A Simple Yoga Blanket Can Make Your Practices So Much Better

Any yogi knows just how beneficial the practice of yoga can be and that's why a Yoga Blanket can be the key to finding your special zen zone. Physically, it can help lower blood pressure, strengthen immunity, and improve heart health, among many other benefits. Mentally, yoga is an excellent way to combat stress and relieve anxiety.

The practice of yoga is by all accounts perfect for your long-term health. It can also be extremely gratifying to feel yourself improve as you practice, and even just to relish in a particularly good yoga session. But what are some ways to make good yoga sessions even better?

One obvious answer is to keep practicing and getting better. But another answer you may not have considered is to add props into your yoga practices. Props can help you add the right measure of weight, support, and softness to your yoga poses. And the best part is that props tend to be extremely simple and inexpensive - as simple and inexpensive as say: a blanket.

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Tips for using your Yoga Blanket

A yoga blanket seems like quite a humble object - at first glance, hardly something that can elevate your yoga sessions to another level. But don't be deceived, because the yoga blanket has become an essential to experienced yogis around the world. As you can imagine, this is not without its reasons. The versatile yoga blanket can make your yoga experience phenomenal – if you know how to use it.

Here are some tips on when and how to use a yoga blanket to make your practices even better:

Cover Up During Savasana

Yes, this is probably the first use you thought of when we mentioned the yoga blanket. That's why we put it first on the list – to get the obvious out of the way.

Savasana, the final relaxation pose of any practice, is meant to help you clear your mind completely and just let go. You can stay in this pose for as long as you want, and it's the best way to allow your muscles to relax after a strenuous practice and consolidate what you've learned.

However, it can be hard to let go when the temperature isn't right. When something doesn't feel quite right, it's easy for your mind to wander. That's why the warmth of a thick yoga blanket can come in handy during this pose. In fact, it may not even be the warmth that you're looking for. The weight of a thick yoga blanket can help you feel more comfortable and grounded.

Elevate Your Seat in Sukhasana

The best pose to start your practice in is sukhasana, the best pose to begin to clear your thoughts. This simple cross-legged pose is fine to conduct sitting on the ground. However, sitting on a square-fold blanket pushes the back to stay tall during this opening pose. The yoga blanket provides a base for your sit bones that's firm but more comfortable than your yoga mat.

Cushion Your Knees

Practically every single yogi out there has felt pain in their knees from spending long minutes kneeling on their mats or the floor. You don't quite realize how bony knees are until you spend long periods of time in kneeling poses.

Protect your knees and enjoy your yoga poses more by using a yoga blanket. Place the yoga blanket under your knees in camel, cat, cow, crescent moon, and sunbird pose. This will stop your knees from coming in contact with a hard and painful surface, while still providing a firm and supportive surface for you to practice on.

Protect Your Wrists Too!

Just as it's important to make sure your knees aren't in pain while you practice, it's important that your hands and wrists don't hurt either.

Place your yoga blanket under your wrists in poses like the plank pose, downwards dog, cat, and dog to ensure they don't end up hurting.

Roll Up Your Blanket For Child's Pose

Yoga blankets are not just used folded up or completely unrolled for savasana. They can also be rolled up, and they prove extremely useful for many poses in this shape. One such pose is child's pose.

The goal in child's pose is to let your body become heavier and really melt into the mat as you control your breathing. Placing a rolled up yoga blanket between the legs so that the hips can rest on it is ideal to let your body soften. Helping you get more comfortable, this modified child's pose is perfect for people of all levels, but especially for beginners.

Let Your Blanket Help You During Shoulder Stands

The shoulder stand can be a challenging pose for beginners, but it's a rewarding pose once you master it. However, without a soft surface to place your shoulders on, it can be hard to stay in this pose for a very long time. The curvature in your neck can press into the ground and cause discomfort.

