How to Use Yoga to Cure Insomnia

Insomnia is a sleeping disorder basically characterized by inadequate time of good quality sleep. Insomnia can be primary or secondary. Primary insomnia is not related to any medical condition, or is commonly caused by stress, anxiety, depression and incidences of loss. On the other hand, secondary insomnia is failure to maintain the sleeping state due to certain illnesses such as asthma, arthritis, heart failure, and sometimes, effects of pain medications. Insomnia can also be acute or short term insomnia, and chronic or long term insomnia. When the difficulty of sleeping is experienced for 3 weeks and longer, medical consult is already necessary.

The best management for insomnia is treating the underlying cause. Since stress is one of the most common causes of insomnia experienced by almost all age group, stress relieving options are greatly used to get a good night sleep. Nowadays, yoga is one of the most famous practices to relieve stress, get a good night sleep, and be healthy.

“Yoga” is a Sanskrit term which means union. Originated in India, yoga is the union of the mind body and spirit. Over time, as practice differs, yoga became a system of breathing and body movements to relieve stress. Yoga does not relax the body, it also wakes it up through flexibility. The practice of yoga involves the whole body as breathing, concentration and movements are all related. After all the contortions and poses, the body relaxes with corresponding slow heart rates. As these events happen, muscle contractions diminish and they begin to relax.

Yes, according to experts, yoga really helps to get a good night sleep with yoga’s stimulatory effect on the brain and the whole nervous system. Yoga allows better blood circulation in the brain which normalizes the sleep cycle. Furthermore, yoga promotes elimination of toxins from the body that revitalizes the whole body until the cellular degree. With breathing exercises, more oxygen enters the body and promotes a mind free from troubles. According to researches, a minute of yoga practice is equal to a minute of the number of sleep required.

If you are an insomniac and plans to enroll in a yoga class, you might as well ask your instructor for the following poses specially designed to solve your sleeping problems.

1. Ashtanga or the power yoga, this pose is worth doing for at least 3 times a week.
2. The three part breath, best done before going to sleep for it promotes peace of mind.
3. Ananda Balasana or the happy baby pose, this results to relaxation of the lower back and hips.
4. The corpse pose. According to practitioners, this promotes the yogic sleep. The yogic sleep precedes the actual sleep. According to yoga experts, this is state is something not easily done, it may take weeks for someone to perfect this pose.
5. Halasana. Also called as the plow-pose, this specially addresses insomnia for it concentrates on relaxation and breathing.
6. The Sukhasana is done cross-legged to achieve relaxed breathing.
7. The Adho Mukha Svanasana or the down-ward facing dog position supports flexibility and promotes breathing.

Unlike any other stress relieving practices, yoga does not require any special equipment and it can be done anywhere when you are already familiar with the techniques. Aside from that, yoga also believes that no one is better than anyone else, isn’t it less stressful knowing that?

Chrisi Brand is author of a revolutionary ebook called “The Super Sleep System” which has helped hundreds of people to achieve a better sleep at night – and that totally naturally (without sleeping pills, hypnosis,…). Has shared his tips along with a free newsletter at http://www.supersleepsystem.com