I can trace it all back to the walking lunges. Last week, I took on my first solo HYROX race in London. At the start, it felt enjoyable—until my lack of proper preparation caught up with me at the second-to-last workout station.
Every few steps of walking lunges, with a 45lb sandbag balanced across my shoulders, sent my quads into sharp, uncomfortable spasms.
I somehow pushed through the rest of the course, shaking off the cramp as best I could. But in the days that followed, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) hit hard.
Everything I Tried to Recover
I experimented with gentle active recovery, used a massage gun, and spent time in compression boots. I stretched regularly, stayed hydrated, and refuelled generously with carbohydrates and protein—including a fair amount of pepperoni pizza.
In the end, it was a five-minute yoga flow I found on Instagram that truly helped me recover—ironically by getting me off my feet.
My Experience With the Bedtime Yoga Flow
This short, four-move routine from yoga teacher Leanne Lent via Yoga-Go is designed as a pre-bed flow to support better sleep.
The legs up the wall pose stood out as especially effective. It helped calm my central nervous system, improve circulation, and made my legs feel noticeably lighter and less tender.
A 2024 research review explains this effect through lymphatic drainage and improved venous return, where deoxygenated blood flows back toward the heart. This process helps reduce swelling and clear lactic acid.
While Lent holds the pose for 60 seconds, I extended it to two to three minutes. After a brief pins-and-needles sensation in my feet and calves, a deep sense of relaxation followed.
The child’s pose that came next released tension in my chest, hips, and lower back. I found the reclined butterfly pose more challenging on my hips, so adding extra cushions under each knee made it more comfortable.
The routine finished with a reclined twist, which gently mobilised my thoracic spine and encouraged better blood flow throughout my body.
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How to Do the Five-Minute Bedtime Yoga Flow
Legs Up the Wall (60 seconds)
- Remove the pillows from your bed and move your hips close to the wall or headboard.
- Extend your legs straight up against the wall.
- Lie back, relax, and breathe deeply.
Child’s Pose (60 seconds)
- Kneel with your knees wider than hip-width apart, placing a pillow in front of you.
- Sit back onto your heels and fold forward, resting your chest on the pillow.
- Extend your arms forward, rest them on the pillow, or place them by your sides.
- Breathe slowly and deeply into the stretch.
