How Yoga Can Improve Your Sleep and Contribute to A Happy Life

In today’s modern world, work and productivity is given more importance rather than the health and wellness of an individual. Due to this, we overlook the most important part of our life; vis á vis, our sleep.

Usually people believe that good health is only attainable with the right food and the right exercise. But, our sleep is directly linked to our health. In fact, our body does some of the most amazing and important tasks at night. As most of our major bodily functions are slowed during the night, our body repairs the wear and tear caused every day. This task is taken up by the body when we are experiencing deep sleep. And we are required to be in deep sleep between 10pm to 2am, in order for our body to do its repair and regeneration. After 2am, our sleep should enter the 4th stage which is the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep stage where a lot of mental repair takes place. It is important to know that every human adult requires at least 7-8 hours of sleep.

A lot of people today find it very difficult to sleep due to immense stress which affects the Parasympathetic Nervous System. Hence we must deal with our daily stresses effectively as well. Losing out on good sleep not only adds on to the stress, but also affects mood and daily productivity negatively. 

So what can we do to improve our sleep? How can we utilise yoga for sleep? What tips can yoga suggest before bed?

There are a few things that we can start doing….

Dim your lights after sunset

Yoga tells us to learn from nature, and it is ideal for us to start slowing down all our activities around sunset.

Our pineal gland is responsible for our sleep-wake cycle, and it is very sensitive to light. When we keep bright lights on, our pineal gland receives the signal that it is still daytime and hence doesn't let the body feel sleepy. 

Keep screens away at least 2 hours prior to sleeping

Make sure to keep all screens away from you, a minimum of 2 hours before sleeping. Due to constant activity and interesting material, the brain remains stimulated and hence signals our pineal gland that it isn't time to rest. Smartphones today are equipped with applications that remind you to stop using screens, this can be put to use as well. Prepare and condition your body and mind to sleep. One can do low-stimulation activities such as reading books during this time. 

● Be mindful of what you eat or drink

Have a light home-cooked dinner and keep 2-3 hours between the last meal and sleep time.

After having dinner, the body digests food, this process also means that at that time our Surya Nadi is active. This Nadi controls vital processes and is associated with heat, activity and alertness. Hence, slowing down during digestion is not possible. As the process of digestion comes to an end, the body is ready to settle down. Do not consume stimulants such as tea or coffee at least 6 hours prior to bedtime. 

Post-meal you can take a slow stroll, also known as Shatapavali or 100 steps for 10-15 mins to aid in digestion. 

● Prepare a sleep schedule

Yoga considers a daily timetable (Dinacharya) to be beneficial for the smooth functioning of our bodily functions. We will have to break our unhealthy sleep schedule to form a new healthy one, while ensuring a fixed amount of sleep (about 7-8 hours). You can also keep a sleep diary to track sleep patterns. It makes falling asleep easier if we can avoid sleep during the day. Or if rest is required, an afternoon nap of only 20 minutes is considered sufficient during the day. 

Make sure to empty your bladder before you go to sleep so that your sleep remains undisturbed throughout the night. 

One can diffuse oils, such as lavender or sandalwood which help calm our mind and body to sleep better. 

Chanting OM at a very slow pace while concentrating on your breath also helps in feeling sleepy. 

● Asanas for sleep

Certain asanas done right before bed, help you sleep better. Remember to keep a gap of 2 hours minimum between your meals and the asana. 

Vajrasana or the Thunderbolt pose improves digestion by pumping blood from the calves to our abdomen and relieves digestive issues such as acidity, constipation and gas. 

Yashtikasana or the Stick Pose relaxes the entire body and mind by giving a wonderful stretch to the spine and relieves pressure from all the muscles. 

Viparita Karani is an Inversion Pose where gravity aids a favourable flow of blood and oxygen to all the systems in the body causing immense relief and relaxation. 

Dhradasana or the Firm Pose, lying down on the left side of the body aids digestion and avoids digestive issues. 

Shavasana or the Corpse Pose, helps relieve physical and mental fatigue by relaxing every part of the body. 

● Pranayama for sleep

Yoga tells us that our thoughts are directly linked to our breath. The calmer the breath, the lesser the thoughts and vice à versa. Pranayama means to regulate the breath, hence we need to be well informed about the Pranayama and any limitations on whether it is suitable to our needs and health overall. 

However, there is one Pranayama that can be practised by all individuals to sleep better. This Pranayama has been introduced to us by our founder, of The Yoga Institute, Shri Yogendraji. 

In this Pranayama , the fo cus is on the diaphragm, which is a dome shaped, thin sheet of muscle that separates the lungs from the abdominal cavity. This Pranayama is done supine as it aids maximum movement of the diaphragm. 

The steps to do this Pranayama are very simple -

1. Lie supine and pull up the knees, close to the hips.

2. Keep the feet apart; knees close to each other.

3. Place one hand on the abdomen and the other beside the body; palm facing up or down as per your comfort. 

4. Keep your eyes closed.

5. Inhale gently, moving the abdomen upwards. Do not bloat the stomach. 

6. As soon as the inhalation is complete, exhale smoothly while being aware of the stomach sinking back in. 

7. Equalise inhalation and exhalation as per comfort. 

This Pranayama has a sedative effect on the body. 

By using these tricks, we can ensure healthy and comfortable sleep, we will be able to heal both physically and mentally. Let us begin our journey to enjoy deep sleep by incorporating these tips into our life, one by one. Remember that, people who sleep better, deal with stress better and are happier.