Betty Reyes Yoga

Long day at work?
Tired after a big hike, standing up for a long period of time or long run? Relax into Viparita Karani (Legs Up the Wall Pose) to refresh tired legs and calm your mind.

In fact, just 10 minutes of the exercise is considered helpful to calm the nervous system and lower stress and anxiety, if any. When blood circulation increases in the body, it elevates the venous drainage, relieves tension or fatigue from the legs, feet and even the hips.

Elevating a limb, especially the legs, above the heart allows the blood to circulate back to the heart without fighting gravity. The heart still pumps blood to these extremities, but the stress on the heart is reduced. This helps to mitigate swelling and brings fresh and oxygenated blood to the limbs.

Other benefits that we can explore with this pose are:
- Activates the relaxation response (parasympathetic nervous system) and
deactivates the stress response (sympathetic nervous system)
- Helps lower or regulate blood pressure
- Calms the mind (which may help alleviate anxiety symptoms)
- Can help you wind down for bed and improve sleep
- Helps alleviate tension headaches

And remember to always be mindful!
If you feel discomfort in your lower back, come out of the pose and try coming into Legs Up a Chair, which places even less pressure on your lower back. Or positioning a folded blanket under your pelvis and back makes this pose even more comfortable. Another variation would be using a band or belt to support your legs if you want to open them up a little bit wider. Just choose your preferred one and always do what feels good to your body.

Feel free to try any of these variations and enjoy!