Yoga + Running = Sleep!

I have problems with insomnia from time to time and on Monday morning I woke up at about 3:00 a.m. and could not go back to sleep.  Whenever this happens, I make myself relax for thirty minutes to an hour and see if I can fall back to sleep.  Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.  Monday, it didn't work so I got up and waited until the YMCA opened at 4:30 a.m.  I was able to run about four miles on the treadmill.

When I was leaving the Y, I picked up a fitness class schedule and noticed the yoga class at 5:30 on Monday evenings (free for YMCA members!).  I have done yoga classes periodically since my college years and have always felt the tremendous benefits of it.  My mom and I have used it in the past as a chance to connect and we have been talking about taking another class together.  So, I decided to go on Monday evening to check it out.  It's always a struggle for me to try and rationalize spending another hour away from the boys and Goofy Hubby when I've just been away from them all day.  I may consider going every other week - that would help with the guilt factor. . .  

Okay, this class was HARD!  I am still stiff and sore from it.  The instructor is this really fit woman who not only teaches the yoga class, but proceeds to teach a body pump class right afterward!  She is amazing. . .  When I entered the room, I was not late for the class, but apparently everyone else knew the rule for getting there early enough to not have to go in the front row.  After walking in, grabbing a mat, and scanning the room, I realized there was only ONE spot in the room, that's right - front and center.  The rest of the ladies got a chuckle out of this!  

One of the main components of yoga is to obtain the pose as the teacher instructs and breathe into it.  It is important not to judge yourself or others.  However, another component is awareness, so it has been very difficult for me (and others, probably) to balance being acutely aware of my body without judging it.  Thanks to my 6'4" father and his Scandinavian genes, I am tall, big-boned, and well - sturdy.  I tend to remind myself of these facts a lot, not to mention in a yoga class when the ladies around me are graceful and aligned.  I guess there are some good points to being big-boned - I will probably never break a bone or develop osteoporosis.  Heck, maybe I will still be taking yoga classes when I am 90. . .

Oh, and I am happy to report that after the boys were snug as bugs on Monday night, I slept like a log!