STRETCH- SLEEP –STAY FIT
Do you want to clear the cobwebs of uninvited thoughts that continually knock on your mind when you are trying to sleep? Or the routine hard work that makes your body toss and turn all night long- making it difficult for you to dive in your good night’s rest? If yes, then definitely, it’s time for you to instill the habit of practicing yoga before bedtime.
According to NHIS (National Health Interview Survey), over 55% of people who have instilled this bedtime yoga to naturally unwind their mental and physical stress through relaxing posture exercises and meditation came up with improved sleep patterns.
BENEFITS TO REAP FROM BEDTIME YOGA:
Yoga is a mind-body practice that depicts a combination of physical stretches, controlled breathing, and mindfulness through meditation that helps to lower stress and anxiety.
A recent study revealed that insomniacs who start performing bedtime yoga are more prone to sleep faster. They tend to have longer bedtime and have no difficulty hitting the hay again if they get up in the middle of the night.
The down-listed benefits will surely ponder you to take your first steps towards the well-being of your mind, body, and soul- which in turn assures you to have a peaceful good night.
Let’s unveil its significance:
- Strengthen the flexibility and fitness of body muscles.
- Reduces stress and anxiety by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system, responsible for sending signals of “REST and DIGEST” to our brain.
- Meditation in yoga helps to calm down a hyperactive mind. It trains your mind to get detached from all kinds of thoughts at the end of the day.
- Breathing techniques also serve as an essential part of exhaling the toxic emotions out of the body and inhaling slowly the warmth and sensation that soothe you down to stop and smell the roses.
- Increases personal body awareness, build focus, and sharpens concentration.
- Reduces the sleep snatcher hormone- Cortisol that tends to increase when stress-level push your mind to the edges.
- Helps boost up the sleep-friendly hormone Melatonin that cures insomnia significantly.
- Aids the mind to release a happy-go-lucky hormone, Serotonin. Its stimulation influences a person’s mood positively.
- Increases levels of Gamma-aminobutyric levels: a neurotransmitter that controls fear and anxiety. It aids to unleash your mind as free as a bird.
BEDTIME YOGA POSTURES FOR PROLONG SLEEP:
Are you motivated by the facts mentioned above? Tonight, roll out your exercise mats, blankets, a pile of sheets, or whatever prop you feel comfortable to use. These highly recommended bedtime yoga asanas help you clamp down all the stress and anxiety that have created a barrier between you and your precious Zzz!
EXTENDED CHILD’S POSTURE (BALASANA):
- Stretches and strengthens your arms, knees, thighs, hips, and ankles.
- Five times, inhaling and exhaling. Practice helps to discharge stress and anxiety.
- Vent out the stress from your neck and back muscles.
- The best friend pose- is a beautiful way of bowing down to the earth, to the divine.
RESTORATIVE BRIDGE POSTURE:
- Helps rejuvenate the parasympathetic hormone.
- Relieves back pain and embodies calm energy in your heart.
- Calms down the roller coaster of your emotions.
- Relax your eyes, and mute your mind to have a peaceful sleep.
Get yourself props like a blanket, a sandbag to put over your eyes, pillows, or any other apt comfy material that helps you sink in this deeply.
HALF STANDING FORWARD BENDING POSTURE:
- Stretches the front torso and offers a lovely lengthening for the legs, calves, and hamstrings.
- It engages abdominal muscles.
- Improves your posture while strengthening the spine and back.
If you are a beginner use a chair to rest your arms on it, so that you can say AH! Instead of Ouch!
HERO POSE-SEATED POSTURE (VIRASANA):
- Calming and soothing pose, best for mindfulness, receives from meditation.
- It improves the digestive system and helps reduce the flatulence of the tummy.
- Increase mental focus and elevates concentration level.
Avoid this posture if you suffer from a thigh, ankle, or knee problem.
HAPPY BABY POSE (ANANDA BALASANA):
- It gives a great massage to the spine by rolling on both sides while sharing laughter.
- Strengthen and stretches the arms, legs, back, and inner groin.
- Calms down the running mills in your mind and drains out the stress from the body.
It’s a fun-filled pose that will explore and bring out your inner child. Enjoy it to sleep like a baby.
CORPSE POSE (SAVASANA):
- A posture that makes your mind and body surrender to rest in peace for not more than fifteen minutes.
- Alleviates stress and fatigue by minimizing external distractions.
- It’s an excellent posture to increase the nervous efficiency system.
- Relieves insomnia and increases the duration of deep and sound sleep.
Free your hairs from any ponytails or head clips and let them flow; no one can poke you while resting in peace but just for a couple of minutes.
KEY TAKEAWAY:
Yoga practices benefit you physically by relaxing and strengthening your body muscles. Complementary helps boost your nervous system and runs it like a smooth orchestra playing harmonious melodies to help you sleep faster. Moreover, it improves the quality of your sleep that eventually linked to a better quality of life.
