Could 'sleep yoga' help you get better bed rest?
Author: Jonathan Warren
If you have trouble settling down to sleep at night, it could be down to a number of factors - from diet and exercise to stress and hormones. The ancient relaxation technique of yoga could offer a solution, as well as helping people to feel balanced and calm throughout the day, according to one journalist. Writing in the London Evening Standard, Nirpal Dhaliwal said the Western practice of yoga tends to focus on its physical and exercise aspects, but in India the emphasis is on relaxing styles such as pranayama, or breathing exercises.
"Indians have long believed that a regular practice of deep relaxation is the most beneficial thing you can do to improve mental and bodily wellbeing," said Mr Dhaliwal. He added: "Yoga nidra is an excellent remedy for insomnia and anxiety."
The journalist described his experiences at the Special Yoga Centre in Kensal Rise, London, where he was taught to slow his breathing and pay attention to all the sensations in his body. "After each routine I was rejuvenated but never tired. Most remarkably of all, the six hours I spent doing essentially nothing went by in a flash," he said.