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Do you find it difficult to get to sleep, and then when you finally do, you keep waking up throughout the night? Do you wish you could wake up feeling rested for once? Then you should try practicing yoga to cure insomnia and see how much better you’ll sleep. If you’re trying to avoid taking sleeping aids, or if you do take them but would like to eliminate them all together, then yoga is a great way to alleviate insomnia naturally.
How does yoga help to relieve insomnia? One of the main causes of insomnia is stress, and yoga is a fantastic stress reliever. Various yoga poses help to promote deeper breathing which in turn relaxes your body and calms your mind. Yoga is almost like a meditation itself, in that it encourages you to focus inward on your body and your breathing so your mind becomes less distracted and more calm. When your mind is peaceful and not racing with thoughts, you will find that sleep comes much easier. Also, yoga will reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol and increase levels of a neurotransmitter called GABA which is a natural tranquilizer. This will help to relax your body and relieve built up tension. With a relaxed body and a calm mind, you’ll soon be sleeping the whole night through!
There are many yoga poses, so how do you know which ones work the best for insomnia? Try the three described below for best results:
* Seated Forward Bend – Sit down on the floor with your back straight and your legs together and out in front of you. Raise your arms straight up, then bend down from the hips. Grab your shins, ankles, or toes, depending on how far you can comfortably reach. Hold for 1-3 minutes, then return to the sitting position.
* Head-to-Knee Forward Bend – This pose is like the one above, except you stretch only one leg out in front of you at a time. Keep the other leg tucked in with your foot against your thigh and your leg at a 90 degree angle to the leg in front of you. Bend forward from the hips and reach for your shin, ankle, or toes, only going as far as is comfortable. Hold for 1-3 minutes, then come back up and repeat for your other leg.
* Big Toe Pose – Stand up straight, then bend forward from the hips. Grip your big toes with your middle and index fingers around the inner sides and your thumbs around the outer sides of both big toes. If you can’t reach that far then you can hold onto your calves. Bend as far as you can while pulling upwards on your toes. Hold for about a minute, then come back up to a standing position.
Don’t worry if at first you’re not too flexible, just do the best you can but don’t try to stretch too far or you’ll pull a muscle. Over time you’ll become more flexible. You’ll also find yourself falling asleep quicker and sleeping the whole night through. Doesn’t that sound refreshing?
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