{"id":1324,"date":"2019-05-12T21:48:10","date_gmt":"2019-05-12T21:48:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thelittlefitpuppydoc.com\/?p=1324"},"modified":"2019-05-12T21:48:14","modified_gmt":"2019-05-12T21:48:14","slug":"mindful-may-bedtime-yoga-sequence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thelittlefitpuppydoc.com\/index.php\/2019\/05\/12\/mindful-may-bedtime-yoga-sequence\/","title":{"rendered":"Mindful May Week 2: Relaxing Bedtime Rituals + A Bedtime Yoga Sequence"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome to week 2 of Mindful May<\/a> and Happy Mother’s Day! I just finished a delicious unsweetened almond milk latte that Matt made for me and a couple of salted chocolate coffee energy balls<\/a> so I am caffeinated and READY TO GO. My energy level may not be entirely appropriate for the topic of Week 2: setting a screen-free bedtime ritual (including a bedtime yoga sequence!). However, I AM pumped about Mindful May as well as the idea of potentially getting a little more quality sleep this week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Mindful<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mindful May<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before I dive into plans for Week 2, let’s check in with how Week 1<\/a> has been going. Did you try meditating? Did you love it or hate it? Shockingly, I kind of like it! In the intro to Mindful May<\/a> I discussed that if I didn’t like the habit of the week I could stop it after those 7 days. This is, after all, about being mindful not forceful. Meditating before going to bed has been helping to quiet my mind and help me fall asleep much faster, so I plan on continuing Headspace<\/a> for now. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Mindful<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Have you tried any of the extra Mindful May activities? My brain clutter list has been helping me continue to knock off little things I needed to do. I finally had my annual wellness exam and I started to regain control of my garden by taking out my thriving weeds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve also been really savoring any time outside and taking more walks with Matt and Jameson where I leave my phone alone. You know what I’ve noticed? Spring is the best. I feel like a need a soundtrack of the birds chirping over the soft hum of a lawn mower in the distance that I can play in the winter. Also where can I find a candle that smells like a combo of blooming flowers and freshly cut grass? Also can you tell that I get extra chatty when I’m caffeinated? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"mindful<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I want to take a moment to be clear: I am very much a work in progress with mindfulness. While these short moments of meditating and being more mindful have felt great, in reality I still am not getting enough sleep and I’m spending way too much time on my phone. I’m having so much fun with this blog, but one downside is I’m becoming even more attached to social media and time on my computer or phone. I need to make a conscious effort to just. put. it. away. That (finally) brings us to the focus of Week 2. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Creating a Screen-free 30 Minute Bedtime Routine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This week I’m committing to turning off any screens 30 minutes before bedtime. Instead of being on Instagram<\/a> or even writing a blog post late at night, I’m going to enjoy thirty minutes of whatever relaxing activity I want. I use the “Bedtime” feature on my iPhone’s clock so that it alerts me when it’s 30 minutes before my set bedtime. I also have turned on the “Downtime” feature so that from 9:30 pm to 5:00 am my phone won’t let me use any apps other than Headspace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jameson’s bedtime routine is solid.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I plan to take at least 10 minutes before bed to do all the yummy bedtime yoga poses that feel good. I might be crazy and throw in some foam rolling and\/or a foot massage, too. All of these things feel amazing and I’m always surprised at how much tension it releases that I don’t even realize I’m holding onto. And yet I tend to not make time to do these things. Why? Likely because I always feel like I “don’t have time” and yet I waste time on my phone more often than I’d care to admit. No more excuses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, I realize that having thirty minutes at the end of my day to devote towards mindfulness may sound like an unrealistic luxury to you. Whether you’re a parent or working crazy work shifts or having other commitments, do what works for you. Stretching for bed is a great way of activating the parasympathetic portion of your nervous system. In other words, sending the message to your body that it’s time to chill. I’m sharing a quick yoga bedtime sequence I created to do before bedtime. These are the stretches that feel good to me to release tension I tend to get in my upper back and shoulders and to help with tight hamstrings (as you can see in the photos). Of course, these are just suggestions. Do whatever modifications or poses feel best to your body. Namaste \ud83d\ude42 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quick Bedtime Yoga Stretch Sequence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n