Over the years, many have claimed that yoga is one of the best ways to start or finish off your day. This is actually very, VERY true, and especially so for people who have trouble getting a good night’s sleep after a long day. Research conducted across different parts of the world advocate that yoga can help your body relax completely and help get it ready for a night of good sleep.
But how does it work exactly? This article is for those who are just starting to immerse themselves into the practice of yoga and for those who are already practicing yoga on a regular basis. Let’s explore the reasons why and how regular yoga exercise can improve your sleep cycle.
Yoga and sleep
People that have an irregular sleeping pattern often tend to question everything before trying it out. So, when trying to incorporate yoga into your life to improve your sleep, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Most importantly, it might take time to get used to doing yoga, and you might not get the expected results right away. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t feel like you were able to properly do yoga on the first try. In fact, depending on your daily activity and workflow, it might take a couple of tries before you feel comfortable doing yoga. That is completely okay.
The second thing to keep in mind is your state of relaxation. Are you able to get to that state? You shouldn’t feel concerned if you aren’t able to reach that state all the time! In fact, this is just a regular question that you should ask yourself before trying to do yoga before sleep. Be honest with yourself – the more honest you are, the more easily you will be able to unwind.
Finally, try to track your sleep quality – are you having lower sleep quality when you are feeling more stressed at your office or at home? Make sure to listen to your body carefully so you can tend to it later on.
In any case, if you are one of those people that sit in front of a computer for a large chunk of the day, yoga is a great, healthy activity you should try. Any kind of stretching is important for any person with a desk job! And for those whose work is more physically demanding, yoga is perfect because it will calm your body down just before bed. Isn’t this what every person needs?
Is Yoga good before bed?
Of course, it is! However, do thorough research before jumping into it, as there are some poses and types of yoga that can elevate your heart rate, which you don’t want right before going to bed. Instead, you can try to do yoga that puts your focus on helping you achieve a body prepped for sleep.
The main thing is that the yoga you do should work for your benefit. With this in mind, some of the best types of yoga you can do to improve your sleep quality are Hatha yoga and Nidra yoga. Both of them are designed to focus on muscle relaxation and breathing – these two are the key ingredients to a good night’s sleep.
Another thing to keep in mind is the setting – if you decide to try yoga before going to bed, then make sure you practice in the right setting. Avoid practicing yoga in your bedroom. Even though it is considered to be quite the helper when it comes to sleep, it is advised to keep yoga and sleep as separate subjects. So if you have the space, go do your yoga routine in another room. Put on some soothing music and dim the lights. a yoga or any other kind of padded mat, and start by getting into easy and relaxing yoga poses. Of course, remember to wear something comfortable so that you don’t restrict your movement.
How does Yoga help you sleep?
This is one of the most valid questions you might have when researching this subject. Practicing yoga in the evening might have an extremely positive and relaxing effect on the muscles in your body. This means that the poses you would do should have a significant impact on your sleep quality. The entire “mechanism” behind it is that you close your eyes, relax your body, and focus on your breathing. Try to clear your mind if possible, and listen to your own breathing. The bridge between yoga and sleep is a strong one.
Your body is a temple and you have to make sure it functions at its optimum. This means that you need to balance out the need to keep your body active, all while ensuring it gets the proper amount of rest. Yoga is, thankfully, one of the many ways to achieve this balance, where you get both physical activities that should get your body in the right mood for sleep, and helps you avoid sleepless nights. Release all of the tension you have been building up over the day and learn to let go. Sweet dreams.
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