cost of approximately $700 annually.”

Source: http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/29/2/297.short

The above research results urge all of us to search for understanding of how to prevent and treat this new epidemic and reduce its economic toll.

Can yoga help in managing diabetes and decrease the debilitating health conditions as a result of diabetes?

We see growing evidence that yoga may positively influence the health of our yoga students with or without a diabetes condition. Some of our clients report lower blood sugar levels and a higher awareness for healthy lifestyle choices.

We found a research study critically reviewing published research around diabetes and yoga done by Kim E. Innes and Heather K. Vincent at the Center for the Study of Complementary and Alternative Therapies and Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Virginia Health Systems, Charlottesville, VA, USA.

Here is the summary of this research:

“In summary, a growing number of studies suggest that yoga may improve indices of risk in adults with type 2 diabetes, including glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, lipid profiles, anthropometric characteristics and blood pressure. Limited data also indicate that yoga may reduce oxidative damage, improve coagulation profiles and pulmonary function, and decrease sympathetic activation in adults with diabetes and related chronic disorders. Yoga may also be useful in reducing medication requirements in patients with diabetes and could help prevent and manage cardiovascular complications in this population.”

Source: The influence of yoga-based programs on risk profiles in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review. http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2176136

Besides reporting very promising facts about the use of yoga in diabetes therapy, it also calls for more “rigorous studies … to clarify the effects of specific yoga therapies on measures of DM 2 risk and related clinical outcomes, especially in American and other Western populations that remain underrepresented in existing research.”

Our St. Louis Corporate Yoga program introduces a gentle Vinyasa yoga practice that emphasizes the importance of the body-mind connection. Offering on-site yoga classes once or twice a week for your employees will increase their health consciousness and can result in better diabetes management for those who suffer from this condition.

If this article piqued your interest, please call us at 314-630-1677 to get more information how we can help your employees stay healthier longer!

The graphics above “Prevalence Of Diabetes And Pre-Diabetes In The United States, 2007” are from: http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/29/2/297/F1.expansion.html

Content sources for this article:

www.Diabetes.org

http://content.healthaffairs.org/

http://europepmc.org

Sweet Sleep For Increased Productivity

Lack of sleep has a major impact on productivity. It is difficult to function 100% and keep your focus when you haven’t slept enough. We all know the leady tiredness after a night that didn’t bring enough sleep.

Sixty million Americans have occasional sleep issues. Just imagine how many of your employees might suffer from the consequences of sleep problems!

“At least 40 million Americans each year suffer from chronic, long-term sleep disorders each year, and an additional 20 million experience occasional sleeping problems. These disorders and the resulting sleep deprivation interfere with work, driving, and social activities. They also account for an estimated $16 billion in medical costs each year, while the indirect costs due to lost productivity and other factors are probably much greater. Doctors have described more than 70 sleep disorders, most of which can be managed effectively once they are correctly diagnosed.”

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/brain_basics/understanding_sleep.htm#sleep_disorders

Insomnia, the most common sleep problem affects more than half of all adults in the United States. Sleeplessness means the inability to fall asleep or to stay asleep as long as one desires.

Would you like to know if you suffer from this condition?

Do you have difficulty falling asleep? Does it take longer than 20 minutes to fall asleep?
Do you wake up during the night and cannot go back to sleep?

If you answered yes to those questions, you might well be suffering from insomnia.

Most often you get a prescription for sleeping pills in order to deal with your sleeping problems. But do they help? Taking sleeping pills might get addictive fast, robbing you the ability to fall asleep without the pills.

Fortunately there are ways to ensure that you can fall asleep fast and easy even after a stressful day.

How practicing yoga will lead to better sleep

Sometimes people are just too tired to fall asleep. This might sound as illogical but true. You need to relax in order to be able to fall asleep.

If you are tired before your bedtime, doing restorative poses and breathing will help. Practice for a few minutes – even 5 minutes will make a difference – until you feel more relaxed and then go to bed.
Doing yoga breathing slows down your heartbeat and helps you relax. One of the easiest breathing exercises that you can do anytime and especially beneficial before sleep is this: Inhale to the count of 3, exhale to the count of 6. Important thing is to exhale twice as long as you inhale. Breathe through the nose. You can increase the count to 4+8 or even 5+10 as you get more advanced.
Try progressive muscle tensing and relaxing when you lie in bed. Lie down comfortable in the Savasana pose. From your toes up tense and relax your body parts. It takes only a few minutes and will raise your awareness for your body. If you need help, there are audios available as mp3s or CDs to learn this method.

During our corporate yoga classes we pay special attention to breathing and restorative poses. What you learn during those classes, you will be able to use in any situation. Plus if you have any special questions, your yoga instructor can give you expert advice. Or even put together a special yoga sequence just for you!

We would love to show you how St. Louis Corporate Yoga can help to increase productivity in your organization! Give us a call at 314-630-1677 for a consultation if you are interested to learn about our company yoga programs!