When you’re totally knocked out from holiday merry making, treat eating, and gift shopping (see my last post for how decision fatigue depletes you and a cool simple yoga trick to help), then you need look no further than what’s probably already one of your favorite poses. It’s almost universally loved, and one that you can’t wait for in a tough class. No, it’s not Savasana, but it’s just about as relieving.

It’s Adho Mukha Virasana (Downward Facing Hero’s Pose), often confused with Balasana (Child’s Pose), depending on your style or lineage of yoga. What’s the difference? In Adho Mukha Virasana (Downward Facing Hero’s Pose), the arms stay near the torso or head and the fingers point toward the wall in front of you. In Balasana (Child’s Pose), the arms go back by your legs with the palms facing up and the fingers pointing to the wall behind you.

Either way, Adho Mukha Virasana (Downward Facing Hero’s Pose) is my top pick for poses to help fight holiday fatigue, and I’ve got a special variation to share with you that’s even more restful than the pose usually is.

You might be wondering, “It’s already soooo amazing, how can that even be?” Or, you might be thinking, “Oh no! That pose isn’t relaxing to me at all! It hurts my knees and feet!”

If you’re in the first group, you might be used to doing Adho Mukha Virasana (Downward Facing Hero’s Pose) with no support other than resting the head on the floor. That’s a fantastic variation, and I do it often. When I’m super tired though, I find it’s really amazing what happens when you place a bolster under your torso. Somehow giving your body that extra cushion and support lets it know that it can truly relax and rest. And, when the body can rest, the mind can become quiet.

If you’re in the second group, then even with a bolster you might not be able to relax. If the knees can’t really bend enough to get the sit bones close to the feet, you might feel pressure on the shins and tops of the feet, aching in the knees, and a tightening in the groins as your legs work to hold you up. Because of this effort in the legs, you can’t really relax.

In this case, my favorite modification is to build up the bolster with blocks underneath it so that it meets you where you are. The blocks can be at the lowest or middle levels. Turning the blocks up to the highest level tends to be a little less stable, so if you need more height you can add a blanket on top of the bolster instead.

Now, the hips, groins, and legs can relax, because the torso is being fully supported. You can let go of the effort in the pose, and truly rest.

If you prefer to leave that space between your torso and the bolster with your rear end up in the air, there’s nothing wrong with that either. There’s definitely benefit to teaching the mind to let go of the gripping in the legs and gradually release the hips towards the sit bones.

How do you know which to do? Listen to your body. If you really just want to rest, maybe give yourself the support. If you want to see how much you can soften the mind and let gravity open the body, then maybe leave some space for opening. Stay mindful, and adjust as you need to based on what you feel.

When the body is in pain, the mind gets distracted. When the body is resting comfortably, the mind can follow suit.

If you’re feeling like your mind is not relaxing, then you can turn your forehead to the bolster, rather than your cheek. If that makes your nose smush into the bolster, then support the forehead with your forearms or a blanket. Resting the forehead on the hands or a blanket tends to have a soothing and calming effect on the mind.

Now for the super cool addition that makes Adho Mukha Virasana (Downward Facing Hero's Pose) extra restful and my favorite pose for the hectic holiday season. I originally learned this variation from Aadil Palkhivala.

When you’re stressed out, your adrenal glands play a primary role in your body’s response. They produce certain hormones and release them directly into your bloodstream to help your body either fight, take flight, or freeze. Located on top of the kidneys, they also produce hormones that help you regulate your metabolism, immune system, and blood pressure.

Even though the added stress of the holidays typically doesn’t pose a life or death situation, our bodies don’t always know how to tell the difference. So, if you’re running around shopping ‘til you drop, going to every party and event, and foregoing sleep to get it all in, your adrenals might be working overtime.

So to make Adho Mukha Virasana (Downward Facing Hero’s Pose) even more effective, place a blanket or sandbag just above your kidneys.

In addition, your hands are one of five Karmendriya (organs of action). The others are your feet, mouth, genitals, and rectum. Energy passes out of these areas, versus the five senses which take in energy.

For example, I often notice students tapping their fingers in Adho Mukha Virasana (Downward Facing Hero’s Pose) or wiggling their fingers in Savasana. It’s not right or wrong, good or bad. It simply means energy is leaving their hands.

When you’re super fatigued, you want to prevent energy from leaking unconsciously, which is a practice called Brahmacharya (Continence or Moderation). In Adho Mukha Virasana (Downward Facing Hero’s Pose), simply touch the hands to each other in front or under the bolster to recirculate the energy that leaks from the hands.

Speak Your Truth

Give this variation of Adho Mukha Virasana (Downward Facing Hero’s pose) a try and let me know what you think in the comments below! What’s your favorite variation of the posture? What’s your favorite fatigue-busting pose? What helps you stay happy and healthy during the holidays?

In wellness, joy, and peace,

Tami