After a day at the office, everyone wants to lie down and lose themselves in dreamland. Unfortunately, in this age of “on-the-go” lifestyle and poor diet, getting quality sleep at night has become a distant dream for millions around the world.
It is no surprise that many start and end their day on medications. Some require it to function normally while others for helping them sleep peacefully at night.
What if there was a natural and holistic way for you to just lie down on the bed and sleep without any hassle? What if all you had to do to sleep was practice a few simple body movements? Yes! We are talking about the ancient art of yoga.
Now many yoga practitioners question –
How Can Yoga Help Me Sleep?
There are many reasons which lead to the problem of sleep deprivation. Among all of these, the most common is stress. Stress not only disturbs your sleep but also makes you frustrated and anxious.
Want to know how yoga helps you sleep at night? Keep reading.
- Daily practice of yoga causes temporary physical fatigue due to the involvement of different muscles in the session. However, this physical fatigue helps you sleep peacefully at night and it is then the tired muscles recover and become stronger.
- If you make yoga meditation for sleep a part of your daily routine, it increases the melatonin level. This in turn calm downs your nervous system which helps you sleep at night.
- There are numerous yogic deep breathing techniques which improve your sleep quality. This includes deep inhalation and exhalation which relaxes your brain and prepares the body for sleep.
- Yoga helps remove toxins from your body and deals with anxiety. It does so by increasing the oxygen levels in your blood.
At the same time, there are many other benefits of yoga.
Benefits of Yoga
Given below are 3 major benefits of yoga which help you sleep peacefully at night.
- Improves Sleep Quality
Long time practice of yoga has shown promise in increasing the quality and quantity of your sleep. It helps you sleep peacefully at night by controlling the diurnal cortisol levels in the body.
- Relieves Stress & Promotes Relaxation
Do you work long hours day and night? Doing so increases the amount of Cortisol, the stress hormone in your body. If left untreated, it negatively impacts your sleep at night. It is why yoga experts recommend that you make yoga meditation for sleep a part of your daily routine.
- Helps Lose Weight
With a positive impact on your sleep and eating habits, yoga has shown good results in losing weight. Yoga helps you develop mindfulness and avoid binge eating which occurs as a result of too much stress.
At the same time, it minimizes cravings and helps you make healthy food choices. Apart from this, other benefits of yoga include high energy levels, low stress levels, and decreased pain.
- Treats Insomnia
Long-term lack of sleep gives rise to other health problems. One of them being chronic insomnia where you find it impossible to sleep at night. Doing yoga helps you enjoy a good night’s sleep without any hassle.
To reap these benefits, you have to practice the right yoga asanas. Yoga experts have come up with some effective yoga exercises to help you sleep peacefully.
Yoga Asanas for Deep Sleep
Given below are three yoga exercises to help you sleep at night.
- Wide-Knee Child’s Pose
If sitting for hours on the work desk is part of your daily routine, this is the yoga exercise for you to do. It offers your lumbar spine and hip flexors a gentle stretch. At the same time, this asana helps you get rid of mental and emotional burden.
- Standing Forward Bend
Practicing this yoga asana with deep and rhythmic breathing provides your nervous system with oxygen-rich blood. It also activates the parasympathetic nervous system which deals with sleep-related disorders. Combine this with yoga meditation for sleep and you will sleep peacefully at night.
- Reclined Bound Angle Pose
Reclined Bound Angle pose improves your digestive system. It gives the abdominal muscles a gentle stretch and relieves you off any tension in the region. If you experience cramps, bloating, pain, or sleep-related issues, this is the yoga exercise you should do.
Conclusion
Do you find it hard to sleep peacefully after a tiring day at work? Enroll in a certified yoga school to learn yoga meditation for sleep and other yogic techniques for a good night’s sleep.
Read More:- Yoga Nidra Training