Top 5 Yoga Poses to Help Beat Insomnia

The human body is kind of a machine, which needs proper food, exercise and adequate rest to function properly. Good sleep is essential for a healthy mind and a healthy body. But in today’s hectic life getting good and deep sleep is becoming almost next to impossible. One of the main factors contributing to this problem is high stress levels. And insomnia and stress go hand in hand with one another. While stress does not allow getting proper sleep, insomnia leads to additional stress for the next day as the mind and the body does not get the rest and relaxation for optimal functioning.

Yoga Can Combat the Problem of Insomnia to a Certain Extent

Instead of popping in sleeping pills to get coveted sleep, try something natural for inducing sleep. And what can be a better way of dealing with insomnia than practising yoga? Yoga helps in relaxing the mind and the body and plays a pivotal role in minimizing stress levels as well. This is the reason that yoga is considered as a great remedy for sleep deprivation. Basically, yoga helps in calming and soothing the nervous system in the body, which helps in combating stress, restlessness and insomnia.

Top 5 Yoga Poses That Help in Combating Insomnia

Mentioned below are some simple and easy yoga poses, which can be done before going to bed or in the evening to combat insomnia. The best thing is that you can do these in the bedroom easily without a mat or any kinds of props.

Forward Folding

Stand in a way that your feet are hip-width apart from each other. Fold the upper body over the thighs and let the head hang loose. Now take your fingers and interlace them and pull the arms upwards in overhead direction. This will release the tension in the upper back area. Take 5 deep breathes and you will be able to feel the stretch in the hamstrings immediately.

Easy Forward Bend:

This is an easy yoga pose, which even beginners can do. This pose can be tried right before hitting the bed. People, who are tight at the hips, are recommended to sit on a pillow so that the pose becomes easy and relaxing. Tension and stress can be eased significantly with this pose and the hips also open up. The body on the whole feels relaxed and at ease and this helps in inducing sleep.

Plow Pose:

Remaining in plow pose for just 1-5 minutes helps in falling asleep quickly and easily. For this pose, you will need to lie down flat on the floor or bed on your back. Now lift the legs right over the head and then to the ground right behind your head. The hands can either be placed straight on the ground or can be used for supporting your back. New vitality is induced in the body with the help of this pose by turning the flow of blood in the opposite direction.

Hero Pose With Tucked Toes:

Sit on the floor in kneel down position. Tuck the toes and sit on the heels. This helps in stretching the arches, the toes and the soles of the feet. You might not understand but the stretch can become quite intense at times and for such situations, you can keep things ready to relieve the pressure. Once you are ready, lean forward. Keep the hands on the floor so that you get adequate support. Cross at the shins and sit back.

Supine Spinal Twist

This twisted pose can be done in reclining position and should be done right before hitting the bed. This pose helps in falling asleep quickly. Lie down straight on your back. Bring the right knee into the chest area and then across the left side. Bring out and extend the right arm and look towards the right. Take as much deep breaths as possible. The same process has to be repeated on the other side. This gentle twisting helps in relieving tension all throughout the spinal cord. Not only this, it also helps in improving digestion.

Side Lunge:

For this yoga pose, stretch your legs about four to five feet apart. Bend the right knee and exhale during the process. Lunge to the right side, so that the left inner thighs are stretched as much as possible. The hips should be lowered as much as possible. The left toes of the feet should be facing towards the sky and the back has to be kept absolutely straight. Press up to the center while extending both the legs and inhale during the process. While exhaling bend the left knee. The same thing has to be repeated with the other side. The whole body feels lighter and relaxed after this pose.

Reclining butterfly pose

This is a slight variation of the basic butterfly pose. With this yoga pose, the body gets into rest mode instantly and one can relax in the best possible manner. Lie down flat on the bed or on the yoga mat. Now bring both the feet together. Splay the knees in the shape of a diamond. In case your hips feel tight and the yoga pose seems to be very intense, take a folded blanket or a cushion and place it below each knee. Now bring one hand and place it on the area where you have your heart. The other hand should be placed on your belly. Take a deep breath and feel the breathing on your own. The air moves in and out of the body in a rhythm.

These yoga poses are extremely simple to do and do not require any kind of training. If you find them difficult to understand, you can refer to various videos available at video sharing sites. There are no harmful side effects of these yoga poses. In fact along with insomnia, they can help in treating many other problems of the body naturally without a doctor and without taking medicines.