If you’ve already tried everything from a warm bath to a warm glass of milk but you’re STILL lying awake counting sheep, wellness expert Peggy Hall has another tip that could help you get a good night’s sleep.
The next time you find yourself lying awake at night, grab your yoga mat: , relieve stress, and ward off aches and pains that can keep you tossing and turning. Closing your eyes and breathing long, slow breaths can have a sedating effect on the body, says Sara Ivanhoe, featured instructor on VH1’s Celebrity Rehab. “I’ve had trouble sleeping since I was an infant,” she says. “One of the reasons I got into yoga is because I wanted to learn to relax on command.”
“As a yoga instructor, I’ve developed two easy and effective yoga moves that anyone can do,” says Peggy. “Whether you’re a yoga pro or have never done yoga before!”
The first move she recommends is what she calls “Sleeping Beauty”:
- Sit on the bed and place two pillows or a folded blanket to your left side.
Bend your knees toward the pillows and let your feet go to your right.
Place your chest and side of your head on the blanket. Close your eyes
and relax for five to eight breaths. Repeat on the other side. - Why this works: According to the traditions of yoga, when you lie on your
back, your brain tends to stay more alert, so it’s not conducive to falling
asleep. But when you’re face down or curled up, your brain senses a
drawing in and a calming down. If you like to sleep on your back,
that’s fine — just start out on your side until you get drowsy, then you
can turn over.
Peggy’s second move is the “Whole Body Blast”:
- Lie on your bed, face up.
- Tense your whole body, making fists, and clench every muscle tight. Hold this position and hold your breath for a few seconds, then release everything. Repeat a total of three times. Peggy says that this helps squeeze out the last remaining bits of physical and emotional tension that can lead to insomnia.
“You’re going to feel such a sense of relief after doing these simple moves,” says Peggy, “that your body is naturally going to enter the sleep zone so you can wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day!”
Source: Americanownews.com