Healthy Hollywood: Wellness Wednesday – Ohm In The PM!

The sweltering heat wave is making a good night’s sleep nearly impossible. The record-shattering temperatures can turn even the most Zen yogi into a raging warrior that tosses and turns throughout the night.

Yogi veteran Colleen Yee from GaiamTV.com has developed a PM yoga practice to calm even the most hot-headed soul.

“Yoga helps to quiet the mind, relax the body and calm the nervous system, which is perfect preparation for a good night’s sleep,” states Colleen.

Yee, who has been teaching yoga for over 20 years and has worked with celebrities like Christy Turlington, Christie Brinkley and designer Donna Karan, also recommends tuning into your breath to cool down mentally and physically, adding, “By focusing on your breath, quieting your mind’s chatter and relieving tension in tight muscles, yoga helps you transition from a hectic workday to a relaxing evening.”

Colleen shares with Healthy Hollywood 3 relaxing poses off “AM PM Yoga,” a yoga workout video she created with her husband, Rodney Yee.

1. Reclining Bound Angle:
Lie on your back and bring soles of your feet together, close to the inner thighs, with your knees falling out to the sides. Place your hands on lower belly, close your eyes and take 10 long breaths; for a deeper stretch, place your hands on your inner thighs and gently press toward the floor.

2. Forward Fold:
With a soft bend in the knees, hinge from the hips and bend forward, allowing your upper body to hang. Grab either elbow, release your neck and left the tension in your lower back go. If you find your back is rounding or your hamstrings are uncomfortable, bend your knees further, resting your chest on your upper thighs.

3. Child’s Pose:
From an all-fours position with the tops of your feet on the mat, drop your seat back until you’re sitting on the soles of your feet, with arms stretched out in front of you. Rest your forehead on the mat, rest your forearms on the mat, close your eyes and take 10 long breaths.

For PM poses, check out “AM PM Yoga” on www.gaiamtv.com.

— Terri MacLeod