The ‘legs up the wall’ pose that solved my nighttime anxiety

If, like me, the end of the day brings a rush of heart-pumping anxiety (a packed train platform will do that), this stress-eliminating solution might be for you. Because, when certain things convene–commuting, hot weather, wrangling small children, trying to exercise, looking after pets and the plethora of other stressors we experience, racing thoughts and anxiety can quickly follow.

Yes, there are supplements and lifestyle tweaks that can help, like avoiding caffeine in the afternoon and managing your blood sugar to avoid the troughs and valleys that bring with them panicky, anxious feelings. The quickest solution I’ve found, though, is to stick my legs in the air. Really. t’s a pose called legs up the wall and its benefits, from calming the nervous system to coaxing sleep, tend to build slowly, then all at once.

Popular among both yogis and social media wellness fans, putting your legs up against a wall can help calm your nervous system and drain stagnant lymph and fluid that accumulates in the lower limbs. Simple, free and oddly comforting, there’s a reason I haven’t skipped a night doing it.

What is the legs-up-the-wall pose?

“Legs up the wall–also known by its Sanskrit name viparita karani – is a deeply restorative yoga pose that can help promote lymphatic flow and enhance blood circulation, especially in the legs and feet,” Lelani Loubser, a functional medicine practitioner at The Hvn, Knightsbridge, explains. It consists simply of lying with your back flat against the ground and legs at a right angle, flush against a wall.

“It activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes ‘rest and digest’ and can lead to better sleep quality. It also helps gently decompress the spine, which can provide relief from lower back pain and pelvic tension,” Loubser continues.

How long do you need to stay in this position to reap the benefits?

The big draw of this method is that you only need to commit between five and 20 minutes a day to see and feel the results. I like to stack it with wearing my red light mask and either listening to a self-hypnosis session, deep breathing or reading my Kindle. By the time the 10 to 20 minutes are up, I feel calm enough to slip into bed and drift off fairly quickly.

Is there a best time of day to do this exercise?

There are many “best times”, says Loubser. “In the mornings, it can gently wake up the lymphatic and digestive system. In the middle of the day, it can be used to relieve tension from prolonged periods of sitting and standing. And, in the evenings, it can be used to calm the nervous system and promote better quality sleep.” So, there’s really not a bad time to do it.