September is National Yoga Awareness Month!
Everyone knows that Yoga helps your body relax, but did you know it could also help you sleep? A lot of people have sleep issues because of different forms of stress and anxiety in their life. Relaxing with meditation and Yoga may help to improve your sleep.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, research has shown that people who have insomnia and practice Yoga daily actually see improvements in their sleep. They sleep for longer, fall asleep faster, and if they wake up in the middle of the night they are able to fall back asleep much quicker.
Yoga Nidra
Yoga Nidra, also known as “yogic sleep,” is a type of guided meditation that relies on deep breathing to relax the body. An article from sleep.org says that a yogic sleep state can help improve things like anxiety and depression because of how relaxed your body becomes.
Try out Yoga Nidra with this video from Bulletproof:
*It is said that a 30-minute practice of Yoga Nidra equals 2-4 hours of deep sleep!
Yoga Poses
There are many different poses you can do to help you get a night of better sleep. Here are a few:
- Legs Up The Wall Pose (Viparita Karani) – Hold this pose for about 5 minutes with your eyes closed.
- Corpse Pose (Savasana) – Focus on your breath and let yourself fall into a deep sleep.
- Reclining Butterfly (Supta Baddha Konasana) – Make sure to lie on your back for this pose on a bed or mat and bring the feet together putting your knees in a diamond formation.
Practicing gentle Yoga before bed is the perfect way to unwind and relax after a busy day. Try it out tonight!
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