5 Yoga Poses to Promote Sleep and Combat Insomnia

It's 1 a.m. and you are awake. Your mind is racing, your body can't seem to get comfortable and you have to wake up in 5 hours...sound familiar? Don't worry, you're not alone. Instead of staying in bed praying to every possible Hindu god you can recall for sleep to come, roll out your mat and practice these 5 calming yoga poses to help lull you back to sleep.

Cat/Cow

Come into table top position (hands and knees on the floor). Close your eyes. Inhale, arch your back as your head gently tilts upward towards the ceiling.  Exhale, round your back, tucking your chin and pelvis as your spread across your shoulder blades. Repeat for 10 breaths.

Benefits: Gently massages the spine and belly organs.

Child's Pose (Balasana)

From table top, widen the knees and bring the toes together as you slowly lower the hips down towards the heals.* Stretch the arms out in front resting the elbows on the floor. Stay here for 1-3 minutes.

* For tight hips or sensitive knees, place a folded blanket behind the knees or a block between the feet.

Benefits: Calms the mind and helps relieve stress and fatigue.

Head to Knee Forward Bend (Janu Sirsasana)

Come to seated with both legs out in front. Draw your right knee in and fold open to the side. Place both hands on either side of the left leg. On your inhale, lift and twist the upper body towards the left foot, on your exhale; slowly fold forward at your hip joints. Stay here for 1-3 minutes and then switch sides.

* For tighter hamstring, come to seated on a blanket for this pose.

Benefits: Calms the mind and helps relieve mild depression, anxiety, fatigue, headache and menstrual discomfort.

Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)

For this calming pose, you can flip around in bed and extend the legs up the wall, or find some empty wall space in your room. Come to seated on the floor with your knees in and your right side against the wall. On your next exhale, slowly slide the upper body to the floor pivoting the legs so they rest against the wall with the bottoms of the feet facing the ceiling (see image above). Sit bones should be against the wall (if comfortable). For added comfort under the hips, press the heels into the wall to lift the hips and place a blanket underneath. Stay here for 3-5 minutes.

Benefits: Calms the mind and eases anxiety and reduces stress.

Corpse Pose (Savasana)

If you're not there already, make your way back to your bed and lay down on your back. Spread your feet a little wider than hip distance apart and slide your arms a few inches from your body, palms facing up. Close your eyes and allow your breath to be soft and natural. Slowly begin to work your attention up your body, relaxing each muscle from the tips of your toes all the way to the top of your head, ultimately allowing your body to slowly melt into the bed. Stay for 5-10 minutes, or until you fall asleep.

Benefits: Calms the mind and relaxes the body. Also helps relieve stress, mild depression, headache, fatigue, and insomnia.

For added relaxation, here is a great Guided Yoga Nidra Audio from Yoga Journal to put on when you are finished with your poses and laying in Savasana.

MYF and New Workshop Schedule

In preparation for our big event this weekend at the first ever Maine Yoga Festival, Jade Integrated Health has added an array of new workshops all starting up late summer and into the fall!  Offerings range from our popular Parent & Child yoga/massage workshop to advanced workshops for instructors to brush up on Anatomy, as well as Arm Balance Integration.  We didn’t forget about our students who love to keep it simple either! Check out our new workshops here and see why yoga at Jade Integrated Health is different…..

• Small classes/workshops
• Experienced Instructors
• Therapeutic Focus

See you in the fall!

Jade Integrated Health

New and Improved Yoga Classes

We've expanded our offering of yoga classes, with new drop-in times that don't require any pre-registration and a FREE week of yoga to celebrate our move, as well as National Yoga Month. From September 24-28th, we'll be offering free yoga classes. Check out our schedule.

All Levels Yoga Drop-In: A class that's great for a variety of levels. Whether you're just getting started, getting back into the game, or are a seasoned pro, you can receive one-on-one attention from teachers and move at your own pace.

Gentle Yoga:

A class that emphasizes the mind-body connection, while gently taking you through a variety of poses. Great for lower back pain.

Hatha Yoga:

Focus on flow, strength, endurance and range of motion in this class designed for practitioners already familiar with basic yoga poses.

Mommy and Baby Fitness:

A great class for new mothers looking to get active again in a dynamic way that gets baby in on the fun, too! Great for all levels of experience.

Mommy Baby Yoga:
An intimate class for women and their infants with lots of individualized attention as you learn great poses for postpartum recovery and enjoy a serene space to bond with your newborn.

