| How to Turn your Hotel Room into a Yoga Studio | | | | You hands are free to rest on the ground or you |
| Yoga can be an effective remedy for the stresses | | | | may grab each elbow with the opposite hand for a |
| of long distance travel. After a long flight or drive, | | | | little extra gravity in this stretch. Forward folds and |
| the body begins to tighten up which can result in | | | | other inversions are great for improving circulation to |
| discomfort. The mind starts to get tired and | | | | the brain. Long travel expeditions tend to stagnate |
| exhausted, perhaps from looking at too many useless | | | | the blood and inversions can help to reverse this |
| Skymall products or solving sudoku puzzles. Upon | | | | process. Hold for three minutes |
| landing and reaching your hotel room, take some time | | | | Next, we'll do a gentle twist (supta matsyendrasana). |
| to reverse the effects of travel. The physical and | | | | This will help to relieve the muscles of the back. Lie |
| mental benefits of yoga will help to ground and relax | | | | down on your bed with the left-hand side of your |
| you, getting you ready for a sound nights sleep. | | | | body about six inches away from an edge. Extend |
| Whether you're on a business trip or a yoga travel | | | | your arms out straight to the side making a letter 'T' |
| vacation, make sure to do a little yoga in your hotel | | | | with your body. With the left leg extended out, bend |
| room. It's not the same as a yoga studio, but with a | | | | the right leg and place your foot on top of the right |
| few tricks, you can come close. Follow this simple 15 | | | | thigh. Begin to drop the right knee over to the left |
| minute routine made of basic hatha yoga poses that | | | | side, off of the edge of the bed. By extending the |
| can be done in your hotel room to reconnect with | | | | knee off of the edge, you gain a little extra weight, |
| yourself after a long journey. | | | | allowing you to deepen the stretch. The muscles in |
| Start off with mountain pose, tadasana. Long | | | | the back, especially the lower lumbar spine, tend to |
| distance travel, especially by plane, can tend to | | | | tighten and shorten after long durations of sitting. A |
| energetically un-ground you. Reestablish your | | | | twist is an effective counter. Repeat this posture for |
| connection with the earth in mountain pose. With | | | | the other side. Hold for two minutes on each side. |
| your feet hip-width apart, toes facing forward, press | | | | Finally, prepare for relaxation in corpse pose, |
| into the ground with your feet as your grow tall. | | | | savasana. Move to the center of the bed and lie |
| Engage your core as you drop your tailbone towards | | | | down on your back. Extend both legs out and keep |
| the earth. Roll your shoulders down your back and | | | | your arms at your sides, palms facing up towards the |
| extend the top of your head towards the ceiling. | | | | ceiling. Close your eyes and relax. On each exhale, |
| Now close your eyes. Notice the foundation and | | | | imagine yourself sinking into the bed a little bit at a |
| stability of this posture. Notice your breath and the | | | | time. Take this time to forget about all the stress of |
| calming effect it has. Hold this posture for two | | | | travel and just be grateful for how you feel after |
| minutes. | | | | having done some yoga. Enjoy corpse pose for the |
| Depending on the space in your hotel room, you may | | | | remaining six minutes. |
| be limited to certain postures. However, there is | | | | After doing just 15 minutes of yoga, travel stresses |
| always room for forward fold, uttanasana. From | | | | will start to dissipate preparing yourself for your day |
| mountain, begin to hinge forward as you fold forward | | | | tomorrow. |
| and the top of your head points towards the ground. | | | | |