Day to Night Yoga for Better Sleep

by Nina

Buddha in My Garden
by Michele Macartney-Filgate

This morning I was talking with Bonnie Maeda, RN and Shari Ser, PT about the workshop we’re going to be teaching on yoga for sleep disorders at the Berkeley Yoga Room, Saturday, June 16, from 2 to 5 (see here for registration information). When I described my 24-hour approach to practicing yoga for better sleep to them, they were very enthusiastic. So I'm going to share it with you today.

Yes, yoga in general is relaxing, but some poses are more relaxing than others while some poses and practices are actually quite stimulating. So if you’re having trouble sleeping, I recommend you plan out your day regarding which poses you do when. I mean, if you’ve been suffering from insomnia, you wouldn’t drink a double espresso right before bed, would you? Standing poses, backbends and vinyasa flows can be almost as stimulating, so a strong practice including those poses done just before bed can keep you awake (trust me, I've tried it). But those poses help keep you strong and flexible, as well as reducing stress by releasing physical tension from your body, so you wouldn’t want to eliminate those poses entirely from your practice. On the other hand, there are relaxing practices you can do right in bed either before sleep or in the middle of the night that will help you fall asleep more quickly and sleep more deeply. Here's how to plan out your day:

Day Time
Getting exercise is important for improving your sleep. So during the day, walk, run, swim, cycle, or do a strong yoga practice that includes forceful, stimulating poses, including standing poses, backbends, twists, and/or Sun Salutations and vinyasa flows.

Early Evening
After work or in the early evening, if you’re up for practicing, it’s best to do poses and practices that calm your nervous system, such as forward bends, inverted poses, and restorative yoga. Meditation, Relaxation pose with a mental focus, and yoga nidra (yogic sleep) are also good stress reducers. If you want to use a guided relaxation, see the Relaxation Tracks tab on at the top of the blog. From this point on it’s best to avoid the simulating poses and practices.

Before Bed
Turn off the TV early or put your book down, and take some time before you get into bed for conscious relaxation. Switching your nervous system from fight or flight to relaxation mode before getting into bed will help you fall asleep more quickly and sleep more deeply. Supported inverted poses, such as Legs Up the Wall pose, Easy Inverted pose (see here), and Bridge pose with straight legs, will calm your nervous system. Some people also like to meditate or practice seated breath awareness before getting into bed.

In Bed
For people suffering from insomnia, just getting into bed can trigger a new bout of stress. If you find your thoughts are racing and you are worrying about falling asleep, you can practice a body scan (Relaxation pose with a mental focus), where you conscious relax various parts of your body. Or you can work with your breath, either practicing general breath awareness or any form of pranayama that lengthens or emphasizes the exhalation. Practicing conscious relaxation before falling asleep will help you sleep more deeply. See my post Yoga You Can Do In Bed for more information on yoga you can do before falling asleep.

In the Middle of the Night
All of us insomniacs are familiar with the terrible moment in the middle of the night when we realize we’re wide awake and the possibility of returning to sleep feels hopeless. However, the worst thing you can do is lie there worrying about not falling back to sleep. Instead, return to the same practices you do before falling asleep, such as Relaxation pose with a mental focus, breath awareness, or extending the exhalation. Although it takes some discipline to focus on these practices (for some reason, worrying seems so much easier in the middle of the night), many people, including me, find that 10 to 20 minutes of practice allows us to fall back into a deep sleep.

Some practitioners I know do soothing poses in the middle of the night, such as supported forward beds (in bed with pillows) or even Legs Up the Wall pose. You can try this if seems appealing; just make sure you move slowly, stay warm, and keep the lights as low as possible. You could even play a guided relaxation track at this point. Again, see my post Yoga You Can Do In Bed for more information.

Morning
Good morning! I hope you slept better last night. Now, if you feel like gently stimulating your nervous system by moving with your breath, doing a few standing poses, or even doing a full yoga practice, go for it!

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Clients Learn How To Stop Snoring With Chicago Area Sleep Medicine Center

By Elke Hermann

All the individuals who reside in an abode may be continually disturbed, when one of them has a snoring problem. Everyone who lives in such a home might suffer from lack of proper rest and relaxation. This topic has been researched for years by a great number of professionals. Chronic snorers may benefit from a wide range of methods.

