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yoga

How Evening Movement Can Transform Your Sleep

Rachel Larson · June 11, 2025 ·

Ever crawl into bed exhausted—only to find your brain buzzing, your body tense, and sleep just out of reach?

You’re not alone.

Between hormone shifts, daily demands, and the mental noise we carry from sunrise to sundown, many women in midlife and beyond are tired but wired at night. And when this becomes a pattern, it affects everything: your mood, energy, focus, and long-term health.

Here’s the good news: there’s a surprisingly simple tool that can help you reset your sleep, calm your nervous system, and fall asleep more easily.

It’s not a supplement or screen detox. It’s movement. But not just any movement.

The Right Kind of Movement Before Bed

Gentle, intentional movement in the evening helps tell your body: It’s safe to rest now.

When we slow down with purpose—stretching, breathing deeply, and reconnecting with ourselves—we activate the parasympathetic nervous system (a.k.a. rest and digest mode). This signals the body to release tension and transition into a calmer, sleep-ready state.

The best part? You don’t need to commit to an hour-long routine or leave your house. Even 10–20 minutes of slow movement can make a difference.

What Evening Movement Might Look Like

Here are a few simple practices you can try tonight:

  • Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose – Relieves tired legs and gently calms the body (need image)
  • Seated Forward Fold – Soothes the spine and quiets the mind (need image)
  • Gentle Supine Twists – Releases tension in the lower back (need Image)
  • Box Breathing – Inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. Repeat.
  • Six-Minute Body Scan – Lay down, breathe slowly, and mentally relax each part of your body, head to toe. Listen to this 6 min guided Yoga Nidra Meditation.

Let it be simple. Let it feel good. Let it be just enough.

Make It a Ritual, Not a Rule

This isn’t about perfection or adding more to your to-do list. It’s about offering your body a small act of care before sleep.

Think of it as an evening exhale—a way to transition from the noise of the day into a quieter, softer space.

Ready to Unwind with Us?

At Flostate Yoga + Fitness, we offer yoga classes with special stretch and release focus areas such as:

  • Yoga Restore & Foam Roll: Lower Body 
  • Yoga Restore: Upper Body Myofascial Release
  • Intensive Stretch & Foam Roll: Chest & Legs

These classes can help to downshift your nervous system and support deeper rest. Whether you join in person or from your living room, the goal is the same: to help you reset and feel more like yourself again.

Explore our yoga stretch & restorative offerings here → The Flostate

Have questions? We’d love to help you find the right fit. Contact us at info@theflostate.com 

Here’s to better sleep, calmer nights, and mornings that feel a little lighter.

Yoga in the Park Outdoor Series

Alice Halvorson · June 5, 2025 ·

Join us for outdoor yoga this summer with our Yoga in the Park Series!

SIGN UP HERE

Embrace summer and take your yoga practice outdoors with Flostate Fitness! You’ll move your body and enjoy the beautiful sights, smells and sounds of nature at Valley Creek Park. Class includes gentle sun salutation and warrior series flow paired with targeted stretching and core strengthening poses.

Bring your yoga mat, towel for under mat (for any dew), water bottle and towel. Ambiance provided! We will meet in front of the historic Red Barn.

8-Week Sessions
Saturdays: June 14 – August 2
Saturdays: August 16 – September 27
$80 / Woodbury Resident
$95 / Non-resident
Season Pass: $150 (Resident), $175 (Non-Resident)

Sign up is through the City of Woodbury and closes online 24 hours before class. SIGN UP HERE
You can sigh up anytime by calling Jennifer Anderson at 651-714-3586. Season passes 
available. 

Movement with Community: A Positive Combination

Rachel Larson · June 2, 2025 ·

The day our oldest left for college, something shifted. My heart was heavy and so sad.  It was hard to focus on work. Thankfully, our youngest was still home—but two years later, when they left too, the silence in the house became overwhelming. It felt like someone was standing on my chest. It was hard to breathe. It was lonely, and I was struggling.

That year, I knew I had to readjust. I needed to figure out how to live—and more importantly, how to feel like myself again beyond the role of being a mom. What I craved, more than anything, was connection.

One Honest Moment Changed Everything

That connection came when I least expected it. After teaching a Yoga Restore class one day, I shared with the group how I’d been feeling. Vulnerable, a little unsure—but honest.

To my surprise, one of the participants stayed after class and opened up about her own experience. She invited me to join a book club she was part of—filled with kind, uplifting people who had also navigated big life transitions.

