This summer in my house, nap time is yoga time. The best feeling in the world is listening to my “baby” sleep off his hard morning of play while I settle into my practice upstairs. Then there are the days when he skips his nap.
I go into Lucien’s room, change his diaper and offer him some water, and then it’s back in the crib to try and sleep. I head back upstairs to my yoga corner, feeling exhausted at the prospect of a long, hot afternoon with a tired toddler.
I have a few minutes to practice before giving up on the nap completely. It’s one thing to practice yoga when he’s sleeping soundly, but quite another to practice when the monitor is all lit up and red. Here’s a quick sequence* for when you’re tired, and time is short.
It should take you about 30 minutes, long enough for your baby or toddler to have a chance to fall asleep, but short enough so that you can feel refreshed and like you fit in a decent practice–even if a nap is just not happening today.
Supta Bahhda Konasana (Take a good five to ten minutes here.)
Downward dog
Sirsasana (If headstand is a regular part of your practice–no need for stress today!)
Chair Shoulder Stand
Ardha Halasana with Chair (My all time favorite nap-time pose.)
Savasana (Enjoy a long and luxurious rest once your child falls asleep.)
*Sequence inspired by one of my favorite asana books, The Woman’s Book of Yoga and Health by Linda Sparrowe and Patricia Walden
Jessica Berger Gross is the author of enLIGHTened:
How
I Lost 40 Pounds with a Yoga Mat, Fresh Pineapples, and a Beagle
Pointer (Skyhorse), she lives in Vancouver, British Columbia with
her husband and two-year-old son.
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Hi Jessica. You are right about adding headstand pose to an everyday yoga routine. We have a great free yoga video the headstand pose. It was made by Leeann Carey, my boss & an inspiring yoga teacher. I thought your readers would benefit from taking a look at this: http://planetyoga.com/yoga-blogs/index.php/free-yoga-video-headstand-pose/