To ensure this pose is comfortable, fold your blanket so that it's about as wide as your yoga mat. When you perform your shoulder stand, make sure that your shoulders are on the blanket, but not your neck and head. In other words, leave your neck and head hanging from the side of the mat. This will provide the right elevation so that your neck doesn't contact the floor and you can comfortably lift your legs and stay in this pose for a few minutes.

Use Your Blanket to Ground Yourself

Concentrating weight on a certain part of your body can promote muscular release. You can add weight to your body during specific poses with your yoga blanket. The blanket will also help you stay warm, making you feel nurtured while you practice.

For example, during child's pose, you can place your folded blanket on your sacrum. The blanket will encourage your back to move closer to the floor for a better execution of the pose. You can also place a folded blanket on the top part of your legs during revolved abdomen pose.

Just like when using a blanket in child's pose, this will allow the legs to melt into the floor.

As you can see, the affordable and humble yoga mat is an extremely versatile object. There are hundreds of ways you can use a blanket to get the most out of your practice. The suggestions above are just the start!

The Best Yoga Blankets

If you're looking to get into Yoga and gain the many benefits it has to offer, why not get yourself a Yoga Blanket to accompany you on your journey. We have listed some of the best rated Yoga Blankets below, so take a look and see if you can find something that will help you with your spiritual awakening.

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Buy On Amazon Yoga Mate Soft, Sweat Absorbent, Non-Slip Bikram Yoga Mat Size Towel Yoga can sometimes be a sweaty exercise and thus this towl will be perfect to accompany you on your sessions. It's super soft and looks amazing with it's purple swirly colors. It's easy to machine wash so if it does get a bit stinky it's easy to clean and maintain. This microfiber towel is super absorbant and measures in at 24x68 inches so it fits mats perfectly. Features Microfibre

24x68 inches

Multiple colors

Machine Washable

Buy On Amazon Kakaos Deluxe Cotton Yoga Blanket Without Tassels This Yoga Blanket is made from 100% Cotton. It comes in multiple colors and is very plain and doesn't draw attention to it. It doesn't come with any tassels or have an eye-catching design, so it's perfect if you just want to slip into a Yoga class without anyone eyeing you up. It measures in at 80x60 inches and is quite thick too. Features 100% Cotton - Chemical Free

80x60 inches

Multiple colors

Buy On Amazon Hot Yoga Towel, Boence 100% Microfiber Fitness Towel Yoga Blanket This wonderfully designed Yoga blanket is made from super-absorbant microfiber which is perfec for those hot and bothered yoga sessions. It's easy to wash and care for as it's machine washable and comes in multiple colors and designs. It fits perfectly over most yoga mats and has been designed for Hot Yoga, Bikram Yoga, and Power Yoga. Features Super absorbant microfiber

Machine Washable

Multiple colors

Buy On Amazon Open Road Goods Handmade Sea Green/Turquoise Yoga Blanket If you ever need a Yoga blanket which has a soft and delicate feel, this Open Road Yoga Blanket is perfect for you. It comes in various colors, including this sea green/turquoise color and measures in at 80x50 inches so it's big enough for most occaisions. This blanket can also be machine washed which means it's easy to care-for and keep clean all day long! Features Cotton - Acrylic - Polyester blend

Multiple Colors

Machine Washable

Buy On Amazon Makaor Rainbow Stripe Mandala Blanket Beach Towel Mat Tassel Yoga Mat If color is your thing, why not try this brilliant rainbow-themed blanket for your meditation. It's long length of 150CM makes it perfect for yoga or meditation. It can be used outdoor or indoor and can be kept clean with a cold machine wash. It is made from Polyester material. Features Polyester Material

75x150CM

Machine Washable Cold

Buy On Amazon Handwoven organic cotton blanket This plain 100% Cotton blanket is soft and luxurious and is handwovern to perfection. They are made primarily for Yoga mats so you can absorb the natural organic bliss of Cotton but they can also be used for bed linen. It measures in 86 x 60 inches and can be used to cover most standard Yoga mats. Features 100% Cotton

786x60 inches

Handmade

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