Category: Meditation
The Modern Day Yoga | Prep for Sleep and Natural Breath
Modern Day Yogi
“Mindful preparation for Sleep and using the Natural Breath”
In our modern day world, we’re inundated with many stresses and pressures to perform. Many feel like there’s just not enough time to get everything done. By the time we get to bedtime, we’re still feeling these pressures of the day. I hear from people all the time that they’re experience sleep issues. Trying to get to sleep or having problems sleeping soundly are common issues.
Meditation and Sleep:
We have learned that getting enough quality sleep provides many benefits to our overall health and wellness. Getting enough sleep helps regulate our metabolic rate. We’re learning how this actually enhances weight loss.
Cellular health and revitalization improves with better sleep.
How to provide a better transition from our busy day to more quality sleep time:
- Set a mindful intention to create space between the events of the day and sleep time.
- Identify the point where you’re done with the day’s events.
- Use a statement to declare the end of that part of the day. An example could be “I am done with my day and I will resume tomorrow”.
- Sit comfortably with your back supported.
A Yoga Expert’s approach to using our “Natural Breath”:
- Inhale and exhale through the nose letting the breath flow in its own way.
- Be mindful of keeping the physical body relaxed as the breath flows.
- Center the mind on gently watching the breath. If you feel distracted or occupied with thoughts, gently return to watching the breath.
- The exhale provides release of tension and effort in your physical body and in your thoughts.
- Each cycle of breath releases deeper.
- Practice for a few minutes.
Restorative Yoga is a very good session to access benefits for sleep time too.
At MSI-Healing, we have a Restorative Yoga class once a month.
Our class this month is on Wednesday, Sept. 23rd, 7-8:15 pm Click here for more information!
Hope you can join us.
About The Author:
Steve Sheilds has been a Yoga practitioner since 1996, and teaches Healing Yoga classes at Keystone Healing Center, MSI-Healing in Evanston, IL and Gilda’s Club, a support community for those living with Cancer, in Chicago.
