When you first hear “lazy yoga”, what is the first thing that pops up into your mind? Is it moving at a leisurely pace between yoga poses? Perhaps, you think about how lovely it would be to get your workout done in bed without ever having to hit the gym. There’s also the idea of someone giving you a yoga-like stretch massage that loosens up all the tight muscles for you. Little effort, big results – am I right?

Truthfully, lazy yoga is all of those things, with or without some help from another person! This is a yoga practice where you can seek the help of partner, massage therapist, or implement yoga philosophy into your catered practice at home.

So what is lazy yoga? Well, it’s a yoga practice that aims to improve your flexibility, lengthen your muscles, and adequately stretch your muscles and their fibers to prevent injury or further harm to an existing one. All you need to do is either practice yoga extra slow on your own or ask another person to help stretch your limbs for you. It’s easy, soothing to the body, and makes you feel one with yourself and your tired, sore body. Therefore, you’re welcome to stay in bed and your cozy pajamas if you wish. To take it up a notch, do it to reap the benefits of lazy yoga with a partner so that the both of you can benefit from the external resistance and relaxing exercise. We get by with a little help from our friends!

Now, lazy yoga wasn’t necessarily designed by lazy people. Rather, it was manifested from individuals who needed to use slow and “lazy-like” movements to work around sore muscles and injuries. There wasn’t one specific individual who invented lazy yoga, but it does show itself in the Thai Massage world where they incorporate the lazy yoga philosophy into the fluid, gentle movements of its practice. Shortly afterward, the yoga got its nickname and reputation for the benefits of lazy yoga.

Anyone can practice lazy yoga! Of course, those recovering from injuries need it, but the elderly and those in physical therapy can reap the benefits of lazy yoga, from it in particular because it encourages slow and gentle movements to promote healing. This yoga practice is fantastic in the morning, after an afternoon nap, or the moments right before you fall asleep. Furthermore, since lazy yoga doesn’t exactly follow the pace of other types of yoga, you’re encouraged to be lead by intuition, identify what your body specifically needs to stretch, resist the urge to force your body passes its limits, and follow your breath with no rush. Lazy yoga also enables you to be creative with your yoga practice. If you’re on the bed, for example, you can use thin pillows as support systems and utilize your bed to be a new yoga block

Like traditional yoga, you will be incorporating poses and specific breathing techniques as you transition between poses in lazy yoga. The majority, if not all the poses, will be easy to do – considering you comfortably lay mostly on your back or flat on your stomach. Despite practicing on a soft surface, your body will easily kick-start into alertness and feel awake from the gentle movements. When practicing lazy yoga at night, take the initiative to do yoga poses that require deeper and slower breathing to evoke the relaxation of your sympathetic nervous system.

It is important to be gentle with your body during this practice all-together because any sharp or quick movement can be harmful to you. You must be patient with your body, follow its signals, and be one with its resistances and current natural state.

The perks and benefits of Lazy Yoga

• You have the convenience of practicing from the comfort of your own home or bedroom. While yoga can be practiced anywhere, you can safely say that your bed is your current safe space, and that’s the benefits of lazy yoga where you are able to focus solely on yourself without judgment all while wearing pajamas.

• This is an easy yoga to practice if you’re recovering from a serious injury. But the benefits of lazy yoga are undeniable. More often than not, we become impatient during injuries when we were so used to an active lifestyle. Instead of feeling stagnate resting on the couch, you can incorporate daily stretches and poses to maintain the integrity of your flexibility and keep you sane during the healing process.

• You can see a massage therapist to stretch your body for you! Regardless if your body is currently healing from an injury, or you simply want someone to work your body for you – this is a great option and could be included as the benefits of lazy yoga. It’s amazing when a professional can get out every kink out of your body and leave you relaxed in a state of Nirvana. Partners and friends are wonderful in helping you find your center as well, but they don’t beat someone who has experience healing and calming the human body.