Try this: Play dead
- Reviewed by Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
If you want to feel more grounded, spend time lying on the ground. In yoga, corpse pose (also known as savasana) is a resting supine pose done at the end of a yoga session to help calm and center the body and mind.
"When you lie flat on your back, your posture becomes open and relaxed, which can have a calming effect," says Dr. Julia Loewenthal, a geriatrician and certified yoga teacher with Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital. Here's how to do corpse pose:
- Lie on your back on the floor. You can lie on a yoga mat, blanket, or other support if direct contact with the floor is uncomfortable.
- Hug your knees in toward your chest tightly and inhale deeply.
- Exhale and stretch your legs out away from you while keeping your tailbone grounded on the floor.
- Your feet should be hip-width apart and relaxed away from each other.
- Let your lower back soften and relax as your body gradually sinks into the floor.
- Close your eyes. Place a folded towel over your eyes to block out any light, if necessary.
- Relax your arms at your sides, palms facing upward.
- Focus on taking deep even breaths.
- Stay in this position for five to 10 minutes.
Image: © Koldunov/Getty Images
About the Author
Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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