Sleep Recovery founder Lisa catches u
p with Brighton-based Claire Russell Burns, who helps women from postnatal recovery through to menopause to sleep better
Claire shares how Sleep Recovery changed her long-time yoga practice, how the tools help her as a working mum, and how she helps others in Brighton and beyond.
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Claire Russell Burns: Sleep Recovery Professional + Yoga for Sleep Recovery, Restore your Core teacher, Post-natal yoga, in Brighton, UK
How did you come to Sleep Recovery?
”I came to Sleep Recovery after experiencing an extended period of sleep deprivation that led to insomnia- after my second child was born. What I didn’t know at the time, is that I was also in peri-menopause. Insomnia felt like something very much out of my control, but after taking the Yoga for Sleep Recovery course a year later, I felt able to get myself back on track with a bag of tools to support me if my sleep is interrupted.”
What are you top take-aways from the Sleep Recovery course?
‘First: I learnt that things we are doing during the day and when we do them has a direct affect on our sleep at night. The course made me consider not only what I was taking in physically, but mentally and emotionally as well, how I was processing the events from the day, and got me to consider the self-care practices I have in place and where I needed to boost those.”
”Another top take-away was what I learnt about the nervous system. Learning to read myself and understand my own nervous system and the signs of when I’m out of balance has been really helpful. Rather than just thinking about the nervous system as either ‘fight or flight’ or ‘rest and digest’, I now see it more as a spectrum and notice when I’m veering towards more activation and alertness even if it’s just slightly”.
What has changed for you as a result of the course?
“I’m better at listening to myself now: knowing which practices my body needs at different times of the day and what to be careful about. I’ll often pepper in practices throughout the day to support when needed”.
What’s your favourite restorative pose from the Sleep Recovery toolkit?
”Definitely the legs on the chair pose. If you have had a disrupted night and very little sleep it can be a real comfort to know you can recharge like this. If I can work my day around getting this restorative pose in- usually around 2.30pm before school pick up- it gives me more energy for the rest of the day, helping me feel mentally clearer and more emotionally balanced. It’s an amazing practice to do undisturbed, but I’ve also done this pose with children and dogs interrupting me and still felt better for it!”
Where, and to whom are you teaching Sleep Recovery?
”I teach yoga and movement for women’s health and specialise in supporting women from postnatal recovery all the way through to menopause. Sleep disruptions and insomnia can be really common for women during these transitions and many of the practices can be used to great effect during this time. It’s also especially helpful to be able to tailor the program to the individual by assessing their sleep type and recommending which practices will be particularly beneficial.”
Claire teaches Yoga for Sleep Recovery courses and supports clients via one to one sessions, both in person and online. She also teaches a weekly drop-in Sleep Easy class on Sundays from 8pm-8.40pm.
