Between opening my own private practice a little over a month ago, my girl no longer taking naps, a growing homestead (& nothing but dreams and DIY projects to make it bigger), and the 87 other to-do’s in the ol’ planner, I’m in my make-wellness-fit-in-the-nooks-and-crannies-of-life era…and maybe you can relate? I workout by waking up 30 minutes earlier, get enough protein via snacks in the car, and have perfected multitasking my skincare routine with Lolo’s bath time.
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Mixing self-care with life’s spare moments has become my superpower, and ooooooh I’m excited to tell you about my latest obsession. On the nights I don’t have time (or honestly, the energy) for a sauna, detox bath, or full-blown facial routine, laying with my legs up the wall for just a few minutes is the realistic but relaxing & recharging & reclaiming reset my body, mind, heart, and soul needs after a long day.
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You know I love a less-is-more approach to (pelvic) health…and it doesn’t get more accessible, actionable, or affordable than [this]. All you need are five minutes (give or take), a wall, and the self-imposed permission to slow down long enough to support your body through this simple practice.
The surprising benefits of simply putting your legs up the wall
A multitude of benefits from one pose and zero equipment? Say less. I don’t know what it is about this practice, but I can tell you that the combination of intentionally slowing down and going against gravity is delightful and you miiiiiiiight get addicted. As a pelvic floor physical therapist and lover of all things natural and nourishing, I can’t help but share how simply putting your legs up the wall could *literally* change your life.
IMPROVED BLOOD CIRCULATION
Human beings spend most of their time in the upright position, and thanks to a little somethin’ somethin’ called gravity, blood can pool in the legs and feet after sitting and standing all day. Elevating the legs helps blood return back to the heart and other vital organs and has been shown to lower blood pressure, improve digestion, promote healing, and support the immune system.
BETTER LYMPHATIC MOBILITY
The lymphatic system helps balance fluid levels in the body, and kind of like the circulatory system described above, lymph can pool in the lower extremities after hours and hours spent in the upright position. Legs up the wall helps keep lymph moving properly and optimally and can result in reduced swelling, better detoxification, less inflammation, and a stronger immune system.
A RELAXED PELVIC FLOOR
Despite what you might have heard, a “tight vagina” is not a good thing, and pelvic floor muscle tension is often the culprit of the most common bladder, bowel, and sexual problems. While my top techniques for pelvic floor relaxation can be found in this free guide, legs up the wall pose is another useful technique to have in your back pocket. This position puts the body in neutral pelvic posture where the pelvic floor muscles are able to fully release, and don’t hesitate to let the whole body follow suit.
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LESS NIGHTTIME URINATION
Unless you’re over the age of 60, waking up to urinate is not normal. You should be spending your nights sleeping, not stumbling to the bathroom, and legs up the wall can help. Elevating the legs just before bed drains the fluid (aka blood & lymph we already addressed above) from the lower extremities so it’s more easily reabsorbed and processed by the kidneys. This prevents excess fluid from converting to urine overnight and decreases the need to pee. (PS – For a complete roadmap to fixing all things bladder leakage, urgency, and frequency, you’ve gotta check out my online course, The Bladder Blueprint. You can even find a few more strategies for nighttime urinating inside ;))
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LOWER CORTISOL
I don’t know about you, but I’m on a constant mission to balance my hormones and lower my cortisol, and out of everything I’m doing, legs up the wall is the most realistic, relatable, and real-life approved. Elevating the legs activates the parasympathetic nervous system and stimulates the vagus nerve, both triggering the body’s “rest and digest” response. This, along with increased circulation and general relaxation, naturally signals the endocrine system to slow down cortisol production.
IMPROVED LOW BACK PAIN
The older I get the more I realize low back pain is a thing and the more I appreciate how it can wreak havoc on nearly every part of life. I’m personally not a big fan of using medication to mask back pain, but I lowkey LOVE having a toolbox full of techniques to manage and ultimately remedy it. Legs up the wall takes stress off the back muscles, promotes proper spinal and pelvic alignment, stretches the hamstrings (if done with legs straight), challenges core strength, and reduces general inflammation and swelling. After a long day of working with patients, playing with my girl, and sitting to write blog posts like this (all things I love…no complaints here!), legs up the wall is the sweet relief my body needs.
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MORE ENERGY
Ok friend, how woo-woo should we get here? If we’re keeping things a little more western medicine, everything we’ve talked about so far (the improved circulation, increased lymphatic mobility, less stress, and happier muscles) will naturally lead to better energy. But some people also believe that stagnation in the lower “animal” chakras can pull the mind down and lead to depression, mental confusion, and low energy, and legs up the wall uses gravity to balance flow through every chakra in the body. No matter where you are on the conventional to crunchy spectrum, I think we could all use more energy and agree that legs up the wall miiiiiight be the easiest way to get there.
How to put your legs up the wall
Legs up the wall is technicallyyyyyyy a yoga pose called Viparita Karani, viparita meaning “turned around, reversed, inverted” and karani meaning “doing, making, action”. While the yogis have specific steps and more strict techniques for truly achieving this pose, you don’t have to get elaborate to experience the benefits above.
