Yoga poses for better sleep

Are you not sleeping properly? Do you feel that it is becoming more difficult to fall asleep or that you wake up even more tired than you went to sleep? You are probably not adopting the correct postures for sleeping. Stress, the high rhythm of life and the stresses of daily life translate into lack of sleep and rest every time they take their toll on us and affect a large part of society. The result? An exhausted body and the inability to sleep as we really need to recharge our energy. Here we propose a good method with which you can fall asleep immediately and relax your body so that rest is translated into morning energy. You want to know more? So, pay attention and discover the yoga poses to sleep better. Try these techniques and you will wake up like new.

What is yoga

Yoga, more than a practice, has become a lifestyle for many people. Its main objective is to heal, care for and strengthen the body and mind, trying to harmonize and balance them through breathing and meditation. This relaxation technique comes from India and although it originated thousands of years ago, it has increasingly become one of the most followed physical and mental conditioning systems in today”s society.

Thanks to yoga postures , combined with breathing, multiple healthy benefits are achieved for body and mind, including generating heat, recharging energy, relieving fatigue, reducing stress and spending a few minutes of your own, away from the rush and everyday problems that sometimes prevent us from resting. Also, thanks to the simple and extreme postures, it is possible to strengthen the muscles. Yoga is a complete practice that will help you live calmer, more relaxed and with freer and purer thoughts. Learning to focus on problems and divert your attention from them will help you get to sleep better.

Benefits of yoga

There are countless benefits of yoga that influence the health of body and mind. This activity provides, among other things, balance, control and inner peace, in addition to improving blood circulation and helping you gain muscle strength and flexibility. Therefore, its exercises are very complete, since it works both strength and endurance as well as balance, relaxation and concentration.

The practice of yoga helps you activate your metabolism, especially if it is practiced daily, so you can burn calories even when you are at rest. At the same time, your body will oxygenate itself, improving its functions, especially the bowel movement.

In short, practicing yoga regularly will help you improve your health, while you will stretch the muscles of the body, correct postural problems and avoid future joint pathologies, while providing you with energy, rest and vitality.

Yoga poses for good sleep

Insomnia, lack of sleep or little rest at night usually affects all those people who live situations of stress, excitement or fatigue during their day to day, due to the high pace of life. The lack of disconnection often produces muscle tension, which directly affects the inability to fall asleep. Yoga is one of the activities that can most help you learn to breathe slowly and deeply, a technique that will act as a natural sedative. And that”s not all, doing some yoga poses before bed will help you sleep better. Take note of the best:

Easy pose (Sukhasana)

The simplest pose that will help you sleep better is known as Sukhasana. It consists of leaning your body as much as you can, but without forcing. Sit with your back straight but not tense, your legs crossed, your hands on your knees and gently push your tailbone against the floor and your lower back forward. Accompanying the relaxed breathing you should bring your shoulder blades together and stretch your shoulders back, opening the diaphragm.

The child (Balasana)

The child or Balasana is the posture of rest and relaxation par excellence. It is generally practiced in all yoga sessions, as it is perfect for slowing down thoughts, calming the mind and relieving tension. To do the child”s position, bend the trunk over your legs with the arms extended forward or on both sides of the body. The forehead should rest on the ground. Thus, take long, deep breaths. Stay that way for a few minutes before bed and you”ll sleep better, as this is one of the pre-sleep yoga positions that work best.

The plow (Halasana)

The Plow Pose is also known as Halasana and is perfect for helping you sleep well, although it is more complex. Lie on your back and lift your legs over your head, then place your feet on the ground, just behind you. The hands may be on your lower back or on the floor, but they must seek balance. With the plow position you will be able to improve and activate blood circulation while you will be able to energize your body. In case your feet do not reach the ground, try resting them on the wall or a chair or even keeping them in the air. Ideally, hold on in the plow position for at least one minute.

Posture of the Dead (Savasana)

With the dead man”s pose, also known as Savasana, you will be able to rest your body in a simple way. You must lie on the ground as if you were a corpse, slightly separate your legs and keep your arms away from the body. Stay in this position and focus your attention on your body and your breathing, trying to put negative thoughts and worries aside. Observe your mind and be aware of what causes you stress or restlessness and remove it from yourself, holding deep breaths to relax completely. After this technique, it will be easier to fall asleep.

Alternate breathing (Nadi Shodhana)

One of the best practices for falling asleep is the alternate breathing technique, also known in the yoggi world as Nadi Shodhana or Anuloma Viloma. To do it, sit on the floor or in a chair with a straight back, you must feel comfortable. Place your hands on your knees with your palms facing up. Stretch your spine, lengthening it, and close your eyes to fully concentrate on the rhythm of your breathing. Relax the muscles of the face and let the shoulders sag during the exhalation. The abdomen should also be relaxed. Let the breath flow smoothly and deeply. Breathe in and out repeatedly, slowly drawing air in through your nostrils and allowing your lungs to empty during the exhalation.

To carry out alternate breathing, close one of your nostrils with the ring finger and little finger. First one, then the other. You must hold your breath, but without forcing it, your body will be the one who tells you that you must expire. After alternating breathing for several minutes, finish the exercise with several full breaths. You will feel more relaxed and ready to sleep peacefully.

Tips for a good night”s sleep

As we have seen, yoga is a practice that will help you relax, remove stress and free yourself from tension, therefore, it is made up of exercises that will help you fall asleep and sleep better. However, it is impossible to solve your insomnia problems if you do not take into account that you must maintain sleep hygiene. Take note of the following tips to sleep better:

• Avoid exciting drinks in the hours before sleep.
• Try to have a regular and fixed schedule both to go to bed and to get up, so you will get used to the body to rest properly at its hours.
• Try to sleep 8 hours a day.
• Avoid napping hours before you have to sleep.
• Relax before going to bed, as we have said, yoga practice will be beneficial, but you can also enjoy aromatherapy or a good bath. All of these activities will help you reduce stress and therefore sleep better.
• Avoid heavy meals before bed, as well as alcoholic beverages or tobacco.
• Meditation is a fantastic technique that will help you eliminate or erase negative thoughts, without having to toss and turn. Test it!