The term "yoga" actually refers to a whole set of ancient Indian spiritual and physical practices, but in today's world, we usually use it to mean the hugely popular fitness technique. Even within the American craze, there are a number of methods and styles of yoga, from hatha to kundalini, offered at countless schools, gyms and on videotapes nationwide. You may never have set foot on a mat and may find the idea of saying "Ohm" with strangers goofy. Still, if you are struggling with sleep problems, some gentle yoga poses before bed can help you eliminate prescription drugs from your routine. If you are a practicing yogi, and are wondering why you still can't sleep, you might just be practicing in the wrong way at the wrong time.
Regular yoga has been shown to help with everything from stress relief to overcoming post-traumatic stress disorder. Regular is a key word, here. If you need to get up tomorrow for a big presentation, then starting a yoga practice tonight might not do you much good (in which case, a sleeping pill1 might in fact be the right answer). But over time, both a morning and evening yoga routine can profoundly transform your relationship to your body, and to your mattress.
If you practice an intensive form of yoga, like ashtanga, or attend any class labeled power or flow, try to take it during the day, at least three or four hours before you're going to start getting ready for bed. If you can only make it to an evening class, it's still worth practicing. While intensive yoga does stimulate you, in the long term your sleep will probably still benefit more from yoga than not. However, make sure to end evening workouts with savasana, or corpse pose. Talk to your instructor about your need to relax. See if he or she can suggest poses and maybe add some deep relaxation to the end of class (most yoga instructors welcome special needs and requests).
In the evening before sleep, about half an hour before your get into bed, try a few of the relaxation poses you learned in class. Make sure to focus on your breath. Pranayama, or breath control, is a crucial part of yoga and is only more important when you're trying to clear your mind of the day's anxieties. Try deep, three-part breathing. While Western medicine tells us to avoid stimulants like caffeine and alcohol, many Eastern teachers see over-stimulation all around us: in the amplified noise of our speakers, in our electric clocks and cell phones, in the sugar cereals we eat. Moving through a series of relaxing poses while clearing the mind and focusing on breathing can turn our focus inward, and allow us to surrender to our body's very real need for peace and quiet.
If you can't get to a class, try these simple relaxation poses on a comfortable carpet or on your bed.
Start with restorative breathing.
Follow these instructions for single nostril breath on the moon side (Chandra Bhedana Pranayama): Sitting in a comfortable seated position, inhale through your left nostril, and exhale through your right. Plug one nostril with your thumb, and then switch to plug the other nostril with your ring and little finger. Do this for a few minutes, until your breath feels regular and steady.
Child's Pose, where you rest your head forward on the floor between your knees, stretching your back.
Legs-up-the-wall-Pose where you get the blood flowing in a different direction by putting the back of your legs up against the wall.
Reclining Bound Ankle Pose, which opens the groin and helps you let go of emotions. Spread your knees and put your feet together. Lay down onto your back, with your palms up. Put pillows under your knees, and under your head and back if the full pose doesn't feel comfortable.
Your yoga instructor can also help you put together a more comprehensive routine.
Many yoga studios and online stores also offer yoga videos that can help you fit yoga into your sleep routine. Ann Dyer, reminds us that "Everything about sleep is yin," or on the feminine, receptive side of the balance of yin and yang in life. "Falling in love is a very moon activity. Everything that applies to falling in love applies to falling asleep. You can’t will it to happen. You can’t say ‘it’s 10 PM and it’s time to fall in love.’ No, you have to woo sleep. You have to entice it." Yoga can help you woo and entice sleep into your bed.
