Namaste' Your Way to a Good Night's Sleep

I'm still not sleeping well. It usually goes like this: I sleep for a couple of hours, then I'm wide awake for what seems like forever, then I finally drift back to sleep for an hour or two. I'm sure I'm just stressed because I'm not working. Maybe it's my growing financial concerns and the declining economy. Or, maybe it's my fears that Lamar Odom won't return to the Lakers.

I've had no luck so far doing what the "experts" suggest. Even my Tylenol PM isn't working so well. So, when I received my yoga studio's monthly newsletter offering an upcoming 2 1/2 hour workshop with this headline: "Sleep Like A Baby With Yoga Nidra", I had to give it a shot!

The workshop was taught by a licensed hypnotherapist and included a discussion of Yoga Nidra, some gentle yoga stretches to do before going to bed and a guided Yoga Nidra meditation. I couldn't take pictures, but this one I found online shows what it looked like.


Yoga Nidra translates from the Sanskrit as "yogic sleep", or a "glorious state of complete physical relaxation that when achieved allows the consciousness to release mental stress and promote rejuvenation of the mind, body and spirit". (at least, that's what the pamphlet said.)

Supposedly, anyone can do it and everyone can benefit from it. After some simple yoga stretches, we were taken through a guided meditation done by lying down in the savasana pose (or, corpse pose). We were to relax each part of our bodies systematically while breathing deeply and slowly from our abdomen. As you enter deep relaxation, you're supposed to feel your mind become clear and detached.

My review? Well, I guess I naively thought she would show us some magical "sleep-inducing" yoga poses. Instead, we did some of the same yoga stretches that we do in my regular yoga classes. Judging by the snores I heard next to me, the guided meditation she did worked for almost everyone. I was very relaxed and even drifted off for a moment or two. But, after going through the process, she announced that her CD's were on sale in the corner for $20.00!

I didn't think that was right. We all paid for this seminar already - did we have to spend an additional $20 more for the "key's to the city"? I get that she has to earn a living, but I thought the price was a little steep! I think I can find cheaper CD's out there taking me on the same relaxation journey.

I knew that one class wasn't going to unleash the secret of uninterrupted sleep - it's a process that takes practice. That night, I tried Yoga Nidra with my husband, who's also having trouble sleeping lately but couldn't attend the class with me that day. After going through the yoga stretches and some guided relaxation, he slept like a baby...and I was awake for hours.

I think I need a little more practice.

Having Trouble Sleeping??

When you’re out of work with no definite job possibilities and a climbing stack of bills on your desk, how do you shut off your mind and get some sleep without resorting to chemical dependence?

Some of you lucky people don’t have this problem. You fall asleep the moment your head hits the pillow and wake up rested and refreshed 8 hours later…regardless of what’s going on in your life.

Meanwhile, the rest of us lie in bed and stare up at the ceiling on a nightly basis as we worry about everything from the climbing unemployment rate to the growing hole in the ozone layer.

Sometimes, it seems like the only solution (at least, according to me) is to pop a pill. And, while it might work right now, it’s not really a long-term solution.

Here’s what the experts suggest:

1. Write your worries down on paper so they won’t keep floating around in your head.
Keep a journal or a pad of paper by your bedside to record your thoughts before bed. Once they’re written down, put them away in a drawer. Your worries won’t go away forever, but now you can free up some space in your head for nice, relaxing thoughts. (I’m going to try this tonight!)

2. Pay attention to what you’re drinking! Stop drinking caffeine after 2:00pm. A glass of wine might be relaxing in the evening (and who doesn't like wine?), but limit your alcohol intake to one or two glasses at the most. (unless you'd rather just pass out drunk on the couch and forget all this sleepless talk!)

3. Exercise regularly: Regular exercise reduces the overall amount of stress in your life. It can also help alleviate feelings of anxiety and depression. Some feel it’s best to exercise early in the day, while others prefer late afternoon. Most seem to agree, though, that you shouldn’t exercise after 8:00pm.

4. Concentrate on your breathing to quiet your overactive thought process. Focusing only on your breath will help you to shut out the outside world and keep you in the present moment. (that’s a little easier said than done).

5. Save stressful activities like bill-paying and job searching for earlier in the day. (Okay, so I’ll only argue with my family in the morning.)

6. Keep to a Routine: each night, get into bed a half-hour before you turn out the lights, and read a calming book or listen to soothing music. Don’t watch TV (especially the evening news) and don’t check your emails because they tend to be stimulating, not relaxing. Your body will eventually acclimate to this routine and start to know when it’s time to go to sleep.

7. Aromatherapy – some feel that breathing in the scent of lavender can induce relaxation and even sleep. I suggest putting some fresh lavender in a bowl by your bed instead of spraying lavender oil on your pillow case. (Why add to your worries by staining a perfectly good set of sheets?)

8. Acupuncture. While not necessarily an immediate fix, many people swear by this healing method. Small thin needles are put into the skin at various points to stimulate nerve transmitters that produce sleep-inducing hormones like serotonin. Unfortunately, it might take some time before you notice an improvement. (and the needle-thing might freak you out a little).

If you still continue to have problems, it might be a good idea to see your doctor or schedule time with a therapist.

I’m really not sure what the best way is to shut off your mind. I suppose, at the end of the day, whatever ends up working for you is the best way. Good luck and sweet dreams!