| omnia is a condition characterized by an inability to fall | | | | insomniac, because it doesn't require raising the heart |
| asleep or stay asleep and receive decent quality rest. | | | | rate or getting out of breath. Doctors recommend you |
| It can develop at any time during a person's life and will | | | | don't do any exercise in the three hours before going |
| either fall under the primary insomnia category | | | | to bed because it will wake your body up, but yoga will |
| whereby it occurs on its own with little known cause, | | | | not do this. If you are considering taking up yoga then |
| or under the secondary insomnia category whereby it | | | | there's no need to consult your doctor, but you should |
| is a result of another condition (such as arthritis) | | | | try to find a reputable yoga class and qualified teacher |
| because they cannot sleep through the symptoms. | | | | to learn how to do it properly. This will also allow you |
| In the 1960s, the ancient Indian practice of yoga spread | | | | to personalize your yoga experience and ask your |
| throughout the Western world. It was popularized by | | | | teacher to teach you the poses and breathing |
| the Beatles and over the next forty years its many | | | | exercises that specifically help with insomnia, rather |
| health benefits would become common knowledge. | | | | than following a generic yoga DVD. Just some of the |
| Yoga involves combining calm thought and specific | | | | poses and exercises that could help you to get a |
| breathing with certain bodily movements and held | | | | better night's sleep include: |
| poses to bring the body into union. Most of us know | | | | - The Sukhasana: a yoga pose which is done cross |
| that yoga relaxes the mind and makes the body more | | | | legged to promote healthy breathing |
| flexible, but many remain unaware that it can also be | | | | - The Ananda Balsana: a pose which relaxes the hips |
| beneficial to insomniacs. | | | | and lower back |
| You see, yoga as a whole stimulates the brain and | | | | - The Halasana: perhaps the most relevant to insomnia, |
| can improve cognitive functions such as memory and | | | | this pose involves deep breathing and concentration |
| concentration. It does this by improving circulation to, | | | | - The Three-Part Breath: a breathing exercise that is |
| from and around the brain which also improves the | | | | beneficial when done right before attempting to |
| function of the part of the brain that controls sleep. It | | | | sleeping |
| improves our circadian rhythms (natural biological | | | | Although it may not be obvious at first, many people |
| processes that occur over a 24 hour period) and helps | | | | will find that their insomnia is caused by an underlying |
| to define them, so we feel sleepy when it's time to | | | | factor such as stress, anxiety or depression. Yoga has |
| sleep at night, and awake during the day. Yoga poses | | | | been shown to have a positive effect on all of these |
| also cause the body to flush out toxins that might be | | | | conditions. Therefore, rather than going to your doctor |
| keeping us awake, such as an excess of caffeine, or | | | | for stupefying sleeping pills and addictive beta-blockers |
| even something as simple as a cold virus that has our | | | | it's a much better idea to improve your posture and |
| nose blocked, making it hard to sleep comfortably. | | | | flexibility at the same time as your insomnia, with a |
| Yoga is the perfect choice of exercise for an | | | | natural approach such as yoga. |