5 SIMPLE TIPS FOR BETTER SLEEP & REST

In a holistic view of our wellness, the quality of our sleep is a part of our overall health. Having an effective, and realistic, evening routine is not only important for the quality of our sleep, but it also helps improve many other aspects of our lives, from a stronger immune system to higher motivation and productivity.

Here are five easy tips for more restful and rejuvenating sleep:

Create a routine that’s manageable for YOU:

Start small, with one or two things that you want to be doing regularly to help you wind down from the day. Here are some ideas: journal about your day, meditate or practice pranayama for 10-15 minutes, play with your pet, write down a few things you are grateful for that day. In Ayurveda, sister science of yoga, we call our daily routine dinacharya, and it’s considered one of the most potent tools in creating and maintaining our health. A daily routine invites health, vitality, and a sense of clarity into our lives.

Relax your body:

Use gentle movement practices, like walking, dancing, yoga, Qi Gong, or take a bath to release the tension in your body. Yin and restorative yoga are two gentle and nourishing practices that provide the body and mind with deep relaxation and rejuvenation. Both yin and restorative yoga encourage us to slow down, turn inward, and find balance in a fast-paced world. (Try my Yin & Restorative Yoga for Restful Sleep audio practice)

Clear your mind:

Calm your nervous system to prepare for sleep with a short meditation, chanting, reciting a mantra or a breathing practice. You can also listen to Yoga Nidra or a guided body scan. Ayurveda doesn’t recommend reading before bed as it can activate our brain instead of sending it a signal to relax. Dirgha Pranayama, or Full Yogic Breath, is a deeply balancing breathing technique. It works with three different sections of the torso: belly, ribcage, and upper chest. Benefits of this pranayama include the increase of energy, the release of emotional and physical tension, clarity of the mind, and a more balanced state of being.

Try to go to sleep at the same time every day:

Adopting an appropriate daily routine is undoubtedly one of the most grounding and nurturing things you could do for yourself. Ayurveda recommends going to sleep by 10PM, before Pitta time of the night. Pitta dosha has qualities of heat, activity, fire and is responsible for that “second wind” you get late at night. If that’s not possible for you, try going to sleep and waking up at roughly the same time every day and observe the incredible change in your mood and energy levels.

Create a morning routine: A good night sleep often depends on how you started your day. Do your best to wake up at the same time and have appropriate nourishment (don’t skip breakfast). Move your body (you can do this Gentle Morning Stretch from your bed!!). An energizing breathing practice might also help you prepare to tackle the day. Try Sun Breathing, a pranayama practice that can be done seated or standing. Inhale through your nose and reach your arms out to the sides and up above your head, exhale through your nose as you bring your hands together and down your midline, repeat 5-7 times.

By creating a nightly routine that you enjoy and look forward to, you can cultivate a deeper appreciation for the restorative power of sleep and embrace each night as an opportunity to nourish your body, soothe your mind, and replenish your spirit.

YIN + RESTORATIVE YOGA: DEEP RELAXATION FOR BODY AND MIND

When it comes to overall health and wellbeing, a lot depends on our Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). Our ability to self regulate, and turn on the “rest and digest” state of our nervous system more often can help us become more resilient to daily stresses and even prevent many serious health issues in the future. Yin and restorative yoga help regulate the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary bodily functions such as digestion, circulation, and immune function. By promoting balance in this system, these practices support overall health and wellbeing.

The practice of yoga can help us achieve balance of our sympathetic and parasympathetic states of nervous system in two ways. Regular practice of asanas (yoga poses), pranayama (breathing techniques), yin and restorative modalities and especially meditation and mindfulness create overall resilience to stress and improve physical health. The second way is that there are techniques and exercises that can help us calm down the “fight or flight” response of our nervous system in a moment so we can make the best decisions for ourselves even in the most stressful situations.

Whereas normative stress helps us grow and adapt, chronic stress - stress that is constant and persistent - wears us down and harms every system in our body. Slow and gentle stretches of yin practice provide small amounts of normative stress on our body (and through mind-body connection, on our ANS) while deep relaxed breathing helps us return to homeostasis, or our baseline of balance.

The slow-paced nature of yin and restorative yoga stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the body's "rest and digest" response. This activation can help to reduce the effects of chronic stress and promote relaxation. Both yin and restorative yoga encourage deep breathing and mindful awareness, which can help reduce the production of stress hormones such as cortisol. Regular practice of yin and restorative yoga has been linked to improved heart rate variability, which is an indicator of the body's ability to respond to stress. This suggests that these practices may enhance the body's resilience to stress and promote overall cardiovascular health.

The emphasis on mindful breathing and introspection in yin and restorative yoga fosters self-awareness and emotional balance, offering practitioners valuable tools to navigate their thoughts and feelings more effectively. By cultivating present-moment awareness, these practices promote mindfulness, which can lead to greater clarity and a heightened sense of calm in daily life.

Try relaxing on your back for a few minutes with your head and shins supported by pillows or folded blankets and watch your breath. If you notice your thought racing, turn on soft meditation music in the background and continue to bring your awareness back to your breath.