Love It Or Hate It: Why Do We Take Savasana?

Ahhh, savasanaaaaaaa.  The power of stillness. That moment you’ve been waiting for (or perhaps dreading) at the end of class, when you’re invited to lay down, close your eyes, and take a few minutes to rest.  Do you love it or hate it?  Regardless, it’s the one pose that never gets skipped in a yoga class.  But what is it all about? Why do we end every class with savasana? 

Besides the fact that it’s the most normalized and accepted adult group ‘nap’ situation we know of, it’s really meant to be a practice of deep rest but not quite sleep. 

So, what is the point of savasana?  Here are a few great reasons it’s a pose we never skip:

1. It helps regulate your nervous system. After all that beautiful activity you just completed through the class – moving your body and breathing deeply, savasana lets the body integrate it all. It’s like digestion for your nervous system.  If we haven’t already made the swap, this is the time that your body’s nervous system might switch from ‘fight and flight’ mode (sympathetic nervous system) to ‘rest and digest’ mode (parasympathetic nervous system). Our ‘rest and digest’ mode promotes relaxation, slows the heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and regulates hormones.  Who doesn’t want the opportunity to take the time in savasana to really make sure we’ve made the swap into this realm of the nervous system?
2. It gives you the opportunity to enter a state of complete stillness, to welcome a calm state back into the body and mind.  It’s easy to get lost in the busyness of the day and lose track of our equilibrium.  We usually don’t get too many moments of stillness through our day, so savasana is a time that we can truly cherish to help recalibrate ourselves and be reminded of the deep stillness within.
3. From a mental perspective, it gives you the opportunity to attempt some of yoga’s more abstract mental practices such as non-grasping and surrender. Can you let your mind wander without grasping, judging, changing or fixing?  Can you be in the moment with softness and spaciousness?

All of these reasons to take savasana sound quite dreamy.  And while outwardly it looks like nothing is happening, within the body, within the stillness, the yoga magic is occurring.

But, what about those times that savasana is harder to find? Those times when our mind just won’t shut off – the to-do lists keep running, or we are replaying some recent conversation in our head…. our mind is a powerful force and can easily pull us away from a state of rest in savasana. And, sometimes, it’s just not the right setting – practicing at home or at the gym, often don’t offer the most ideal situations for savasana.

How can you make savasana a little bit easier when you find you’re struggling with it:

1. Find the right body position.  Traditionally savasana is practiced in a supine position, with arms and legs slightly akimbo, but this may not be the most comfortable set up for you.  So, try something different.  If you like the idea of laying on your back you could try putting something under your head for support, putting a blanket over the body can be soothing, and a bolster or pillow under your knees can help relieve tension in your lower back.  Or, try a different position altogether – you could lay on your side, stomach, or find a comfortable seated position, even leaning against a wall.  If closing your eyes is not comfortable for you, let your eyes stay softly open and let your gaze become blurry.  Try to keep your eyes on one soft point of focus.  Weighted eye pillows can also support keeping the eyes closed and relaxed and help prevent distraction in busy locations. Have a sweater or hoodie? Put it on and create cozy cocoon vibes.
2. Bring your mind to one point of focus.  If your mind is keeping you from deep rest, try directing your focus to one element – watch and feel your breath flow in and out of your nostrils, or do a mental body scan by feeling each part of the body that is touching the floor starting from your feet and working up. While these practices might not be the true savasana state we are seeking, they will help you get there, like a slow walk towards it.  They will help direct your mind to the present moment, which is where our body, breath, and nervous system reside. As we bring all of these together with the mind, savasana may appear.
3. Don’t get frustrated.  Unfortunately, not all of our savasana’s are going to be deep, restful and profound.  When you do experience a deep savasana, savour it and acknowledge it with gratitude at its completion.  Give yourself the opportunity for these experiences by setting up the right parameters for savasana when you can – that might mean going to a yoga studio for a class or setting aside extra time at home.  But remember that even by attempting savasana, by laying down and closing your eyes for a few minutes, there are still magical things happening in your body that make it a very worthwhile practice.

We hope this helps shed some light on why this posture is so important and why it makes an appearance at the end of every yoga class.  May your future savasana’s be deep, restful, and profound.  Savour every minute spent in this important pose, knowing all the value it offers and never be afraid to take an extra few minutes, the world needs more savasana these days.  

Looking for opportunities to really practice your savasana? We have a monthly Restore & Yoga Nidra class that’s perfect for that! Check our schedule for the next class.