Feeling low-energy, ill, or stuck in bed? Try these gentle restorative yoga poses you can do in bed…

Sometimes there are days when you just can’t seem to get out of bed… Whether you’re living with chronic fatigue syndrome, are recovering from surgery, or have another illness that causes extreme fatigue, sometimes it just seems impossible to get up and get going. This can be frustrating, but it is important to give your body the rest it needs to relax and recover.

You can support your body’s healing processes with nutritious foods, plenty of healthy beverages like herbal teas and water, and gentle exercises that help to stretch tight muscles and provide relief from stress and soreness, without requiring too much energy.

Yoga can be a very gentle and restorative form of exercise, and there are some poses that you can do without even getting out of bed. Remember to listen to your body and allow it to guide you as you move through these exercises. It will tell you what it needs – if you listen.

Here are 3 yoga poses you can do in bed:

Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclined Bound Angle Pose)

Lie on your back and bring the soles of your feet together, letting your knees fall open to the sides. You can adjust the intensity of this stretch by sliding your feet closer to, or farther away from, your hips. If you want more support here, slide pillows under your knees or thighs. Relax here for three to five minutes.

Viparita Karani (Inverted Action or Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose)

Lie with the side of your body next to the wall or headboard with a pillow within hand’s reach. Slowly swivel onto your back, swinging your legs up the wall and sliding the pillow under your hips. Straightening your legs in this position will provide a stretch for your hamstrings, while keeping them bent might allow you to more fully relax. You can also adjust the distance between your hips and the wall as needed to get comfortable. This pose can help relieve lower back tension and activate the parasympathetic nervous system—the part of the nervous system that helps your body “rest and digest.” Having your legs above your chest also helps to drain lymph fluids, which can build up if you’ve been sedentary in bed for a length of time. Hold for five to seven minutes.

Salamba Balasana (Supported Child’s Pose)

Sit on your heels, bringing your knees a little wider than hip width apart. Place one or two pillows (you might need two if you’re using flatter bed pillows) lengthwise between your thighs and then walk your hands forward until one ear comes to rest on the pillow(s). If your hips are hovering uncomfortably above your feet, place an additional pillow under your hips. Hold for three to five minutes on this side and then switch sides for another three to five minutes.

Read More at YogaInternational.com…