Lying in bed, staring at the alarm clock, you watch for the minutes, your eyes reddened by fatigue. Night after night, insomnia can ruin your life. What if you left sleeping pills in favor of much more natural and healthy solutions?
Some well-targeted yoga poses would indeed be conducive to relaxation and promote sleep. What are they? We’ve been investigating for you.
First of all: breathe!
Because a touch of sophrology has never hurt anyone, we recommend you try abdominal and slow breathing.
To calm your psyche, soothe your mind and even slow down your heartbeat, opt for breathing at exhalation longer than inspiration. You can count on 4 seconds on inspiration, hold your breath for a few moments before exhaling slowly, for 8 seconds.
For maximum effects, incorporate an empty lung retention and stay in that breath until you fall asleep.
1) Marjarâsana, stretch like a cat
Of all the animals, the cat is probably the one that raises the most astonishment when it comes to falling asleep: a yawn, a stealthy stretch and pof! He’s asleep. What is this strange power, this confidence of serene spirit that gives him this ability?
To get a clear heart, you can test this posture and put yourself in the cat’s skin for a few moments:
On all fours, with wrists under shoulders, knees below hips.
Take a moment in this table position.
On inspiration, try to stretch your spine, pushing the coxis back and chest forward. When exhaling, tuck the chin inwards and round your back.
Make this movement slowly for about a minute
(or the time you want if it makes you feel good!)
You can also make this move with a rotation of the pelvis.
The idea is actually to perform a kind of “inner massage” of your back.
Don’t hesitate to do this moving posture as soon as a back adle related to a prolonged seating is felt.
2) Balasana, let yourself be lulled like a child
Often, the inability to find sleep is linked to an overflow of thoughts. The mind fails to calm down, it overwhelms us and keeps “talking” to us. To give this unwelcome judge some respite, put yourself in a “ball” in the child’s posture.
This position is an invitation to go inside our shell and release both body and mind.
Stand on your knees with your pelvis in the direction of your heels. If your buttocks don’t fit on your heels, you can slide a cushion for comfort. The knees touch or are slightly apart to release the belly.
Place your forehead on the ground, or on a cushion. Release your arms on either side of your body.
We could say that Savasana is to practice what sleep is to life: essential.
For this “final relaxation” posture, lie down comfortably, on the floor or in bed (better yet, if you do fall asleep).
Your feet are spread out the width of your pelvis, your arms extended along your body, with a slight space.
Breathe while letting your belly swell and deflate to the rhythm of your breath. Focus your attention on your breathing. Let the thoughts be paraded, without trying to cling to one of them in particular.
Maintain the posture as much as necessary.
Other natural solutions are of course possible if you can’t sleep. Thus, essential oils or herbal teas are among these sweet and healthy remedies…