The first thing that an individual with a snoring condition should do is consult a health care professional. One viable solution for a snorer might be to visit a Chicago sleep medicine center. The people who do research in such places will likely have some useful advice for a person who snores. A combination of medical techniques, special devices, or medications might be recommended.

An underlying health issue could be causing a snoring condition. Allergies could be the source of the problem. In such cases, allergy medication is sometimes prescribed by health care professionals. Consistent snoring may go away, after an individual starts taking allergy medicine regularly. If a person is prescribed medication for allergies, any medicines currently being taken should be discussed.

Countless individuals have been happy to discover that certain devices may assist them in dealing with a snoring condition. A health care professional may suggest a special device that is worn when an individual is not awake. There is currently at least one product available that stops the airway from being blocked. This could be an essential appliance for someone with an apnea problem, which can lead to more serious health issues.

Surgery is sometimes the best solution for a person who cannot stop snoring. Surgery is usually only necessary in extreme cases. It is usually best to try other techniques, before scheduling surgery for chronic snoring.

Individuals who are afflicted with chronic snoring can try several methods to deal with it. Consulting a trusted medical professional is generally a wise strategy. Managing a snoring problem can be advantageous for the snorer, as well as the others who live with that person.

About the Author:

Find an overview of the advantages you get when you visit a Chicago sleep medicine center and more information about a reputable sleep doctor at http://www.sleepmedcenter.com now.

Three Happy Endings Yoga for Better Sleep

by Nina

Flowers in the Shade by Brad Gibson

My friend Liz has a chronic disease but she takes great care of herself. She eats a healthy diet, and, when she is up to it, takes long walks and yoga classes at her neighborhood yoga studio. Because she has sleep problems, she recently decided to start practicing yoga at home as well, after she comes home at night. “It works!” she told me happily. “I sleep like a baby after doing yoga.” Today I decided to ask her what kind of yoga she does, and she said something very interesting. “It depends on what time I get home.” She went on to explain, “If I get home around 6:00 pm, I’ll do some flow yoga, with poses like Warrior 1, 2, and 3, and Half Moon pose. But If can’t practice until 8:00 or 8:30, that’s counter productive.”

“That makes perfect sense to me,” I said.

“Really?” Liz looked intrigued.

“Yes,” I explained. “Standing poses and vinyasa yoga are stimulating to your nervous system. When you stand up, your blood pressure has to rise to keep the blood pumping up toward your head. So if you do stimulating poses too close to bedtime, it’s going to be hard to go to sleep soon afterward. It’s like drinking a cup of coffee too late in the day.” Then I asked her what kind of poses she does if she can’t practice until 8:00 or 8:30.”

“Legs Up the Wall pose,” she replied. “And Shoulderstand and Plow pose. I also like to do that restorative yoga pose where you lie back on a bolster with your knees apart and the soles of your feet touching.”

“That’s perfect!” I said. “The first three are inverted poses, which automatically trigger the relaxation response. These are exactly the poses that are best to do right before bed to help you to sleep better. And that restorative pose is Supta Baddha Konasana or Reclined Bound Angle Pose, and it’s one of the most soothing and relaxing restorative poses.”

I went on to tell her that this is exactly the way I teach yoga for better sleep. It is important to get exercise during the day, but any vigorous exercise, including yoga, too late in the day can be over stimulating. So if you are having sleep problems, this is something you should consider when you are planning your day. Do your vigorous exercise, including standing poses, flow yoga, and backbends, earlier in the day. And try doing inverted poses, forward bends, or restorative yoga in the evening before bed to see if they help improve your sleep.

There’s no hard and fast rules, however. Liz discovered the best times for herself to practice vigorous versus relaxing yoga by experimenting. And the only way for you to find out the best times for yourself is by going through a similar process. However, I can tell you that if you take a nighttime yoga class and have difficulty sleeping afterward, when you come home, instead of getting right into bed, try practicing your favorite calming pose first and see if that helps.

Liz improving her sleep by practicing yoga at home is just one of the happy endings to this story. The second happy ending is that she made her home yoga practice her own by experimenting, observing, and coming up with her own yoga solutions that suited her particular needs and concerns. That, I told her, is advanced practice.

The third happy ending is that I asked Liz for her permission to write about her today, and she said yes. Thanks, Liz!

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Sleep Medicine Center Offers Solutions For Sleep Issues In The Chicago Area

By Angeleah Mae Zerna

If you toss and turn most of the night, you are not alone. Many people have problems sleeping. For some, it is only temporary but for others, it is chronic and can totally disrupt one's work and home life. Thankfully, help is available from your Chicago sleep medicine center.

Insomnia is a common reason for lack of rest. However, there could be a number of causes, and there is no "one size fits all" therapy. For example, you may be suffering from a health condition that you are unaware of. Until you do something about it, the problem may only worsen over time.

Stress is a common problem in the Twenty First Century. It may begin as a small matter like a late bill payment and can escalate into fighting with your partner over money matters all the time. When tension and stress build up it can easily manifest itself in the form of insomnia, and you may need help.

If life is slowly becoming intolerable due to a sleeping disorder, you should consider contacting your sleep center for an examination and evaluation. They will make sure that your problem is not caused by your physical health and will also check other issues like emotional health. Once the problem is discovered the right kind of therapy can be very effective.

People that work rotating shifts or night jobs often have problems with sleeping. When you must sleep in the middle of the day it can affect your body's internal clock. Once you receive therapy for this condition you may notice that sleeping is much easier and much more satisfying. There are several therapies that may help, including medication and changing one's sleeping arrangements.

Sleeping may be difficult due to snoring. You might be tired and sleepy during the day and never seem to get enough rest. You could be suffering with apnea and this can be a serious matter. Once you receive the right kind of help for your problem, you may notice a marked improvement and sleeping may no longer be an issue.

About the Author:

Find details about the advantages you get when you consult a sleep doctor and more information about a reputable Chicago sleep medicine center at http://www.sleepmedcenter.com now.

Do Essential Oils For Sleep Work In Treating Insomnia

By Ryan Foster

From struggling to fall asleep to the inability to stay sleeping for a healthy duration, insomnia is a problem that manifests itself in various ways. Fortunately, there are various aromatherapy treatments which are more effective to conventional medication, most of which carries side effects of some sort. Such include essential oils for sleep which are highly effective in promoting relaxation before one goes to bed, thus enabling them overcome insomnia.

Lavender is an oil known for its relaxing attributes, and has been tested widely for its ability to correct sleeping issues. It's predominantly made up of esters and alcohols that have a number of therapeutic properties. True lavender is the most widely used of all the varieties because it has the most potent sedating capability.

A little lavender in a footbath works wonders in promoting blood flow, not to mention the activation of process in the autonomic nervous system that are linked to relaxation. Experts suggest blending it with some carrier oil before administering it prior to bedtime. Other application techniques include rubbing down the temples or neck, or even splashing one or two drops over your pillow.

Known for its sweet, relaxing herby scent, Roman chamomile is an essential oil that has several sedative and relaxing attributes. Because of its scent, it has been used widely in treating insomnia in young children. Other applications include reducing anxiety and doing away with nightmares by eliminating hysteria.

How Roman chamomile works to cure anxiety and insomnia isn't fully understood yet, although some believe that it functions via psychology. It has successfully been used in meditative therapy, where it reportedly allows people express their true, natural emotions. To use it, you can slather several drops over a suitable area before bedtime.

Although bergamot oil isn't widely recognized, it works effectively in reducing stress and anxiety for people with mild depression. One could choose between applying it topically, diffusing it, using as a deodorant or incorporating it into their food or water. Because bergamot is sensitive to direct sunlight, it shouldn't be applied on skin if one is going outdoors in less than 24 hours after application.

Because essential oils aren't tightly regulated, one needs to be careful when shopping. You should only go for pure, unadulterated products that carry the botanical name and region of origin. Beware of fragrances and perfumes; synthetic oils don't possess the same therapeutic effects as the natural ones. It would also help to experiment with different methods of application to know which works best for you. People with sensitive skin should dilute the products using carrier oils to avoid irritation and infection.

Essential oils are highly effective in helping people relax and sleep better. That said, it would help to ensure that there are no underlying causes that may be creating anxiety and stress. It's also recommended that one follows the safety directives issued by the manufacturer.

About the Author:

Find an overview of the advantages you get when you use essential oils for sleep and view our selection of essential oils at http://www.soseo.ca now.