So, have you at least tried spearing some time at lunch for napping? Please do so, it really is for the best of you!
I’m here to accompany you through this challenging journey!
Let’s look at what you SHOULD do this time.
Why yoga is the best sleep pill
In 2004, Harvard Medical School conducted a research to investigate the effectiveness of yoga in helping with insomnia. The researchers invited subjects with different levels of sleep problems to have a daily practice of yoga for 8 weeks. When the experiment came to an end, it was found that all of the subjects experienced significant improvement both in their sleep quality and quantity.[1]
“Yoga is an effective treatment because it addresses insomnia’s physical and psychological aspects,” says the research leader, Sat Bir Khalsa, Ph.D., assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Apart from relaxing your tensed muscles and relieving any physical discomfort caused by muscle stiffness, yoga can also unwind your busy mind and adjust the tempo of your breath. So doing yoga before bed is like sending signal to your body and mind, telling them to get prepared for sleep.
We have picked out 4 of the best yoga poses for you:
1. Salabhasana
Salabhasana is known for helping to reduce stress while encouraging sleep. This is because the pose helps to relax the muscles in your back and stomach, reliving indigestion and back pain. It also helps to sooth the chest and neck while removing leg pain.
Start by inhaling deeply in the plank pose.
Raise your shoulders up and clasps your hands together behind your back.
Exhale slowly and root the top part of your feet into the ground.
Inhale deeply as you slowly lift up your chest and arms.
Relax and hold this position while breathing slowly.
To finish the yoga pose, release your hands and exhale slowly, pushing your body into downward-facing dog.
2. Jathara Parivartanasana
This pose translates to ‘stomach rolling around’, and it is known to help with insomnia by relaxing the lower back and helping with digestion.
Start by lying on your back.
Bring your arms out to the side, with the palms facing down in a straight T position.
Slowly bend both knees into the chest.
Exhale slowly while you drop both knees over at the left side of your body.
Slide your knees as close to the left arm as possible. This twists the spine and the lower back, providing relief for the muscles.
Hold this position for 5 to 10 minutes, then repeat on the other side of your body.
3. Upavistha Konasana
Upavishta Konasana removes tension from the lower back, legs and groin. It can also relieve arthritis and ease sciatica, and it is great for relaxing the mind.
Start by sitting upright on the floor with a straight back.
Extend your legs in front of you into a V shape, placing your hands on your buttocks for balance.
Don’t stretch your legs too far apart – this position should be comfortable.
Inhale and push backward to lengthen the spine, then exhale and bend forward from your hips.
4. Supported Savasana
This is the final pose before you go to sleep, as it really helps your mind to relax.
Lie back, letting your arms and legs relax.
Focus on breathing slowly and deeply, and close your eyes. Lay like this for at least 5 minutes.
Come out of the pose by slowly drawing your knees into your chest, then lie down to sleep.
Demonstration
Wow! You’ve got your Phase 1 completed, it’s awesome you’ve made so far! Now you know how to sleep to get a strong nervous system.
So what else you should do besides learning ways to sleep better? Well… it’s all about how to control your stress level!
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