By incorporating yoga into bedtime routines, kids of all ages will be stretching, twisting and breathing their way into dreamland.
Sleep problems are very common among children. In fact, MOST kids aren't getting enough sleep at night–and when a child becomes sleep deprived, they are likely to have a hard time controlling their emotions. This can lead to potential problems at home and at school, and it can be exhausting for parents, as well.
The goal of bedtime yoga is to help a child shift his/her minds' focus from being preoccupied with daily stressors to focusing his/her attention to yoga postures, relaxation techniques and breath work, with the ultimate goal of getting a restful sleep.
By incorporating yoga into bedtime routines, kids of all ages will be stretching, twisting and breathing their way into dreamland.
The following sequence has been carefully designed to help children successfully transition to bedtime:
1. Jiggle and Wiggle: Wiggling your body nice and slow will loosen you up so you'll sleep through the night.
2. Dog-tired Down Dog. Being a dog will be fun to pretend. Get onto all fours and wag your dog tail and wag your dog head before getting in bed!
3. Bedtime Bug! Being a bug on it's back is very relaxing. With your feet in your hands, rock side to side.
4. Lemon Sqeeze: Squeeze your fingers your toes, your face and your nose. Squeeze everything nice and tight! Then let everything go so your body feels light.
5. The spaghetti Test: Lying flat on your back, have mommy or daddy wiggle your limbs to make sure they're nice and floppy.
6. Good Night Little Body: Say good night to your body–one part of your time. Say good night to your toes and work your way up to your nose.
7. Namaste: the perfect way to end the day. WIth your hands at your heart, say namaste.
Laurie Jordan is the Creator of Little Sprouts Yoga for Kids and the Director of Kids Programming at Kaia Yoga. She has a Masters in Social Work from Columbia University School of Social Work and is a certified yoga instructor for children and adults. She developed “Yawning Yoga,” a bedtime yoga series designed to help over- stimulated, over-stressed children enjoy a restful sleep. Be on the lookout for her upcoming book, "Yawning Yoga" based on this successful bedtime series. You can learn more about Laurie and her work at www.jordanyoga.com and www.kaiayoga.com
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