| Yoga addresses a multitude of disorders, illnesses, and | | | | and mind. Yoga also focuses on the present moment. |
| ailments. Much like any other disorder, insomnia is often | | | | This is especially true of yogic breathing exercises |
| the result of an imbalance within the mind and body. | | | | (Pranayama). With steady Pranayama practice, most |
| Yoga has been proven, over centuries, to help center | | | | stress, which keeps people from falling asleep, or |
| the mind and body, while providing enough relaxation to | | | | wakes them up in the middle of the night, is over. |
| help you sleep. | | | | Regular exercise, of any sort, helps a person sleep at |
| Anyone who has ever experienced insomnia knows | | | | night. Vigorous exercise, done during the day, leads to |
| how awful it can be. Whether the episodes are | | | | looser, more relaxed muscles, at night, and creates a |
| occasional, or regular, insomnia can disrupt your daily | | | | natural drowsiness at the end of the day. |
| life. Insomnia sufferers often are depressed, anxious, | | | | This is, in part, due to endorphins released from the |
| and irritable; it can cause an overall feeling of | | | | activity. |
| helplessness. | | | | Highly active exercise is not recommended right |
| Desperate for sleep, many turn to sleeping pills and | | | | before bedtime. It stimulates the body and raises the |
| other quick-fix solutions. In an emergency, most people | | | | heart rate. These are not the conditions under which to |
| opt for a sleeping pill. This multi-billion dollar industry | | | | try to fall asleep. Therefore, sun salutations would not |
| thrives off this sense of futility. The biggest problem | | | | be a good option at the end of your day, but would fit |
| with choosing a sleeping pill is that these drugs often | | | | well into the early part of the day. |
| disrupt regular daily rhythms and can result in | | | | Yoga is an excellent choice, because performing the |
| dependence. As it is, with all drugs, there are the side | | | | correct poses, actually prepares the body for sleep. |
| effects. | | | | Hatha Yoga poses are generally divided between |
| As long as a person's insomnia is not a result of a | | | | those that give energy and those that relax. The |
| medical problem, which needs professional attention, | | | | soothing category influences the nervous system to |
| yoga can provide relief. Most bouts with insomnia are | | | | respond with calm. Yoga relaxation incorporates |
| a result of stress and anxiety over personal life | | | | breathing, focused mental imagery (or visualization), |
| matters. | | | | and slow, deep stretching movements. |
| Yoga's main focus is creating balance within the body | | | | |