Approaches for employee wellbeing – What Yoga’s Savasana practice can teach us

Integrating deep relaxation training and practice

In Yoga practice, an important aspect incorporated at the end at the end of each practice period is Savasana, a state of deep relaxation which is essentially when people lay down on their mats in a “corpse like” pose, flat on their backs and gradually enter a state of deep relaxation.  Savasana, a Sanskrit word is derived from two words: sava, meaning “corpse,” and asana, meaning “pose” or “seat.” Hence the reference as “Corpse Pose” or “Final Relaxation Pose.” People are encouraged to put on socks, jackets and cover themselves with a blanket where possible before hand to aid transition into this state. There is no manipulation of breathing at this point.  The teacher may say some words or quote from Yogic texts. It is just you as an individual relaxing your whole system body, mind and soul marking a formal end to practice before re-engaging with your day. On a physical level, Savasana returns us a state of deep relaxation, bringing the body back to homeostasis after an intense physical practice. There is a deeper significance to the practice which is the subject of another post.

Savanna is always a favoured part of yoga practice as the anticipated reward of experiencing deep relaxation after a hard and challenging yoga session, keeps you motivated and focused.  The benefits of “Savasana” are many and include:

The Top Benefits of Savasana:

• Lowered blood pressure
• Decreased heart rate
• Decreased metabolic rate
• Decreased muscle tension

Longer-term Benefits of Savasana:

• Fewer headaches
• Less fatigue and higher quality sleep
• Fewer anxiety and panic attacks
• Better digestion
• Increased overall energy levels
• Improved concentration and memory

What we can learn from Savasana practice – The Importance of re-learning the art of deep relaxation

One of the key aspects of any individual’s wellbeing is the ability to relax and re-charge at regular intervals.  We all born with a natural relaxation response which is regulated by our automatic nervous system (ANS). You only have to look at a baby in a deep sleep or state of relaxed attention to understand this.

The peripheral nervous system has two main functions: “fight-or-flight” versus “rest-and-digest.” When we are exerting ourselves or working very hard mentally or physically, even though we may be enjoying the activities we are engaged in, our body can perceive this hard effort as a “threat”, especially when we are challenging ourselves.  Giving our body an opportunity to relax and let the “threat” pass gives us the chance to really soak up all the benefits of our efforts and move easily into our rest-and-digest nervous system.

This relaxation response is essentially controlled through the parasympathetic nervous system; a major part of this is through the vagal nerve, the longest nerve in the entire body. Learning about this nerve and how it works has been a gamechanger for me, together with my regular Yoga practice. I believe it can be for others, if they are provided with the opportunity and forum to both understand the “mechanics” of how the relaxation response works and be supported in integrating a practice around this, that works for the individual.

The impacts of “fight or flight” on our ability to relax fully

Over time, when people remain in the fight or flight or sympathetic aspect of our nervous system, it becomes increasingly difficult to return to the “relax and digest” state. Excessive cortisol is released into the blood stream, which keeps people in a “high alert” phase. I suspect that a lot of people, (given the extreme challenges of the current pandemic), have virtually lost the skill of deep relaxation.  Alternatively, they substitute finding a deep relaxed state with alcohol, over-eating or other self-medicating shortcuts.  As we know the problem is these shortcuts and maladaptive responses, come with their own host of nasty side effects and addictive potential, ultimately making a bad situation worse.

I believe that employees levels of overall wellbeing, can be much improved by considering what the practices and philosophy of the ancient Yogic tradition clearly have to offer. The ability to engage in regular periods of deep relaxation is just one of its teachings that we can all learn from.   At a minimum, whatever approaches organisations are considering in terms of developing a wellbeing policy, integrating training on re-developing and integrating deep relaxation practices and forums for this to happen, will be, in my opinion, be an essential ingredient.

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