If you find yourself tossing and turning at night, lying awake and staring at the alarm clock, you may be suffering from insomnia. Insomnia is a very common problem in today's high-paced, over-achieving way of life. And what's worse, stress and anxiety often accompany a high paced life, resulting in an inability to relax and wind down when your day is over. If you're having trouble falling asleep at night and you suspect that your insomnia is stress-related, yoga may just be your sleep solution. Yoga is known to relieve stress - the worries of the mind and the body, making it the perfect exercise to induce a calm body, ready for sleep. If you're having trouble falling asleep at night because you just can not let go of your day, give yoga a try. It's easy to learn, you can do it without any special equipment, and you can do it in the privacy of your own home. To get started you only need a brief reference on proper pose position and a comfortable spot on the floor. If you're ready to give yoga a try, here are some of the more popular yoga poses for insomnia relief: - Forward bends such as Downward Facing Dog Pose, Standing Forward Bend, and/or Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend will help you stretch and relax. Hold each pose for a few seconds, then relax and breate deeply.
- After your initial exercises, if you find that you are still wide awake, continue with Bridge Pose and/or Reclining Bound Angle Pose. You should, at this point, be feeling relaxed and calm.
- A great way to finish your routine is with the Corpse Pose-so named for the deep relaxation involved. It can be performed on the floor but if your goal is to fall asleep, you should do this one last and in bed. An alternative to this pose is the supported shoulder stand (which should be done last as well).
Consider doing your yoga exercises in the bedroom, shortly before you retire. Make this a part of every evening. In addition to the calming effects of your yoga, having a "bedtime routine" has been shown to help eliminate the symptoms of insomnia.
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