“So, what are you doing tonight?”
It’s a typical question, really. One that’s generally tailed by an invitation to go do stuff.
And I’m grateful for the invite. But it’s late. And a weekday. And I’m not 23 anymore.
So I reply, monosyllabically:
“Cocooning.”
Now, anyone who knows me, knows that means I’m sheathed in a fleece blanket like it’s a professionally applied ACE bandage, and planting exactly zero items on my day’s remaining to-do list. It sounds restful. It sounds restorative. It sounds like that downtime we all need. But, TBH, a lot of the time it’s really not. See, for me, when I say, “I’m cocooning”, sure I’m all swathed in a comforter on my couch, like a furry glow worm. But I’m not authentically resting my mind or body. I might think I am, because I’m doing something that’s become routine: playing on my phone or flipping to my next On Demand binge episode. But this is the exact opposite of giving my brain or body a break. Given the poor posture I’m typically in when I scroll through in InstaSnapBook, I’m not doing my body any favors. I’m stressing it out even worse. And, with all that hyper-stimulation flooding my dome, I’m not giving my brain a break, either. Worse? I end up getting to bed way later than planned because I get addicted to this ritual.
So how can I break this habit – and still enjoy being a human pupa?
Mayhaps with a li’l something called yogic cocooning…
Unlike my despicable ritual, yogic cocooning allows you to curl up in these suspended fabric wraps, draped from the ceiling, and tune into the sensations of your body. Thereafter, you enjoy a zen “power nap”. And, somewhere in there, you even get a light tingly “massage” (where the instructor comes around and sorta pushes your muscles through the fabric to help ease tension).
Now, you might be thinking, “What’s the point? I can nap at home”. And I get that. But can you levitate meditatively and weightlessly in a silken hammock at home? Or, forget the hammock; but would you actually take that time for yourself? Or, like me, would you probably spend it checking emails or social media? Or working? Or reading? The thing about meditative exercises like these, is that they’re restorative. First, it helps fortify the mind body connection – which is crucial for not only health, fitness, and weight loss – but also in alleviating stress levels on a legitmate level. And, beyond that, studies have even shown that meditative exercises can help replenish you on a rest level.
They can even make a dent in the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation itself. That’s right. Meditation can counteract your lack of time in the sack. By simply toggling off for a while (whether on your own – if you’ve got the willpower – or in a class), you can undo massive amounts of damage your late nights are doing. That’s worth it alone. But the benefits don’t end there. With a class like this, you can also prevent future turning, tossing, and nocturnal awfulness. When your stress levels are lowered, you can easily venture off to Zzzz-ville the moment you get home. And, since yours truly seems to be missing the willpower to “toggle off” on her own, I can’t wait to find one’ve these classes near me.
Because, now when I say I’m “cocooning”, I can feel A.) honest, and B.) like I’m doing something productive:
Nothing.
Nothing at all.