On World Sleep Day, Sailendra Raane, yoga expert and founder of Mahati Wellness, explains how yoga and small lifestyle fixes can help you lay the groundwork for a good night's sleep.
We are currently living in an age where constant digital stimulation has become the norm.
Most of us miss out on the fact that sleep isn't just a hiatus in our day. It is an essential biological process.
Quite a few of us believe insomnia or restless nights are mental issues.
However, the secret to healthy, deep sleep lies in the physical placement of our spine and the harmony of our breath.
I feel true relaxation is not a passive state but an active evolution of a sympathetic nervous system.
It evolves from our fight or flight mode to the parasympathetic mode in which the body finally rests and digests.
This shift can happen only when we expand the spine and regulate our oxygenation levels.
If you struggle to rest, chances are that your body is still retaining the day's stress via shallow breathing and a stiff spinal column.
By blending yoga asanas with your daily lifestyle, you can shift from temporary fixes and develop a lasting groundwork for good, restful sleep.
Understanding the power of breath and spinal health
Most urban professionals do 'chest breathing.' It is a shallow habit of trapping carbon dioxide in the lower lungs.
This chemical disparity keeps the brain on high alert.
I want to emphasise that yoga focuses on 'oxygenation ability.'
By shifting the spine and deepening the breath, we send a signal to the brain to release the sleep hormone, melatonin.
Practise these five important asanas to change your sleep hygiene.
1. Marjaryasana-Bitilasana (Cat-cow stretch)
You can call it the basis of spinal health. A stiff spine becomes a barrier to the nervous system's capacity to relax.
How to do it
- Begin on all fours.
- While inhaling, drop the belly towards the floor.
- Lift your chest and look up like a cow.
- While exhaling, tug the navel towards the spine, round your back to look like a dome and fold your chin like a cat.
Notes
- Your body shouldn't just move. It must include breathing.
- This flow must operate like a pump for the spinal fluid and clear the day's noise from the central nervous system.
2. Viparita Karani (Legs up against the wall pose)
The curative inversion works like a biological switch. It reverses the flow of the blood and takes pressure away from the heart and veins.
How to do it
- Sit sideways against the wall.
- Slowly lie on your back.
- Now swing your legs up while lying on your back.
- Your body must form an L shape.
- Allow your arms to rest by your sides. Let your palms face upwards.
Notes
- Allow yourself to stay like this for around five to 10 minutes.
- It is the best way to lower your heart rate and immediately enter a parasympathetic state.
3. Balasana (Child's pose)
This pose works like a sensory reset.
By grounding the forehead, you calm the brain’s frontal lobe which is, many times, overstimulated due to the screens we use.
How to do it
- Start by kneeling and sitting on your heels.
- Slowly fold the upper body over your thighs till your forehead connects with the mat.
Notes
- This pose gives the lower back and sacrum a deep stretch.
- You can focus on breathing into the back ribs and fully expand the lungs.
- It also improves the body’s capacity to carry oxygen before going to bed.
4. Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclined butterfly)
Stress is stored physically mostly in the pelvic region and hips.
By opening these areas, you let the diaphragm move more easily.
How to do it
- After lying on your back, bring your feet together.
- Now allow your knees to fall open on the sides (refer to the pic above).
- If you are feeling too much strain, use pillows under the knees for support.
Notes
Try placing one hand on the heart and the other on the belly.
If the belly doesn’t move, you are not breathing right for sleep.
Lay emphasis on making the belly rise like a balloon to ensure there is maximum oxygenation.
5. Supta Matsyendrasana (Supine spinal twist)
Twists are important to cleanse the internal organs and free the tiny muscles between the vertebrae.
How to do it
- Lie on your back
- Clasp your knees and drop them to the left while looking in the direction of your right hand.
- Repeat the action on the opposite side.
Notes
- This pose relieves any tension in the spine.
- A relaxed spine means a relaxed mind. It also works in favour of digestion and ensures a heavy stomach doesn't disturb sleep.
I want to remind you here that yoga is just one aspect of the equation.
For lasting relief, your daily lifestyle should be in alignment with your body's natural rhythms.
Follow the 3-hour meal rule
Your last meal should finish at least three hours before going to bed.
You cannot go into a deep sleep state if the body is busy digesting the meal.
Focus on deep versus shallow breathing
Keep a check on your breath throughout the day.
If it seems shallow, you are building up CO2 and stress. For a balanced system, you should practise deep nasal breathing.
With a combination of correct asanas, conscious breath and mindful eating, you are not just fixing your sleep for one night, you are rewiring your system for a lifetime of improved rest.
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