Tired of counting sheep? Insomnia is the worst. Try these three yoga poses to help ensure a quick delivery to dreamland.
Melting Heart (Anahatasana)
Come to your hands and knees then walk your hands forward, fully extending your arms, and allow your head and chest to drop toward the floor. If you prefer, you can prop your head with a blanket or block. If it's more comfortable, glide your hips back slightly toward your heels. Stay 3-5 minutes.
This pose targets the yin Meridians of the arms (Pericardium, Lung, and Heart Meridians). The Heart Meridian, especially, is involved with calming the mind. Difficulty sleeping is connected to a heart imbalance in Chinese medicine. That's because the heart is seen as the “house” of the mind, or spirit. If the heart is weak or agitated, it disturbs the mind, causing sleep problems. Aim to feel sensation in the underside of the arms into the armpits in order to optimally influence the Heart Meridian.
Dragonfly (Upavistha Konasana)
Sit and widen your legs just enough to feel mild sensation along the inner legs. Place your hands in front of you and fold forward, gently rounding the spine. Sitting on a folded blanket can help tilt the pelvis forward, and resting your arms and/or head on a bolster or cushion may provide additional calm. Stay 3-5 minutes or longer.
This pose targets the Liver Meridian, which runs through the inner legs, and helps promote a free-flow of energy through the body so that all organs function better, helping you rest well. And it affects the Bladder Meridian, which runs down the back body, along the sides of the spine, and the down the back of the legs. The Bladder Meridian influences the water element of the body, thereby cooling excess heat and calming the mind. Additionally, every major organ has a corresponding acupuncture point along the spine on the Bladder Meridian. That means gently stimulating the Bladder Meridian harmonizes all organs of the body.
Simple Twist
Lie on your back, draw your knees into your chest, and softly roll to your right side as though you were going to sleep. Slowly lift your left arm and take it to your left side, allowing the upper left shoulder to rest toward the ground. You can keep your left hand on your left waist for a while, and then gradually reach your left arm farther to the left to increase the twist. Stay 3-5 minutes then switch sides.
This pose targets all the main Meridians that enter and pass through the torso. By gently twisting the spine in this reclining twist, all Meridians are gently stimulated, thereby encouraging a homeostatic balance and greater harmonization between yin and yang energy.
Join us for Yin yoga Sunday nights at 5:15 for a calming way to start a new week.
Shared from the April 2018 Yoga Journal by Josh Summers