Pilates:

Master the fundamentals of mat Pilates from basic to intermediate exercises, getting a total body workout as you learn.

Prenatal Flow Yoga:

Pregnancy doesn't mean you have to stop your practice! Prenatal yoga helps you stay active in a safe way that caters to the needs of your changing body.

Prenatal Yoga:
Another great class for expectant mothers that focuses on strength and flexibility, improving circulation, aiding digestion, exercising the spine and increasing overall comfort during pregnancy.  

Yoga flow:

Follow creative sequences that will keep your body and mind engaged,build endurance, strength, and flexibility with exercises that promote balance and relaxation.

Yoga for Athletes:
A great way to recover or prepare for any athletic event. Increase your core-strength, balance, flexibility and recovery time as you decrease your risk for injury with these specially targeted poses.

Yoga for Guys: Boost your energy, alleviate sore muscles, and reduce your chance of injury with this class especially designed for physically-active guys. A great way to reduce post-work stress!  

Yamuna Body Rolling:

Optimize all your body's functions while you improve your balance, alignment and posture. A terrific way to tone and elongate muscle as your work to recover from or to prevent injury from other physical activity.

Picking the Perfect Yoga Class

There is a common thread throughout the yoga classes offered at Jade Integrated Health: Bringing awareness to your breath and physical body, exploring yoga postures appropriate to your individual needs, balancing strength and flexibility, and concluding with a final relaxation. These are components of all yoga classes; however, they are also tailored to meet more specific needs. Depending on your previous experience with yoga and your desired benefits, some classes may be more suitable than others.

Here’s how to determine which class which best suits you:

• Gentle Yoga is the class for you if you’re new to yoga, looking to ease your way into the practice and explore the mind-body connection.

• Hatha Yoga is the class for you if you have some experience with yoga, and are looking to deepen your physical practice.

• Yoga for Guys is a class for men who are looking to learn yoga in an unintimidating environment with other men. It is a great class for beginners and experienced practitioners who wish to find balance in their approach to strength and flexibility.

• Yoga for Athletes is a class designed for athletes looking to improve performance and reduce the risk of injury, and will address the areas in the body that tend to be tight from activity.

• AcroYogaMTL is a playful class where you’ll work with a partner exploring yoga concepts and partner acrobatics.

• Prenatal Yoga is a class for expecting women at any stage of their pregnancy. Postures may be modified based on your individual needs and the trimester you are in. Classes are designed based on the needs and requests of the class, including energizing and restorative postures and various breathing techniques.

• Prenatal Flow Yoga is a class for expecting women who may have some experience of yoga and wish to transition into a prenatal yoga class that will include standing and energizing positions.

• Yamuna Body Rolling is a class for everyone! Anyone interested in removing as many physical restrictions in the body as possible will benefit from Body Rolling.

Each weekday class runs on a 7-week series. Please call to register. 773-5778

Happy picking! We hope to see your friendly faces in class.

Yamuna Workshop March 3rd – “Balancing the Lower Body”

Balancing the Lower Body
Saturday March 3rd 3:45-5:45 p.m.

In this workshop we will work to free the muscle groups of the legs to establish proper balance, alignment, tone, and length of muscles from the pelvis down through the feet. Whether you perform a particular sport or general fitness workout, or simply carries on daily life, leg and foot holding patterns become established. Everyone needs to free their leg patterns to establish healthier and better alignment of the whole torso and to prevent injuries.

Registration Required
Please call 773-5778

Yamuna Workshop March 3rd – “Balancing the Upper Body”

Balancing the Upper Body
Saturday March 3rd 1:30-3:30 p.m.

We will explore elongating both the posterior and anterior muscles of the torso. We'll practice routines to free the hip joints, rib cage, chest and shoulders, resulting in a longer more relaxed body. If you work at a computer, tend to sit a lot, drive frequently, or experience tension in you neck, shoulders and upper back this is the workshop for you!

Registration Required
Please call 773-5778

Yamuna Workshop Feb 4th – “Leg Attachments” Workshop

Please join us for our next workshop on Saturday afternoon.

Yamuna Body Rolling is a unique approach to health and fitness that helps people feel better, move more freely, gain strength, and eliminate pain.  Specially designed balls will; increase muscle length, create joint mobility, promote healing of injuries, tone muscles, energize nerve roots and vital organs, dislodge tension and discomfort, enhance blood flow, and stimulate bone.  Carefully planned routines match the body's own logic and order to re-educate one's innate body awareness.

