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. If 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 think your insomnia is stress related, here are some of the more popular yoga poses for insomnia relief:
1. Forward bends such as: Downward Facing Dog Pose, Standing Forward Bend, and/or Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend.
2. 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.
3. Finish your routine with Shavasana/corpse pose-sSo 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.
