I had never felt drawn to the floor. On my list of comfortable resting streams, I consistently ranked it under an air mattress and just slightly over a series of airport chairs. Consequently, I contacted Tiktok’s trend “floor time” with a healthy dose of skepticism. The appropriately named wellness practice means – you guessed it – lying on the floor. The #Floortime hashtag Has collected millions of views on the platform, where users publish videos of themselves scattered on mat, tile and linoleum to a choir to approve comments.
“Floor time is the best part of the day the cause when there is a tornado in your mind makes it disappear,” A user comments. “Floor time is free therapy,” adds another. “Floor time makes me feel better,” A third commentator exclaims.
Unlike some of the others Internet Pad I have become a victim of (someone else is trying to fail with laminate the eyebrows?), Floor time seemed relatively harmless. In the name of science, I decided to go down all the way.
Experts displayed in this article
Michelle Young Is a yoga therapist and founder of my vinyasa practice in Austin, Texas.
Alan Fogel is Professor Emeritus in Psychology at the University of Utah and the author of Restorative embodiment and resilience.
Katy Bowman is a biomechanist and founder of Nutritious movementand author of “My perfect motion plan: Move your DNA all day workbook“And the coming”I know I should train but … 44 reasons we don’t move and how we get over them. ”
My experience on the floor
On day one of my floor experiments I kicked off my shoes, put a timer for five minutes, grabbed a blanket and stretched out on the matte floor in my apartment. Outside the bat, I was surprised at how well lying flat on my back felt – especially after Sitting in a chair all day. In a blanket I was a warm and safe floor burrito. When my five minute timer went off, I found myself wanting to linger on the floor a little longer.
Then it was the floor time afterglow: Returned to my computer after my back sesh, I felt updated. My eyes felt less screen -fat. My lower back felt less worthwhile. The half -finished assignment I stared at felt less scary.
On day two, I extended my time on the ground from five to 10 minutes. On day three, I was excited for floor time. On day four, I was a floor -converted.
A brief history of floor time
I may be a new recruitment of floor time, but the practice of lying on earth to soothe the body and the mind is nothing new. Yogier has been lying lying in Shavasana or “Like” Pose for centuries, with the earliest known mention that appears in the text of the 16th century “Hatha Yoga Pradipika. “The text describes Shavasana as” lying flat on the ground with the face upwards, in the same way as a dead body (to) remove fatigue and allow the mind and the whole body to relax. ”
The exercise to lie in Likispose continues in modern yoga studios, says yograpeut Michelle Young. “We deliberately offer” appropriate stress “when we practice yoga,” explains Young. “At the end of it Suitable stressWe give ourselves time to relax in Shavasana. ”
The advantages of floor time
While research on lying on the floor is limited, experts agree that practice has advantages. Below, the three roads can improve your mental and physical health.
Floor time can help calm the body
Lying on the back of the ground can help your body transition from the sympathetic condition (flight or fight) to the parasympathetic (rest and melt) condition, according to Young. The parasympathetic nervous system controls the body’s ability to relax. It can be activated by activities such as deep breathing, exercise and meditation.
Shavasana can be advantageous at any time the body experiences stress, whether it is “appropriate” stress from yoga or plain ol “unwanted stress from a long commute or cryptic e -post from your boss, adds Young. Young has witnessed the benefits of floor time from the first place. “I use many cinema traces and see a huge impact on my stress levels and cardiovascular health when I take the time to integrate Shavasasana into my daily routine,” she says.
Floor time can soothe the mind
In addition to calming our body’s stress response, it can facilitate a worrying mind, says Alan Fogel, a professor emeritus in psychology at the University of Utah. “The floor is more difficult than a bed; we really have to pay attention to our body feeling to become comfortable,” says Fogel. “When we do that, we may notice that our breath becomes simpler and less strenuous, our muscles can finally let go and sink into the floor, and a sense of satisfaction or ease can come,” he says.
Floor time is good for your body
Lying on the floor may not feel as nice as a long massage. Yet it can deliver similar pain relief and circulation benefitssays Katy Bowman, founder of Nutritious Movement. “The pressure created by a firmer surface can have a similar effect (into a skilled massage), such as breaking up rigid tissue. A firmer surface requires that your body be formed on the floor, so stiff parts must move.”
Getting up and down from the floor also builds important mobility and strength, says Bowman. “One of the challenges to get on the floor is that the hinges in the ankles, knees, hips and spine must formulate,” Bowman says. “These parts must be mobile and strong to get to and from the floor.” Lying on the ground can cause these parts to move at least twice a day.
Tips for getting the most of the floor time
To harvest the physical and mental benefits of floor time, try to cut out 10 to 15 minutes of your day for the exercise, Young advises. If you have trouble lying comfortably on the floor, use a blanket, pillow or other props to get cozier, she suggests. And if you lie on the floor and your mind is competing for a billion things you need to do? You are not alone.
“Too many people is (lying on the floor) difficult because the mind is competing,” says Young. She suggests you practice Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), A technique that involves gradually exciting and releases muscle groups to facilitate a jittery mind and body.
When it comes to me? Three weeks after I started my floor time experiment, I still lose to the ground when I need a quick recovery. I spray my rug between the meetings, after eating lunch and to celebrate an article. Don’t misunderstand me – floor time is not always easy. Sometimes I spin around on the floor for two minutes before giving up and reappearing. Sometimes I sleep off. Sometimes my dog comes and licks my face.
But often than not, my carpets give me a quick, bit -sized atmosphere and Energy increase. On a few occasions I even think of a good idea when I lie on the floor. (For example: Nap cafes with hammocks, sofas and beanbags to take naps.) It’s actually my clue – excuse me, I have a date with my floor.
María Cristina Lalonde Is a freelance journalist and prospective kickbox master. She has written about sexual health, fitness and wellness for over a decade. Her articles have emerged, including publications, Houston Chronicle, Everyday Health, Giddy and US News & World Report.
