Yoga For Insomnia
Insomnia is a problem related to sleep where a person has complaints of dissatisfaction with the quality and quantity of sleep, difficulty initiating sleep, and maintaining sleep.
If a person is suffering from chronic insomnia, then it may be arguably stated that the chances of the person aging faster is more or he may be sick for any reason. When a person sleeps well, the body starts to repair itself beginning at the cellular level and eliminates toxins, which may be harmful for the body. Thus, it is absolutely necessary that an individual gets at least eight hours of sleep on a daily basis.
People suffering from insomnia often turn to taking sleeping pills which is a short term solution but can have its own side effects like dependency and addiction to the sleeping pills if taken for an extended period of time. Yoga comes to the rescue of such individuals. Practicing the Yoga Poses delineated below, one can get rid of several illnesses to include insomnia or abnormal sleeping habits. Yoga goes a long way in relieving stress in an individual and make him or her sleep restfully at night.
5 Best Yoga Poses To Get Rid Of Insomnia
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Forward Bend Pose or Hastapadasana For Insomnia
This pose helps stretch the back muscles, stimulates the nervous system by improving blood supply and also makes spine relatively supple. The animation below explains how forward bend pose or hastapadasana is done but here is short note on how to go about doing this exercise which can help get rid of insomnia.
- Stand straight with body balanced equally on both feet.
- Extend your arms overhead and simultaneously breathe in.
- Now slowly bend forward and try touching your hand to the toes while breathing out.
- Stay in the posture for a couple of seconds or as long as you can while continuing to breathe.
- Try not to bend the knees such that you feel your spine getting stretched.
- Slowly come up to the standing position.
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Cat Stretch Pose or Marjariasana For Insomnia:
This is one of the best stretches for improving flexibility of the spine. It also goes a long way in improving digestion and thus making you to sleep peacefully. It also improves circulation of blood and helps in relieving stress in an individual.
The animation below explains how Cat Stretch Pose or Marjariasana is done but here is short note on how to go about doing this exercise which can help get rid of insomnia.
- Kneel down and rest your palm on the floors as shown in the animation below.
- Raise your chin and tilt your head up towards the ceiling, push your abdomen or the navel down such that your tailbone gets raised. This is the cat pose.
- Hold on to this position for a couple of seconds or as long as you can while continuing to breathe normally.
Next, slowly bend your head downwards bringing you chin as close as possible to the chest, and simultaneously, raise the abdomen or the navel area away from the ground upwards such that your upper back is curved up as shown in the picture below.
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Child Pose or Shishuasana For Insomnia:
This is a stretch which provides extreme relaxation to the back and also helps calming the nervous system down and assist in sleep.
The animation below explains how Child Pose or Shishuasana is done but here is short note on how to go about doing this exercise which can help get rid of insomnia
- Sit on your heels as shown in the image below with your hips resting on the heels. Slowly bend forward and try touching the forehead to the floor with your hands stretched forward.
- Slowly move your hands in the direction of your feet and let it rest beside the feet.
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Butterfly Pose or the BaddhaKonasana For Insomnia:
It is a pose that is useful for eliminating fatigue from the body after prolonged hours of work. It is also a good exercise for thighs, groin, and knees.
The Picture below shows how Butterfly Pose or Baddhakonasana is done but here is short note on how to go about doing this exercise which can help get rid of insomnia.
- Sit with your spine erect and legs spread straight out.
- Now bend your knees and bring your feet (heels) towards the pelvis, with the soles of both feet touching each other.
- Hold the feet firmly with your hands. Make an effort to bring the heels as close to the genitals as possible.
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Legs-up-the-wall pose (Viparitakarani) For Insomnia:
This is an excellent pose to get rid of tired legs at the end of the day. The best way to do this exercise is to lie down near a wall and lift the legs up such that the heel is supported by the wall and then extend arms. Take deep breaths and you will feel extremely relaxed.
Sleep experts often suggest that the best way to get a good night’s sleep is to have a daily routine of when to go to sleep and when to get up to which the body gets accustomed to.
Important Tips To Help You Get Better Sleep
- Do not go to bed immediately after eating heavy meal as this can cause indigestion or acid reflux and be a barrier to a sleep.
- Avoid consuming tea or coffee or a caffeinated soft drink just before going to sleep as such stimulants prevent an individual from going to sleep.
- One should not do “Bhastrika Pranayama” in the evenings, as they increase energy buildup in the body and prevent an individual from falling asleep.
- One should avoid watching television or go for late night outings unless absolutely necessary in order to get to sleep at the normal time.
- Have a regular sleep pattern where you go to sleep at a particular time and maintain it as long as possible.
Also Read:
- What Causes Middle Insomnia or Middle of the Night Insomnia?
- Initial Insomnia: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment
- Natural Treatments & Lifestyle Changes for Insomnia That Really Works
- Feeling Insomniac? Remedies and Foods to Fight Insomnia
- How Effective and Safe is Ambien in Treating Insomnia?
- Insomnia: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment To Cure Poor Sleep
- Insomnia and Depression – Can Lack of Sleep Lead to Depression?