At one time, or another, all of us have experienced insomnia for
any type of reason. There are times when lack of sleep just
can't be helped, such as: the loss a loved one, going through a
divorce, and losing your job.
These are some of life's serious crisis situations, where we
have to let time heal, and try not to fall apart in the process.
Some of the solutions below will help insomnia, but they will
not heal grief.
However, if you are continually staying awake over trivial
matters, these solutions will aid you to get a good night's
rest. Remember - not every solution will work for everyone, so
try the easiest ideas and make them fit into your lifestyle.
Do you have one or more problems, on your mind, that are
troubling you at bedtime? If so, write it down and leave it on
the kitchen table where you sit in the morning. This is a form
of compartmentalization, where your subconscious mind works on a
solution, and you and your conscious mind get some needed rest.
You will be surprised what happens the following morning. The
problem is much less important or your subconscious found the
solution. This technique is so powerful that many successful
people use it, even when they don't really have a problem. This
keeps you organized, on a daily basis, and you will get more
accomplished in life.
That leads into the next idea, which is establishing a daily
routine. Your body has a natural cycle, and most of us ignore
it. Modern humans are more out of tune with their bodies than
ever before, so we have to get back to basics and design a
schedule for all tasks - including sleep.
You should exercise every day, but your exercise routine should
end two hours before bedtime, at the latest. This allows your
body and mind "cool down" time. If you can exercise earlier in
the day, feel free to do so.
Exercise will give you extra energy during the day, and help you
get a good night's sleep, when you need it. If you don't
exercise, don't feel alone, but do take action. Gentle Yoga
postures are a great way to start.
If you find the right Yoga teacher, you will learn controlled
breathing (pranayama), stage-by-stage relaxation, and
meditation. Each is a powerful technique for winding down before
bedtime. You always practice controlled breathing with either,
stage-by-stage relaxation, or meditation. Some people practice
stage-by-stage relaxation in bed and fall asleep in the process.
This is not a bad thing, if your ultimate goal is to fall asleep.
Now let's look at a few other ideas, such as alcohol and hidden
caffeine. Alcohol has a way of getting you to sleep, but sleep
is often interrupted during the night. One suggestion, if you
enjoy drinking: Have one small drink; preferably wine, with your
meal.
Caffeine is in coffee, many teas, many sodas, and a variety of
other drinks. Drink water later in the day, and give your body a
rest from caffeine.
Here are a few actions to take before bedtime: Eat very light,
read a book about something peaceful, and take a shower or a
bath. You don't have to do everything, but one of the
above-mentioned ideas will work for you.
Sweet Dreams.
About the author:
Paul Jerard is the director of Yoga teacher training at Aura in
RI. He's a master instructor of martial arts and Yoga. He
teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness. He wrote: Is Running a
Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students wanting to be a
Yoga teacher.
http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org