"Leg Attachments" Workshop

In this workshop we will work to free the muscle groups of the legs to establish proper balance, alignment, tone, and length of muscles from the pelvis down through the feet.  Whether you perform a particular sport or general fitness workout, or simply carries on daily life, leg and foot holding patterns become established.  Everyone needs to free their leg patterns to establish healthier and better alignment of the whole torso and to prevent injuries.

Saturday February 4th
Session #1 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Session #2 3:45pm - 5:45pm

Registration Required: 773-5778
Cost: $30

Expanded Studio Space!

If you have yet to try a yoga class at Jade Integrated Health and are interested in receiving individualized attention in a gentle yoga class aimed to optimize your health and well-being, then please come on Friday December 9th 5-6 p.m.

AcroYoga Workshop: Come play and feel empowered

Please join us for our next workshop on Saturday December 10th. AcroYogaMT teaches how to coordinate yoga concepts with a partner and moving into partner acrobatics. With an elegant blend of acrobatics, yoga, and creativity from other movement arts, this practice is all about building communication and bonds of trust.

Our workshop provides a safe and playful environment to develop body awareness, strength, and flexibility. AcroYogaMT involves partners acting as a "base" and "flier". The base offers stability, grounding and support during the yoga pose while the flier moves in a series of dynamic positions. No yoga or acrobatic experience is required and you do not need to bring your own partner.

After enjoying this sampler of the many elements of the practice you will have first-hand experience of what makes up AcroYogaMT. Emphasis will be placed on communication, safety, and FUN!

Come play and feel empowered.

Saturday December 10th 10am - 12pm

Registration Required

Cost: $50

www.acroyoga.com

The next 7 week series is starting soon. Check this link for dates.

Yamuna Body Rolling

Yamuna Body Rolling is a great way to compliment any sport or physical activity that you love, by toning and elongating muscles, improving alignment and circulation, increasing core strength and metabolism, relaxing the nervous system, and increasing body awareness.

Yamuna Body Rolling begins with bone stimulation and systematically works muscles from origin toward insertion to lengthen and realign the body freeing fascia and other structural restriction to ultimately increase range of motion, improve posture and prevent injury.  The ultimate goal of practicing Yamuna Body Rolling is to remove as many physical restrictions from the body as possible, so that all body parts function as optimally as possible.   You can continue to enjoy running 5k races, playing with your kids, gardening, golfing or whatever you enjoy.

The next 7 week series is starting soon. Check this link for dates.

Hatha Yoga

This class is geared toward individuals experienced with basic yoga poses. In this Hatha yoga class, you can expect to enjoy movement with limited instruction and consistent flow. The essence of yoga is being alive... to breathe, relax, feel, watch and allow. Hatha yoga emphasizes methods of practicing yoga postures (asanas) and energetic breathing exercises (pranayamas) for physical health and well-being. Ha means "Sun" and tha means "moon."

In this class, we will balance the sun and moon energies of the physical body. We will explore deepening the breath, allowing the body to find a natural rhythm through connecting the breath with movement. True strength, endurance, and range of motion are developed incrementally and gradually, not by force. The mind-body connection will be emphasized in this class, where we will practice energizing as well as restorative yoga postures. Learn to listen to your body's needs and to respect its limitations. Experience how the subtle power of yoga works with all aspects of your being- physical, psychological, and spiritual.

The next 7 week series is starting soon. Check this link for dates.

Yoga For Athletes

Yoga for athletes is a small group class designed specifically to meet the needs of active individuals.  It is led by Heather, a certified yoga instructor and licensed physical therapist who is an avid runner, cyclist and snowboarder with a background in team sports.  She understands the specific demands of athletic endeavors as well as common imbalances and injuries in athletes.

Yoga for athletes is designed to maximize athletic performance by balancing flexibility, strength, stability and endurance.  This class can help you recover from injury - or better yet, prevent it! It can also enhance awareness of and connection to your own body.  Yoga for athletes is designed for athletes of all abilities, no previous yoga experience necessary! 

Experience support with:

· Flexibility
· Lung Capacity
· Core Strength
· Endurance
· Alignment
· Prevent or recover from injury

Casual and relaxed clothing recommended.  Wear a T-Shirt, Shorts, or Sweats that allow you to stretch comfortably.

The next 7 week series is starting soon. Check this link for dates.

Mommy and Baby Yoga

This class is designed for post-partum women who want to attend yoga with their infant. It's limited to four women with their babies to provide individual attention and the opportunity for bonding between mother and baby.

