Did you know that approximately 1 in 7 Canadians suffer from insomnia? Are you one of them? Before resorting to prescription medication, why not try prescription meditation!
Causes and Consequences of Insomnia
All joking aside, insomnia and other sleep disorders are serious issues that affect the quality of your entire life and can lead to serious chronic illness.
There are many factors that contribute to insomnia, from general stress and anxiety, to chronic pain and tension. Insomnia can create a brutal cycle as you continue to lose sleep by being stressed out about losing sleep.
Yoga can work wonders for insomnia. A dedicated bedtime yoga routine is guaranteed to calm your body and relax your mind so that you can catch some much needed z’s.
Rules to Sleep By
The key to a successful sleep is having a consistent bedtime routine. Far beyond brushing and flossing, you need to prepare your body and brain to go to bed.
Rule #1: Don’t eat anything past 9 p.m. To properly prepare for sleep, your body should be slowing down, not working to digest food or processing stimulants like sugar or caffeine. Practise discipline with the late night munchies and it will pay off.
Rule #2: Unplug. Just as you should avoid stimulating your body by not eating before bed, you will also want to stop stimulating your brain. Turn off the TV or computer at least an hour before bed and opt instead for soothing music or light reading.
Bedtime Yoga Routine
Do this yoga routine 20 minutes before you want to be asleep, every single night. In this way you will train your mind and body to fully relax, and you should quickly find yourself slipping into a sweet slumber.
Bring the front edge of your yoga mat up to an empty wall. Lie on your back with your bum a few inches from the wall. Slowly walk your legs up the wall until they are at a 90 degree angle to your torso and pressed up against the wall. Bring your hands to your lower belly and start to slow your breathing. Fill your palms with your belly as you relax your stomach and deepen your inhale. Stay here for 5 minutes.
Next, let your arms come out to the side in a ‘T’ shape and slowly bend your knees, letting them fall in towards you. Move into an easy spinal twist, letting your knees come down to rest on the ground for five minutes on either side. Begin counting while you breathe: inhaling for 4 counts, and exhaling for 6.
Finally, get into bed for Shivasana — your final relaxation pose. Lie on your back and bring your legs slightly apart, letting your feet drop out to either side. Have your arms down by your side, away from your torso, with your palms facing up. Scan your body from the top of your head to the tips of your toes, inviting each muscle, tendon, organ and bone to be incredibly heavy.
Feel yourself sinking deeper into your mattress. Keep counting your breaths, elongating the inhale to 6 and the exhale to 8, until you slip off into dreamland …