{"id":212240,"date":"2020-03-01T15:08:17","date_gmt":"2020-03-01T20:08:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wanderlust.com\/?p=212240"},"modified":"2020-03-01T15:17:13","modified_gmt":"2020-03-01T20:17:13","slug":"sleep-therapy-yoga-uk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wanderlust.com\/fr\/journal\/sleep-therapy-yoga-uk\/","title":{"rendered":"Sleep Therapy: Yoga for a Better Night’s Sleep, Anywhere"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the majority of yoga students attending classes during sunrise, lunch breaks, or the coveted after-work purge, a late-evening practice doesn\u2019t get much hype. However, winding down before bed with a few relaxing shapes and breathing exercises can work wonders when it comes to a better night\u2019s sleep. Pre-snooze yoga doesn\u2019t have to be dynamic, creative or vigorous. In fact, simplicity is key, offering you the chance to drop into stillness and rekindle your innate sense of calm (which, more likely than not, got lost amidst your busy day).<\/p>\n

Meditation and yoga nidra sessions\u00a0 are meant to cultivate your calm, and will have you ready for naptime, or prepared for bed, in no time.<\/p>\n

In the evening, it can be hard to relax. Residual thoughts, decisions and emotions left over from the day\u2019s occurrences often refuse to lose momentum. And nothing excels at keeping you awake into wee hours like a busy mind. This is where slower, more introspective yoga practices\u2014such as yin yoga and restorative yoga\u2014really shine. They have the ability to activate your Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS), stimulating a relaxation response that counters the stressors of the day.<\/p>\n

Yin and restorative poses require long, passive holds (whether fully supported with props, as in restorative yoga, or only aided by props, as in yin yoga), providing you the opportunity to relinquish control, while dropping you into a deep, meditative state<\/a>. During the first few minutes your thoughts will likely run rampant; let them. They\u2019ll eventually run their course, seeing as how there is nowhere for them to go, no additional movement occurring, and no new stimulus outside of the shape.<\/p>\n

Eventually, this stillness has a calming effect. Thoughts dissipate. You drop in deeper, connecting more to your breath, which gets fuller as you embrace rhythmic inhales and exhales. Awareness on this breathing helps you to become more present. A new clarity is achieved. The distractions that hamper sleep have now disappeared.<\/p>\n

To help you settle into a better night\u2019s sleep, try the following sequence. Remember not to get caught up in the shapes and keep in mind this practice\u2019s ultimate purpose. It isn\u2019t about flawless alignment, post-worthy poses or pushing limits. Instead, it\u2019s intimate, reflective and deeply nourishing. Whether you choose to add this practice into your regular routine, or roll out your mat only on nights when sleep eludes you, take fifteen minutes and explore the following:<\/p>\n

Sama Vritti Pranayama (Equal Breath Practice)<\/h3>\n

Begin in any comfortable seat with eyes closed. If you choose to sit cross-legged (in Sukhasana), having a pillow underneath your sit bones will allow the hips to soften and the knees to relax toward the earth. Inhale fully for a count of four. Pause and hold this breath for another count of four, while resisting the urge to tense your airway. Then, exhale for a count of four and stay empty for a count of four. Repeat for 3 minutes.<\/p>\n

Square Pose<\/h3>\n

Stay seated and cross your shins. If you\u2019re sitting on a pillow, continue using this prop for support. Bring your shins parallel to the front of your mat and align your knees over your ankles. If you have plenty of space in your hips, one shin can stack on top of the other (opposite ankles and knees will be touching). Either stay upright or choose to fold forward to deepen the pose. Hold on one side for 2\u20133 minutes, before switching the cross or stack of shins.<\/p>\n

Child\u2019s Pose<\/h3>\n

Come onto hands and knees. If your body is feeling tight, add any movement that feels good (cat\/cows, spinal mobility, rolls of the head and neck, wrist stretches\u2026 whatever is calling to you). To get into child\u2019s pose, bring your big toes to touch and press your hips back toward your heels. Choose to keep the arms stretching forward, have them down by your sides, or stack hands underneath the forehead if there is a gap between your head and the floor. Hold for 2 minutes and breathe into the spaces between your back ribs.<\/p>\n