This class will help support your efforts to recover from childbirth, rebuild core strength, and teach you how to incorporate exercise, stretching and relaxation into playful time with your baby.  Special attention is placed on developing core strength and stability, involving a particular emphasis on strengthening the back, abdomen, and pelvic floor, as well as relieving tension in areas such as the neck, shoulders and back.  The babies benefit from the bonding time with mom, baby massages and the stimulating environment with new baby friends!

The next 7 week series is starting soon. Check this link for dates.

Gentle Yoga

The mind-body connection will be Gentle Yoga emphasized in this class, where Maura will encourage you to listen to your body's needs and respecting its limitations. Strengthening core muscles in a safe and functional manner will aid in the reduction of pain. In addition, this class can be very beneficial to those with lower back discomfort. By practicing yoga regularly you can learn tools to optimize your physical health and well-being. Receive individualized attention in this intimate class setting.

The next 7 week series is starting soon. Check this link for dates.

Yoga For Guys

The physical benefits of yoga are a wonderful way to compliment whatever sport or physical activity you love.  Yoga stretches, strengthens, and invigorates the entire body and internal organs.  It increases core strength, flexibility, range of motion, and improves balance.   Practicing yoga as a form of cross-training will increase your performance and reduce the risk of injury.

This class is designed to alleviate everything from stiff backs and sore muscles to low energy and work-related stress. Attending the weekly Yoga for Guys class can help correct the alignment of the spinal column, and improve your overall posture.  You will learn how to breathe deeper, which will give you extra endurance for exercise, sports, or just to have more energy throughout the day.

Additionally, when men do yoga in a men's yoga class, they are more relaxed, less guarded and more focused.  There is a completely different energy in the room.  When a man looks around and sees other men doing yoga, he feels more included and accepted: their bodies are similar to his body; their challenges are similar to his challenges.

The next 7 week series is starting soon. Check this link for dates.

Prenatal Yoga

Inside you is an innate wisdom that understands about the very natural process of birth.  Linking yoga postures with breath will lead you to new discoveries, bringing awareness to the mind, body and spirit.  The class conducted in a peaceful environment will promote strength and flexibility, improve circulation, aid digestion, exercise the spine and increase overall comfort.  An intimate class size allows you to freely discuss any issues, from discomforts and concerns, to the wonderful new changes your body and baby are experiencing.  This class will emphasize comfortable and safe yoga poses during pregnancy.

The next 7 week series is starting soon. Check this link for dates.

Yoga For Athletes

Yoga for athletes is a small group class designed specifically to meet the needs of active individuals.  It is led by Heather, a certified yoga instructor and licensed physical therapist who is an avid runner, cyclist and snowboarder with a background in team sports.  She understands the specific demands of athletic endeavors as well as common imbalances and injuries in athletes.

Yoga for athletes is designed to maximize athletic performance by balancing flexibility, strength, stability and endurance.  This class can help you recover from injury - or better yet, prevent it! It can also enhance awareness of and connection to your own body.  Yoga for athletes is designed for athletes of all abilities, no previous yoga experience necessary!  Experience support with:

· Flexibility
· Lung Capacity
· Core Strength
· Endurance
· Alignment
· Prevent or recover from injury

Casual and relaxed clothing recommended.  Wear a T-Shirt, Shorts, or Sweats that allow you to stretch comfortably.

The next 7 week series is starting soon. Check this link for dates.

Yamuna Body Rolling Class In October!!

How we take care of ourselves- physically, mentally, and emotionally play a significant role in how we engage in life, and connect with ourselves as well as others.  Yamuna Body Rolling is a great way to compliment any sport or physical activity that you love, by toning and elongating muscles, improving alignment and circulation, increasing core strength and metabolism, relaxing the nervous system, and increasing body awareness.

Yamuna Body Rolling begins with bone stimulation and systematically works muscles from origin toward insertion to lengthen and realign the body freeing fascia and other structural restriction to ultimately increase range of motion, improve posture and prevent injury.  The ultimate goal of practicing Yamuna Body Rolling is to remove as many physical restrictions from the body as possible, so that all body parts function as optimally as possible.   You can continue to enjoy running 5k races, playing with your kids, gardening, golfing or whatever you enjoy.

We are now offering individual or pairs Yamuna Body Rolling sessions and classes will begin in the fall.

The next 7 week series is starting soon. Check this link for dates.