Insomnia is the inability to sleep or sleep well according to the University of Maryland Medical Center's Sleep Disorder Center. Up to 12 percent of Americans report chronic insomnia, or insomnia that lasts for more than one month. Although medication is often prescribed to treat chronic insomnia, the Sleep Disorder Center recommends trying other strategies, such as behavior modification and relaxation techniques like those used in the practice of yoga. Yoga Journal also lists several poses that can relax the mind, helping to relieve insomnia.
Cat and Cow Poses
Yoga Journal lists both cat pose and cow pose as helping to relieve stress. These poses also stretch out tense neck and back muscles and gently massage the belly and spine. For added relaxation and increased awareness of the breath, these poses can be paired in a smooth sequence.
Start on your hands and knees. Your hand should be placed directly under your shoulders with your fingers spread wide apart. Your knees are about hip-width apart and the tops of your feet are resting on the mat. As you inhale, lift your tailbone toward the ceiling and drop your belly toward the mat, creating an exaggerated arch in your back. At the same time, lift your chin up like you're trying to look at the ceiling. This is cow pose. On your exhale, start to arch your back toward the ceiling, dropping the top of your head to the floor and tucking in your tailbone. This is cat pose. Continue this sequence for a few rounds, making sure to coordinate your movements with rhythmic deep breathing.
Forward Bends
According to Yoga Journal, forward bending has many benefits, including helping to relieve stress, anxiety and headaches, and forward bending is therapy for problems such as high blood pressure and insomnia.
Start standing straight, facing the front of your mat, arms resting at your side. This starting position is called mountain pose. Place your hands on your hips and start bending from the waist. Feel like you are hinging at the hips, rather than rounding your back. If you can, place your hands on the mat beside your feet. Keep your knees bent to relieve pulling on the hamstrings and to protect your knees, especially if you hyperextend. This pose is called standing forward bend. For a slight variation, grab onto your big toes with your first two fingers, placing your thumbs on top of the toes. This is called big toe pose.
You can also do forward bends in a seated position. Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you. Start to reach forward, trying to grab your toes. The movement comes from hinging at your hips rather than rounding your back. This pose is called seated forward bend.
Corpse Pose and Meditation
Yoga Journal states that the benefits of corpse pose include relaxing the body, reducing headaches and insomnia and helping to lower blood pressure. This pose is generally used for relaxation or meditation.
Lie back on your mat. Arms are placed slightly away from your body with the palms facing up. Feet should be apart and falling open naturally. In this pose, you can practice several relaxation techniques or meditations. One technique is to tense each body part one by one and then exhale, releasing the tension and increasing relaxation. If you are having trouble turning your mind off, focus on the sound of your breath entering and leaving your lungs. If a thought enters into your mind, acknowledge it and then feel it leaving on the exhale. You can also meditate using a mantra. Carefully select a word or phrase that you will repeat as you breathe. Think only about the word or phrase and nothing else.
Member Comments