That day, I made a new friend. And through that group, I met more. Each connection helped shrink the sense of loss I felt—and reminded me that new chapters can bring new relationships, and even renewed purpose.

We All Crave Connection—Especially Now

As we age, we begin to realize that energy and movement aren’t automatic. They’re things we have to create. We have to seek them out intentionally.

To feel more grounded and energized in this stage of life, two things matter:

  • Physical movement that supports your body and clears your mind
  • Positive connection with others who understand where you are

In other words—we need community. And not just any community. One that’s supportive, real, and aligned with your season of life.

Why Movement With Others Matters

According to author Tom Rath, there are five essential elements of wellbeing:

  • Physical
  • Social
  • Community
  • Financial
  • Career

Three of those—physical, social, and community—are deeply impacted by how and with whom we move.

When you pair mindful movement with shared experience, something powerful happens. You don’t just stretch your muscles—you open space for energy, clarity, and connection to return. And when you feel supported and seen, you’re more likely to stick with habits that support long-term wellbeing.

What Flostate Offers
At Flostate Yoga and Fitness, we create intentional spaces for people to reconnect—with their bodies, their breath, their energy, and with others.

Here’s how we support that connection:

Digital Access for Independent Practice
Practice on your own schedule, wherever you are. Our on-demand library lets you move at your pace, when it works for you.

Livestream Classes for Virtual Togetherness
Join in from home and move with others in real time. It’s a great way to stay connected and consistent.

 In-Person Classes for Real-Time Energy
Feel the momentum of being in the room. Whether it’s yoga, strength, or recovery—you’ll leave feeling more present and recharged. It’s not about chasing fitness. It’s about building momentum, creating space for clarity, and moving in a way that aligns with your life now.

Come As You Are. Leave Recharged.

Our in-person community is growing—and we’d love for you to be part of it. You don’t need to be strong, flexible, or “ready.” You just need to show up. Whether you’re starting something new, getting back into a routine, or simply looking for a place that feels good to be—you’ll find it here.

Explore our class schedule
Reach out—we’d love to connect. info@theflostate.com 

You’ll find good people, great movement, and a little more energy than you came in with.

When to Slow Down and Listen to Your Body

Rachel Larson · April 23, 2025 ·

Because sometimes the most powerful move is the pause.

We live in a culture that glorifies hustle—early mornings, packed schedules, late nights, repeat. It’s easy to get caught in the cycle of pushing forward, grinding harder, doing more. But eventually, that pace catches up with us. We end up feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and completely burned out.

What if we didn’t wait until we were running on empty to take a breath? What if slowing down wasn’t something we earned, but something we integrated—regularly and intentionally?

Mindful movement practices like yoga, tai chi, stretching, and Pilates offer more than just physical benefits. With their emphasis on rhythmic breath and intentional focus, they create space for us to reconnect with the present moment. Tuning into our breath is a simple yet powerful way to shift out of autopilot, quiet the mental noise, and truly check in with ourselves.

Here’s the truth I’ve had to remind myself of more than once:
Sometimes, we need to slow down to speed up.

When we keep pushing through stress, the universe often intervenes with a little nudge—or a full-on shove. We get sick. We trip over the dog. We spill coffee on our shirt as we’re racing out the door. It’s our body’s way of saying: Hey, maybe now’s a good time to pause.

Chronic stress raises cortisol levels, and when we’re overtraining or undernourishing ourselves, it can sabotage even our best fitness goals. Slowing down, in this case, isn’t just okay—it’s necessary. Balance is everything. Listening to your body and adjusting your pace isn’t giving up; it’s getting smarter about how you move forward.

If your body and mind are asking for a reset, we’ve got something for you.

Join us for UnWINED 2.0 on May 15 – an event designed to help you slow down, restore your balance, and reconnect with yourself.
Maybe this is the pause you’ve been needing.
[Learn more and Sign up here]

Winter Solstice Yoga Restore

Alice Halvorson · December 6, 2024 ·

Celebrate the winter solstice with a very special yin yoga class with Rachel! In yoga, “night” is associated with yin energy, as yin represents stillness, darkness, and the passive aspects of life. You’ll pause the stress of the holidays, and go deeper in postures to release your body and bring about a wonderful sense of calm. Join us!

Saturday, December 21st 
4:30 – 5:15 pm
This is a virtual livestream class via Zoom.

SIGN UP HERE

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