YOGA FOR INSOMNIA

YOGA FOR INSOMNIA

"Do you experience difficulty sleeping?" or "Do you have difficulty falling or staying asleep?"

Thus, insomnia is most often thought of as both a sign and a symptom that can accompany several sleep, disorders characterized by a persistent difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep or sleep of poor quality. 

Insomnia can occur at any age, but it is particularly common in the elderly. Insomnia can be short term (up to three weeks) or long term (above 3–4 weeks), which can lead to memory problems, depression, irritability and an increased risk of heart disease and automobile related accidents.

What I have noticed about insomnia among my new students who have come to me with difficulty in falling asleep is due to flood of thoughts due to mental stress.

Difficulty in staying asleep may be due to sleep apnea too.

Choking which is also the symptom ,can be due to some physical problems like being Overweight and those with facial deformities that could obstruct airways are more at risk, Sleep apnea  is a breathing disorder that occurs during sleep. It is typically accompanied by loud snoring and consists of brief periods during which breathing stops. As a result, sufferers of sleep apnea do not get enough oxygen during sleep.

Let’s discuss more in a yogic way how to deal with it, as the sufferers need to be helped in a more proven way which has been since many years ago too.

According to yogic way the nostrils dominance affects ones mood, energy, physical and mental health. What it means that the each breath has an underlying significance and a coded message to the brain according to which our brains sends the response to our sense organs and vital organs.

 Ordinary breathing is a mechanical function performed by the physical body but in Swara yoga breathing is a process which can be manipulated and controlled.

Most of the time respiration takes place through one nostril only, other nostril is blocked temporarily according to the kind of work physical or mental.

For e.g. the left is more dominant when one is relaxed physically which means more of mental action like meditating, praying, doing some spiritual activity  'and right is more active during physical activity like eating ,playing or working  physically and even during the sleep ,though we are not physically active.

Why right nostril should be dominant during sleep?

When you sleep though you are neither physically nor should mentally be active, but right nostril must be dominant before bed time. People carry back all the days stress before they sleep so it affects the mental energy pattern, which in turn alters the normal sleep pattern.If your right nostril is more dominant and you are not physically active or any physical activity is happening then you will sleep instantly. 

If you can't sleep well at night due to too much mental activity or  mental stress then I would suggest you must try......

1. Right nostril inhale 5 secs and left nostril exhale for 10 secs for  min 5 mins or more till the right nostril is more dominant .
2. Once the right is more dominant then practice alternate nostril breathing for 5 to 10 times in the same ratio of inhale and exhale.
3. If you can't inhale 5 secs and exhale 10 secs then you  can vary the inhale and exhale ratio accord to your lung capacity but make sure it is the ratio of 1:1 or 1:2 of inhale and exhale which means exhale should be equal or double the inhale.
4. Try reducing the number of breaths per minute may be 4  to 6 per minute
5. Practice Bhramari  11 times ,with or without closing the ears depending on your  health complaint like if you are suffering from vertigo and ear problems avoid closing the ears .
6. Bhramari is practiced by closing the ears and eyes with thumb and other four fingers gently and inhale full lungs for 5 secs and then while exhaling hum like bee loudly for 20 secs.
7. The ideal ratio of breathing pattern for Bhramari should be 1:4 of inhale and exhale. It can also be 1:2 ratio of inhale and exhale.
8. Once you finish practicing for 11 times Bhramari then turn towards the left and sleep which will keep the right nostril open.
9. In case of sleep apnea, you can sleep by keeping two pillows for the upper back and head.
10. Please note you must not try this right nostril inhale and left exhale other time of the day as it may increase heat in your body and may lead to other complications.

Whether one is suffering from difficulty in sleeping or staying asleep the problem is same so the solution will be nearly the same and many of them have overcome their problems by practicing the age old yogic ways and are having good night sleep.what else one want other than peaceful sleep and pain free body.

HARI OM TAT SAT