The Yoga Life: Try Yoga to Beat Insomnia | lifestyles

A large number of people in the United States and the world suffer from a variety of sleep disorders or insomnia.

Because of sleep deprivation, the health, quality of life, and longevity of millions of people are at risk. On the other hand, getting good sleep may lead to a healthier, happier and longer life.

Sleep disorders take many different forms. Some can’t sleep while others sleep for a few hours but wake up in the middle of the night and then can’t go back to sleep because they are too alert or anxious or their minds are bombarded with too many thoughts or pictures of unfinished tasks.

I am one of those people who have experienced this sleep disorder for at least 35 years. At first, I would have a hard time falling asleep at the normal hours between 9 and 11 pm because my mind was very active and quite alert. I tried having a cup of green tea but it didn’t work. Then I tried to stay up writing books until three in the morning until I got so tired that my body might give up. This kind of late owl and early morning schedule worked. This was followed by a few minutes of meditation as I lay in bed to fall asleep. However, after sleeping for three to four hours, I was up to go to the bathroom. When I got back to bed, my mind was as alert as it was at 9pm, I would try everything from counting the sheep to the countdown, but nothing worked.

Finally, I began to practice regular relaxation of the various muscles of the body. This systematic relaxation worked for me. It had an immediate effect on giving me the best sleep ever. For now, I’m trying to improve it in order to get a good night’s rest.

The exercise below is a suggestion only. When done correctly, it can be helpful in relieving the problem.

Systematic relaxation exercise

You lie on your back. Your body is resting on the bed. close your eyes. Be aware of your fingers. Grip them with fists. As they squeeze, breathe. Now loosen your fingers by exhaling. Repeat this exercise again.

Now pay attention to your eyes. As they squeeze, breathe. Then relax by exhaling. Repeat this exercise. Now be aware of your lips. Give a big smile. When you smile, breathe in and then relax by exhaling. Repeat this exercise. Now pay attention to your chin and press it to your chest. While holding it, breathe in and then relax by exhaling. Repeat this exercise.

Now pay attention to your shoulder blade. While pressing them to the floor, breathe in. Then relax as you breathe. Repeat this exercise. Now be aware of your lower back. While pressing it to the floor, breathe in. Now relax by exhaling. Repeat this exercise. Now be aware of your hips. While pressing them to the floor, breathe in. While they are relaxed, exhale. Repeat this exercise. Now be aware of your legs. Press them to the ground while inhaling. And while you’re relaxing, breathe in. Now watch your feet. Face them away from your body as you inhale. While relaxing, exhale.

Now your whole body is relaxed. Enjoy that relaxing feeling! This exercise can be done while you sleep at night as well as when you start your day in the morning.

Dr. Ashok Kumar Malhotra was a Nobel Peace Prize nominee. He is Professor Emeritus at SUNY, Distinguished University Professor and founder of the Yoga and Meditation Association at SUNY Ononta. His 20 videos on “The Ashok K Malhotra Yoga Institute Interviews” are available on YouTube. Malhotra’s columns have been abridged from his e-books available at https://www.amazon.com/author/malhotra. He donates all property rights to the Ninash Foundation (www.ninash.org), a local charity that builds schools for underprivileged women and minority children in India.

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