When that mid-afternoon crash is imminent, those of us who try to avoid the quick, cyclical fix of coffee or sugar will often turn to a power nap to reset and refresh. I am a big proponent of twenty-minute power naps. They can provide just the right amount of refresh needed to keep plugging away at the task at hand. The key to a good power nap? Keeping it twenty minutes or less so as not to wake up groggy. However, not everyone finds power naps easy or helpful, and if you are in that camp, yoga presents excellent alternatives! Savasana, or corpse pose, can be used as a stand-alone practice to reset and refresh your mind and body. Here's five reasons why.
1. Savasana only needs five minutes of your time. Savasana can be done for as long or as little as you want, but five minutes is all you need to mindfully relax. A power nap usually requires its full twenty minutes. First, it takes time to relax enough to fall asleep, especially when there is no one guiding you into that space. Second, you then need some time in sleep mode. On the contrary, a guided savasana can take you through the stages of mind and body relaxation in five minutes, allowing you to be revitalized and back at it faster. No one will ever know you stepped away from your computer!
2. Savasana will calm your mind faster. If you are stressed, highly focused, and working hard on something, calming your mind down to a deep relaxation state is challenging. Simply putting your head down on a pillow may work for some people but not for all of us, and even if you do fall asleep right away, you may have a restless sleep where your mind is still highly active. Savasana techniques use mindfulness to bring the mind from a highly active state of fight or flight down to a focused but relaxed state that taps into the parasympathetic nervous system. When using mindfulness, or conscious awareness, in savasana, this state of relaxation can be achieved faster and more efficiently.
3. Savasana can be guided. A power nap is not typically guided; you are on your own to bring yourself into a restful sleep and to wake yourself up again. Savasana has options, techniques, and guidance. Once you have experience with savasana, you can take yourself through it and use your favorite techniques to have your best experience. However, savasana is often a guided experience and once you find your favorite guide, you can follow along with less work on your part. A good guide will help you fully relax your body and help you keep your mind focused and in a state of conscious awareness, which is the best benefit of savasana. If you are prone to falling asleep in savasana, a guide is extremely helpful to keep you focused on the present moment and in a conscious state.
4. Savasana doesn't leave you feeling groggy. The biggest complaint I hear about people who can't successfully power nap is that they wake up feeling groggy instead of refreshed. Some have trouble waking up at the twenty minute mark and some, despite waking up, just don't feel refreshed. As much as the science backs power napping, it does not seem to be for everyone. Since you don't fall sleep in savasana, you shouldn't be groggy afterward. A good savasana practice involves staying in the conscious but parasympathetic state and staying out of the unconscious sleep state therefore avoiding grogginess. In particular, a guided savasana will help you maintain that state so that you can refresh your mind without taking it offline.
5. Savasana allows you more control over your experience. In a power nap, once you fall asleep you are at the mercy of your body and alarm clock to find restfulness and return to the conscious world revitalized and ready to rumble. In savasana, on the other hand, you are in control throughout the experience to choose a guide or not, choose your favorite technique, and focus on ceasing the distractions in your mind. Savasana may not be easy but it is such a highly valuable tool that it is worth the practice and dedication. The right guidance will help bring your mind from a highly active sympathetic state down to a calm and relaxing parasympathetic state, and savasana works on the body and mind in harmony to achieve a full reset.
The next time you are starting to crash and debating the merits of caffeine, donuts, and napping, don't forget the savasana option! Find your space for savasana: sync up your favorite guided savasana on YouTube, find a space where you can lie down without interruption, and revitalize yourself.
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