How to sleep with yoga

Looking forward to the next vacation or trouble in the job, a new love or problems with the mother in law, the Sunday night thriller or late emails on the smartphone next to the bed: There are many things that prevents us from falling asleep. Especially women often take a long time to settle down. And the fear of not being well rested the next day, not being fit and capable, adds to the stress.

"Through our intense life our nervous system is in a constant state of hyperactivity, which means that many people can not sleep or sleep well enough to recover at night," says Lucia Nirmala Schmidt.

The yoga teacher and health expert from Zurich knows: only when the central nervous system comes to rest, body and mind can actually regenerate. Only when we consciously let go of everyday life in stressful phases, when we purposefully relax, can we fall asleep and recharge enough energy at night. Dynamic and intensive workouts are usually not very helpful. Although they initially reduce pent-up tension, whoever falls tired and exhausted into bed is often too turned-up to fall asleep.

The regeneration starts in the waking state

Instead of powering up in the evening, it is better to start regeneration while you are awake. Lucia Nirmala Schmidt has developed special gentle exercises that relax sustainably and deeply, helping to let go of the stressful.

"Restorative Yoga" (English "to restore" = renew, restore) calls the Swiss this program. It supports the nervous system in switching from the voluntary (sympathetic) to the involuntary (parasympathetic) control, it promotes the regenerative processes and self-healing powers of the body and ensures stress reduction and mental balance. Six exercises from the program are presented below.

Gentle yoga exercises to fall asleep

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"Not performance, strength and dynamics are required for these asanas, but are worn, let go and ultimately arrive at yourself," says Lucia Nirmala Schmidt. "In doing so, they provide a counterbalance to the steadily growing strain on our performance and fast-moving time."

In order to achieve lasting effects, it is sufficient to practice a few postures in which each lasts for three to 20 minutes. To make this comfortable and easy, aids such as pillows, blankets, upholstery (thick firm upholstery) and towels are used. So you can sink into the position without any effort and relax the muscles completely. Deep, attentive breathing helps.

Each exhale helps to let go of everyday life and everything that strains, cleanses and relieves it. Each inhalation gives fresh energy and opens for new. Body and consciousness expand noticeably, inner space arises, peace and quiet. The best way to glide easily and gently to sleep - and the next morning to recover and wake up fresh. "If you are at home in the depths," says Lucia Nirmala Schmidt, "from there you will encounter the storms of everyday life more calmly."

sleep aids

• A 30-minute evening walk breaks down tension.
• A herbal tea (for example, with green oatmeal, hop cones, valerian root) or a glass of warm honey or banana milk are a good nightcap.
• 150 milligrams of magnesium, taken in the evening, improve the quality of sleep.
• One tablespoon of lavender oil (10%) with two tablespoons of milk stirred as an additive in a warm foot bath soothes; then go to bed with socks. If you do not have time for a bath, you can rub your feet directly with lavender oil.
• A pillow with the scent of pine pine reduces the heart rate and has a positive effect on the autonomic nervous system (duck pillow).
• Apply Lavender Gold Cream (Aurum / Lavandula comp.) Across the back of a handkerchief, place it on the region of the heart and fix it with an attached top. This wrap compensates for a stressful day.
• Herbal remedies with extracts of medicinal plants such as passion flower, valerian, St. John's wort and lemon balm help against inner restlessness.
• Calms ten to twenty globules of an anthroposophic composition of composition with coffee, oats, passionflower, valerian and hops at bedtime.
• The "Hot Seven" relaxes. Dissolve ten tablets or a Sachet Schüßler salt No. 7 Magnesium Phosphoricum in 0.2 liter of hot water and drink.
• Read on: End sleep problems! by Ruth Jahn, Johannes Mathis and Corinne Roth (224 p., 33.90 euros, Observer Edition)

Ways To Fall Asleep - Yoga for Sleep (April 2024).