With so much in the news lately about Insomnia + Sleep Deprivation and the chemical drugs used to "cure" it, we wanted to remind our readers about the best natural treatment for the relief of Insomnia + Sleep Deprivation and one's general inability to relax - Yoga!Your sleep quality can improve as a result of the stimulatory effect yoga has on your central nervous system and brain. It also calms your adrenal glands. This is because many yoga postures increase the blood circulation to the sleep center in the brain, which in effect enhances your sleep cycle. The breathing that you do in yoga allows for more oxygen in the body providing clarity in the mind. You might even need less sleep as a result of practicing yoga on a regular basis! This is due to the fact that yoga helps to eliminate toxins from your body and rejuvenates and reorganizes you at the cellular level. Yoga can help you fall asleep sooner and improve the quality of your sleep. You will have a more restful sleep because of the relaxing aspects of yoga and the subsequent relief of stress, tension, and fatigue.
In addition to vigorous poses and movements, yoga also includes relaxation poses. A common relaxation pose is called “Savasana” also known as dead body/corpse pose. This pose is about being in a state of total stillness and blocking out thoughts that interfere with your peace of mind, making it ideal as a cure for sleeping difficulties. Though Savasana is usually performed on the floor as a meditation, you can certainly practice in it your own bed at night to help you fall asleep. Just lie on your back in a supine position with your arms at your sides and your palms facing upwards. Make sure that your legs are slightly parted and close your eyes. When you inhale expand your stomach outwards and when you exhale bring your stomach inwards. While Savasana is an effective technique for curing a sleep disorder, it doesn’t work immediately. You have to practice it like any other yoga pose. So if it doesn’t help you fall asleep on the first try, keep practicing it for a few weeks. You body and mind are deeply connected and will work together to help you get the rest you need.
Image courtesy of plassen's photostream found here.
This article is courtesy of kulae's own Larry Kovner. Email him here!
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment