With its gentle movements, deep breathing and long stretches (like an animal preparing to bed down) it's an ideal method of relaxation for your pre-bedtime routine. Strenuous exercise near bed time is not recommended as it is stimulating and can keep you awake. Yoga, on the other hand, promotes a slowing down of the body and mind and encourages sleep
Yoga exercises (asanas) also strengthens the nervous system, thus relieving stress and anxiety. Subhamoy Das, your Guide About Hinduism says:
"Asanas have an all-pervading effect on the physical and mental functioning of the body:
- Physical - Through healing, strengthening, stretching and relaxing the skeletal, muscular, digestive, cardio-vascular, glandular and nervous systems.
- Mental - Through the cultivation of a quite and a peaceful mind, alertness and concentration.
- Spiritual - By preparing for meditation.
If you suffer from insomnia, whether it's only occasionally or if it's chronic, yoga might be one way of overcoming it without resorting to sleeping pills. If you have trouble falling asleep when you first go to bed, try about 30 minutes of slow yoga stretches and meditation about thirty minutes before bedtime. This will give your mind a chance to rest from the continual bombardment of thoughts and worries.
If you have a tendency to wake up in the early hours of the morning and you cannot get back to sleep, try some deep breathing exercises. Concentrate on the sound and rhythm of your breathing. Another good idea is to use a chant to drowned out your thoughts. "Ohm" is the sound many practitioners use, but any simple word or phrase will do - Love, health, I am. Concentrate on the sound of that word to the elimination of all else from your mind.
A regular practice session every day, perhaps thirty minutes in duration, doing some of the yoga stretches, is beneficial to body, mind and spirit. Done over a length of time, these exercises can bring peace to the mind, improve the body, and help you get in touch with the spiritual within you.
There are many difficult poses in yoga, but it's not necessary to twist your body into any pose that isn't comfortable for you. The deep breathing exercises are many and varied. They are called pranayama. Some are practiced in a sitting position with the head up and the spine straight. Others are practiced standing straight and tall. The alternate nostril breathing technique (nadi sodhana) is great for relieving stress, depression and other mental and physical problems.
If you can manage it, find a class or a teacher and learn some of the asanas. If no class or teacher is available, then find a good book or a video. Do only the exercises that seem appropriate to you. When doing yoga, never strain. Instead, relax.
