"You're lying in bed, staring into the darkness, and suddenly an urgent work email pops into your head, unbidden. Or maybe it's that shampoo you forgot to add to your shopping list, or the need to fill up your gas tank in the morning. Your lower back is twinging and your shoulders are tensing in response to your thoughts of all the things you need to do, or already did, or didn't do. It's a pretty universal experience."
""When it comes to sleep, the nervous system has to believe it's safe to relax," says Alicia Dugar Stephenson, yoga teacher trainer and yoga professor at Rice University. "I tell my students all the time, if you climb into bed with tight shoulders, a locked-up lower back, or your hips gripping for dear life, your body is not going to relax just because you want it to.""
"The underlying philosophy of yoga is to use poses to calm the mind, so that you can experience your true nature. After all, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali defines the practice as the stilling of the changing states of mind. That's exactly the key to getting a good night's sleep, according to Jivana Heyman, founder of Accessible Yoga. "Otherwise, you might lie in bed ruminating on the past or stressing about the future," he says."
Racing thoughts and physical tension often prevent the body from entering restorative sleep. The nervous system must perceive safety before relaxation and sleep can occur. Tight shoulders, a locked lower back, or gripping hips inhibit the body's ability to relax. Yoga employs movement, breath control, and focused attention to quiet the mind and regulate the nervous system. Yoga frames the practice as stilling the mind's changing states, which aligns with preparing for sleep. Research shows yoga can reduce time to fall asleep, increase total sleep time, decrease nighttime awakenings, and improve overall sleep efficiency. Specific bedtime poses and breathing techniques can aid winding down.
Read at Yoga Journal
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