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Have you looked for online classes or visited a studio webpage and felt confused about all the different types of yoga class? Morning Yoga...Restorative Yoga...Yoga Energise... which is the one you’ll enjoy and get the most from?
No matter which class you go to, expect three things: postures (or asanas), breathwork and meditation (or at least some mindfulness and awareness). Yoga is about connecting all three so that you can be healthier, able to deal with stress better and promote your own body’s systems for healing, for example, your nervous system or your lymphatic system.
I‘m often unsure what a class would involve if it‘s called Energise or Morning Yoga. Some teachers prefer a slower start to the day whereas others like to get straight into raising the heart rate with more dynamic routines. It’s best to contact the studio or teacher directly to ask them what to expect.
Restorative yoga enables you to slow down as it soothes your nervous system and releases all the tension from your body. You may even fall asleep in this class as you lie in postures for up to 20 minutes, supported by cushions, pillows and blankets.
Yoga nidra is known as conscious sleep. You lie on your back, supported to be comfortable, and are guided through a series of meditations. This helps train your mind to focus and relax at the same time and you should try to stay awake, although it isn’t always possible! It’s very relaxing yet at the end, you feel energised. Your brainwaves react as they would if you were actually asleep and it’s good for letting your body gain the benefits of a deep sleep. Thirty minutes of yoga nidra is equivalent to two hours of sleep. There’s a yoga nidra session on my YouTube channel for free:
Hatha yoga is good for beginners as it tends to include basic poses with adjustments that you stay in for a few breaths. You don't have to be in the full traditional pose as everyone's body is different. We may have old injuries or conditions that mean our range of movement has to be carefully thought about.
Like whisky, there's definitely a yoga class or yoga practice for everyone. It's just choosing the one that's right for you.