- 1. Corpse Pose a.k.a Savasana
- 2. Childâs Pose a.k.a Balasana
- 3. Downward Dog a.k.a Adho Mukha Svanasana
- 4. Legs Up The Wall a.k.a Viparita Karani
- 5. Seated Forward Bend a.k.a Paschimottasana
Any health expert – Ayurvedic or not – would tell you that sound sleep is crucial for physical as well as mental health. Unfortunately, more and more people face sleeping troubles today. A large part of the problem revolves around lifestyle. Excessive use of gadgets, staying up late, skipping meals, and eating food packed with artificial ingredients hamper our body’s natural sleeping cycle. But the good news is that by living more in tune with nature and practising a bunch of yoga poses, you can sleep much better. So, this article discusses the best yoga poses for insomnia.
Yoga Poses For Insomnia
1. Corpse Pose a.k.a Savasana
On the top of the list of yoga poses for insomnia is Corpse Pose. This pose leads you into “yoga nidra”, a state of immensely deep relaxation where the mind is awake but the body is completely at rest. This powerful state boosts feelings of calmness. The Corpse Pose is so relaxing, that learners often have to try hard to NOT fall asleep during it! When you find yourself wide awake at night, start practising this pose.
2. Child’s Pose a.k.a Balasana
The Child’s Pose is quite popularly taught in yoga for insomnia and anxiety. It is gentle and relaxing. This pose helps you release tightness, stress, heaviness, and negative emotions from your body. It gives the spine a mild stretch and invokes the feeling of restfulness. Include it in your evening yoga routine, and you will hopefully find it easier to enter a relaxed state.
3. Downward Dog a.k.a Adho Mukha Svanasana
The Downward Dog is also quite popular among the yoga poses to induce sleep. It releases stress, tightness, and pain in the back, neck, and shoulders. A lot of the times, people carry stress concentrated in these areas. This pose stretches the hamstrings rather well, and has a strong anti-anxiety effect. It also increases blood circulation towards your head, further relieving stress.
4. Legs Up The Wall a.k.a Viparita Karani
Next on the list of yoga poses for insomnia is the Legs Up The Wall Pose. This pose gives you the benefits of an inversion, without requiring excess effort as with poses like the Headstand. Like the Downward Dog Pose, this one also boosts blood flow towards your brain. It helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system – which is responsible for inducing sleep and relaxation. It also relieves pain in the legs.
5. Seated Forward Bend a.k.a Paschimottasana
The Seated Forward Bend is often taught in yoga for sleep disorders. It reduces blood pressure, mild depression and anxiety, and racing thoughts. It also beats fatigue and helps refresh the mind. This pose is also great for menstrual pain in women. It gives the spine, shoulders as well as the hamstrings a wonderful stretch. Do this pose at the end of your day, and the severity of the insomnia can reduce significantly.
Note: This article is solely for the purpose of sharing information. Please do not substitute it for professional medical advice. Ingredients discussed can interfere with certain medications. So before using anything to treat yourself, always consult your doctor.
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