- Sit facing a wall then lower your body to the floor by laying to your side. Roll to your back and climb your feet up the wall. Your body should form an L-shape.
- Adjust your position according to what feels comfortable – scoot your booty closer to or further from the wall, bend or straighten the knees, and modify how far apart your legs are.
- Settle into the pose by unclenching your jaw, releasing tension in your head, neck, and shoulders, making the legs heavy against the wall, relaxing the hips into their sockets, lowering the pelvic floor, and lengthening the spine.
- Hold this pose for as little or long as you like, but 5-10 minutes is all it takes to see the benefits of this beautiful practice.
- To come out of the pose, bend your knees and roll to your side. When you’re ready, use your arms to push yourself upright.
My top tips for getting the most out of this practice
If you’re sold that simply putting your legs up the wall is worth your precious time, let’s make sure you’re getting the most out of this multi-purpose practice. Remember…wellness doesn’t have to be complicated, expensive, or time-consuming, but I’ll be damned if we don’t do things *right* and romanticize life in the process. Consider these small but significant tips & tricks my recipe to taking legs up the wall from meh to magical.
FEET ABOVE HEART
In order to get all ^^those^^ benefits above, the feet need to be above the heart – this takes advantage of gravity and allows for better flow and mobility of all the things *waves hands wildly*. But if putting your legs up the wall causes strain, seems unstable, or just plain doesn’t feel right, the knees don’t necessarily have to be straight. Consider resting your legs on the seat of a couch or chair in more of a “tabletop” position for better support and stability.
GET COMFORTABLE
Believe me when I say that the more comfortable you are in this position, the better the benefits get. While I love the accessibility of this pose and how you can do it anywhere and everywhere, there’s no reason not to maximize for ultimate enjoyment. Use pillows as props under your hips and heels, do it on your bed with your legs on the headboard (what my personal practice looks like), adjust the bent in your knees, width of your legs, and alignment of your spine until everything feels juuuuuuust right.
ADD DEEP BREATHING
You’re already breathing, why not do it with a little more mindfulness and intention? Deep belly breathing optimizes many of the benefits discussed above and has added perks including reduced inflammation, increased immunity, and improved sleep quality (especially if you’re doing legs up the wall right before bed). Here’s how to do it for the best success:
- Put one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen.
- Inhaling through your nose, gently fill your chest, abdomen, and pelvis with air as if your entire trunk is a balloon. With a bit of practice, you should feel your chest and abdomen expand into your hands and your pelvic floor faintly lower.
- Exhaling through your mouth, notice the chest and abdomen return and the pelvic floor slightly rise.
- Spend a little bit of time taking bigger, more exaggerated breaths to really feel the chest, abdomen, and pelvic floor move, then transition to more “regular” breaths and see if you can still sense that movement.
- The goal is that, with practice, [this] becomes how you take every breath – not necessarily “big” but with the right structures moving the right way at the right time.
MAKE IT FUN
There’s nothing I love more than taking ownership of an experience and elevating the vibe, and even something as simple as putting your legs up the wall can be ~truly~ enjoyable with very little extra effort. Listen to a chill playlist or catch up on your favorite podcast, read a book (but don’t drop it on your face like I do half the time), add guided meditation (this app is my favorite), lay on a hot pack, and fill a diffuser with your favorite essential oils (this brand is theeeeee best). It’s not about making things complex or complicated, it’s about creating a ritual you genuinely look forward to.
TRY THIS AT NIGHT
The good news is that there’s no wrong time to put your legs up the wall, but riiiiiiight before bed is the *chef’s kiss* best. You’re already in your comfy pajamas (check), the brain & body are in winddown mode (check), and those benefits above are going to be better achieved (check, check, check). I prefer to practice legs up the wall in bed for this very reason and have #noshame fallen asleep in this position.
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LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
In my pelvic health clinic, I find myself reminding my patients of two big principles over and over again – you know your body better than I ever will and always listen to your body over listening to me. And the same applies here. From the positioning to the timing to the luxurious extras, trust your inner knowing, tune in to your intuition, and adjust or adapt according to what’s best for you.
Please tell me you’ll try this tonight!
I’ll never forget the first time my husband, Bob, walked in on me laying on our bed with my legs up the wall above our headboard. He was confused, I was carefree and confidently creating a moment of self-care that has now become a nourishing non-negotiable in my busy, ambitious, and beautiful life. In my opinion, there’s no reason not to try this tonight, and I can’t wait to hear about the benefits you notice from this simple but significant practice.
– Amanda
Disclaimer: The content provided here does not constitute medical advice, nor is it a substitute for personalized healthcare. I’m a doctor, but I’m not your doctor. If you have concerns about a medical condition, diagnosis, or treatment, you should consult with a licensed healthcare professional.
Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. No pressure, but I have a feeling you’re gonna like what I’ve taken the time to put my recommendation behind.
