A goodnight’s sleep is essential for your body and mind. While sleeping your body gets time to repair the tissues and body cells. It helps you restore energy, reduce stress and prepare you to start afresh the next day.
A disturbed sleep or sleeplessness (insomnia) can cause various health problems like hyper tension, irritability, lack of concentration and even depression. Your performance at work suffers which leads to further problems.
Instead of resorting to sleep inducing medicines, which are not going to help you in the long run, you should practice Yoga to sleep well.
The following yoga exercises will help release tension and strain from the body. They lighten your mind and slow down the system, thus prepare you for a goodnight’s sleep. You should practice these exercises 2 hours after your meals and 30 minutes before going to bed to sleep well.
Yoga Exercises to Sleep Well
Cobra Pose (Bhujanga Asana)
Lie flat on your stomach; place your hands along the sides. Place your forehead on the floor. Take a deep breath and slowly raise your forehead, nose and chin from the floor.
Lift yourself up to chest and rest on your elbows. Fix your gaze at the ceiling. Hold for 10 seconds. Exhale and slowly come back to starting position. Do 3-5 rounds of Cobra Pose to sleep well.
Vajra Asana
Kneel down and sit on your heels. If you are unable to place your hips on the heels, you can place a towel in between hips and heels to fill the gap. Breathe in, pause and slowly bend forward while breathing out.
Your head should touch the floor and your chest should come till the knee level.You can rest your head on your hands if it does not reach the floor. Stay in this pose for 10 seconds. Breathe in and come back to starting position. Do 3-5 rounds of this asana. Vajra asana aids digestion and it prevents acidity and flatulence. Hence you are able to sleep well.
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The Crocodile Pose (Makar Asana)
Lie down on your stomach, fold your arms and place them under your head one upon the other. Rest your forehead on the arms. Place your feet at 12 inch distance with your toes facing out. Close your eyes and loosen your body.
Concentrate on your breath which should be slow and rhythmic. Remove all thoughts of your day to day work from your mind and just relax and look inwards. Stay in this position for 2-3 minutes. Slowly open your eyes and change the side to rest on your back. This is a resting pose; it calms the nerves, massages the heart and helps in its smooth functioning.
Deep Breathing
You should perform this exercise on bed, just before sleeping. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Fill your ribcage with breath and let your lungs expand to full capacity.
Hold for a few seconds. Breathe out while emptying your lungs and relax your abdomen. Do this 10-15 times. Relax in Shava asana and you are ready to sleep well.
Caution: Please use Home Remedies after Proper Research and Guidance. You accept that you are following any advice at your own risk and will properly research or consult healthcare professional.