Yoga can Help you Sleep Better

There may be many causes for someone’s lack of sleep. One major issue can be stress and yoga can help relax you. Here are some yoga poses I feel can help someone calm their nerves and get more relaxing, better sleep:

• Forward Bends- standing and seated: Sit or stand and extend arms and head down toward floor.
• Child’s Pose: Similar to a cat stretch with your forehead touching the floor or surface you are on.
• Nighttime Goddess Stretch: Lying supine with your arms and legs out. Legs in a diamond shape; bottoms of feet together.
• Inverted Poses: Lie supine with buttocks close to wall and your legs raised up against the wall.

It is suggested that those poses can be the most helpful for sleep, but really any short yoga routine before bed may help substantially. Focus on deep, slow breathing and don’t try to force any poses or uncomfortable positions.

Additional Reading Resources

• Having Solid Core Muscles can have Multiple Health Benefits
• Sleep Like A baby and Wake Up Feeling Refreshed
• Choose the Right Neck Pillow For Comfort and Support
• Sleep Deprivation and How it Affects More than your Mind
• The Queen of Neck Pillows- Expert Advice on Getting a Good Nights Sleep with the right Pillow

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The skinny on being happier, healthier and lighter- Better Sleep

A recent Readers Digest Article (October 2007) caught my eye- and it anything BUT put me to Sleep. The importance of getting a good night sleep cannot be over rated. So many reasons to make sure you get to bed on time:

1. It will keep you healthier- People who sleep less tend to have higher blood pressure. A lack of sleep has been linked to an increased risk of heart attack and increase in weight. People who sleep live longer and just live better. Click here to read more
   
2. Sleep will make you look better and feel better - One of the main reasons is that it will keep your hormone levels higher- especially growth hormones. Click here to read more
   
3. Sleep will keep you happier- People who don't sleep produce an increased amount of stress hormones creating a body that is always in a "hyper" state. A lack of sleep can bring on depression and vice versa. Click here to read more.
   
4. Sleep will make you Smarter- Not sleeping can affect concentration and problem solving skills. Just like drinking too much, not sleeping can have the same effect on you physically and cognitively. Click here to read more.
   
5. Sleep will help control your Weight- There is an obesity epidemic in the United States- one the reasons is the lack of sleep. It can affect what you decide to eat. Insomniacs tend to crave food high in carbohydrates and sugar. Mainly because sleep loss decreases insulin sensitivity, putting an individual at a higher risk for type 2 diabetes. This can cause a decrease in metabolism and an increase in appetite. Loss of sleep decreases the levels of a hormone called leptin but increases ghrelin (hormone that makes you feel hungry. Click here to read more.
   

So to be healthier, happier and lighter do everything you can to make sure you get the proper amount of sleep every night. You spend 1/3 of your life sleeping- are you getting the most out of it? We will discuss each of the above facts in more detail in the next few posts. Also we will discuss ways to make sure you get proper sleep. S