Can Yoga Help You Sleep?
Do you struggle to get to sleep? Wake in the night and then can’t get back to sleep? Can yoga help? Firstly, if you are having sleeping issues then you might want to have a wee look at your lifestyle. Do you need to cut down on caffeine? Are you eating a balanced diet? Are you getting some exercise? Are you getting out in the fresh air? All these things are important for a balanced healthy life and a good nights sleep. Do you have things going on in your life that are making sleep challenging? If this is the case, you may not be able to change them at the moment and you might need to accept that you are going through a challenging time and that sleep is simply not easy right now. There can be freedom in that acceptance. Not sleeping is one thing but worrying about not sleeping is no good either!
Preparing for bed is a key part of the sleeping process. If you have had a super busy day and you are busy right up until you go to bed it is not really fair to expect your body and mind to just shut down for sleep. Spend some quite time in low lighting, no tv, no devices. Just quite time. Possibly reading or a gentle relaxing activity. It is winter right now so the perfect time to light some candles and play some relaxing music. Give your body and mind some time to unwind and switch modes so to speak. It is not such a good idea to pour yourself a glass of wine however! Some people find that writing a journal at this time helps them. Journaling can give you a chance to off load some of that stuff whirling round in your mind. It gives you a chance to review the day and note down a few to do’s for the following day. If you have got these things down on paper before bed they might not come to disturb you in the night.
A strong, challenging yoga practice is great for earlier in the day or to get you going in the morning but when it comes to getting ready for bed we do things a little differently. A yoga practice before bed is quiet, gentle and inward looking. You might spend a few minutes practicing a soft ujjayii breath. Practicing this breath for 4 or 5 minutes a few times a day can be really beneficial. Take an inhale and then sigh out the exhale with your mouth open. Do it again. Now do the same thing (still making the sound although it will be quieter now) with your mouth closed. This is ujjayii breath. Then while continuing to breath like this you can move into your bedtime practice. The perfect poses are things like flowing cat/cow, child pose, reclined spinal twists, supported bridge, pigeon and using a belt while lying down to stretch out the legs and pelvic area. A night time practice focuses on the legs and pelvic areas to draw attention away from the head and mind. Remember to breath while you move!
If you still struggle to get to sleep due to thoughts disturbing you or you wake in the night and then get caught up in your thoughts then I find watching my breath very helpful. It does take practice. Your thoughts won’t ever stop but you can train yourself to take your attention to the breath every time we are caught in our thoughts. This leads me to meditation. Building in a regular meditation practice into your day is a great idea. You might do 1 long practice or you might find 2 shorter practices across the day suits you better. Do what works for you.
In times when sleep is an issue you may also want to try and incorporate a few restorative poses in the late afternoon in order to help you deal with the rest of the day.
Happy sleeping!