The human mind has a propensity to become preoccupied with thoughts, especially at the end of the day, according to Dr. Narendra Shetty. These persistent ideas about other people’s behaviors and emotional circumstances have a negative impact on sleep.
Well-being is known to be aided by yoga and meditation, which keep you strong, centered, and healthy. These are age-old restorative technologies that support whole-person healing of the mind, soul, and body, says Dr. Deepak Mittal, founder and meditation expert of Divine Soul Yoga.
Did you know that in addition to its well known health advantages, yoga and meditation can also aid in sound sleep? “Yoga aids in body and mind relaxation. It is simpler to fall asleep when the body and mind are at ease, according to Dr. Narendra Shetty, Chief Wellness Officer of Kshemavana.
According to a study published in the journal BMC Psychiatry, regular attendance at yoga classes directly correlates with better sleep. According to sleepassociation.org, older persons who incorporate yoga into their daily routines also experience better sleep and quality of life over the short and long term.
Dr Shetty continued by stating that the human mind has a propensity to do so, particularly at night. These persistent ideas about other people’s behaviors and emotional circumstances have a negative impact on sleep.
Dr Rajeev Rajesh, Chief Yoga Officer, Jindal Naturecure Institute, elaborated by stating that the predominance of stress and worry at workplaces our autonomic nerve system under excessive pressure. “Stress and worry not only interfere with sleep but also disrupt basic biological processes like digestion, blood flow, heart rate, and breathing. They also decrease attention, creativity, clarity, and focus. Each of these issues has an impact on productivity, both directly and indirectly, he added, adding that yoga and meditation can help control blood pressure, digestion, stress, and immunological function resulting in restful sleep.
Dr Shetty also explained how meditation in particular might improve sleep. According to him, when we meditate, we gradually let go of the experiences we had during the day, distancing ourselves from the incidents and the emotional impressions they left on our minds.
Internal harmony is facilitated by the practice of distancing the practitioner from the actual events. The brain’s regions that promote sleep and lower blood pressure and heart rate are activated during meditation. The quantity and quality of sleep are both enhanced by increased melatonin production.
Nidra Yoga
While many asanas promise to make you fall asleep, Yoga Nidra is a unique recovery approach where sleep is employed as a meditation process for healing. Also called “yogic sleep” or “effortless relaxation,” it is a guided technique in which professionals lead practitioners into a profound state of relaxation that straddles the awake and sleeping states and calms the nervous system, according to Dr. Mittal.
In a study on Yoga Nidra’s impact on sleep, it was discovered that morning practice increases parasympathetic drive at night, making sleep more restorative. This may account for the large improvement in sleep-quality ratings.
It doesn’t include doing asanas, unlike other yoga exercises. It’s about unwinding, entering a contemplative state of mind, and entering conscious slumber instead. The mind and body are relaxed while the consciousness is awake while one is in yogic slumber, which is a highly restorative state, while one is awake while one is in meditation, he said.
The following are some advantages of Yoga Nidra that Dr Rajesh highlighted.
- Improved cognitive capabilities
- Boosts confidence and self-esteem
- Improves mindfulness as well as focus and mental clarity
- Improves general health and sleep quality
- Decreases the signs and symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and PTSD (PTSD)
Sleep and mindfulness meditation
A particular form of meditation called mindfulness meditation has also been demonstrated to “decrease ruminative thoughts, diminish emotional reactivity, and encourage objective reassessment of relevant experiences, all of which may benefit in sleep,” according to Dr Shetty. Numerous research has revealed that practicing mindfulness meditation can enhance the quality of sleep in a range of clinical populations experiencing sleep disorders. As a result, participants who practiced mindfulness meditation experienced decreased melancholy, exhaustion, and insomnia after the six sessions, per a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
You maintain complete awareness of your surroundings and what you are doing when you practice mindfulness. It is possible to do it throughout practically every daily activity, including taking a bath, eating, and traveling.
Several yoga postures promote restful sleep
The following yoga poses were recommended by professionals as ways to improve sleep.
- Legs-up-the-Wall (Viparita Karani) Pose,
- Up Baddha Konasana (Reclining Butterfly Pose),
- Balasana (Child’s Pose),
- Shavasana (Corpse Pose),
- Bhramari Pranayama,
- Adham Pranayama,
- Sahita Pranayama, and
- Utthanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
