Good night! Our tips for a better sleep

The purpose of sleep is to allow the body and the mind to rest, recuperate, and regenerate. But… do you always feel rested and refreshed when you wake up? Nowadays more and more people have sleep problems, due to stress, tensions or other issues.

You can find books, articles and a lot of blogposts with great suggestions for improving your evening habits in order to get a better night’s sleep. For example, avoiding alcohol and heavy meals just before bedtime, turning off mobile devices, listening to relaxing music or white noises, reading…

Here we would like to present to you our yogic suggestions for a better good night's sleep:

1. Make sure you’ve done some physical activity during the day (and worked up a sweat). If not, go on a short walk in fresh air before bedtime.

2. Make sure you’ve laughed already during the day. If not… just laugh a bit!

3. Brush your hair (preferably with a wooden comb) and, if long, braid it so it stays neat and tidy through the night.

4. Drink a glass of water or a relaxing tea. Dehydration can disturb the sleeping mind. It’s okay if you have to wake up to go to the bathroom.

5. Soak your feet in cold water to get ready for relaxation.

6. Take all your worries and problems, wrap them up in a package, and put them on a shelf in your mind. Alternatively, you can write down what concerns you and literally put the piece of paper in a place far away from your bed. You’ll be amazed at how many are gone, solved, or improved by the time you wake up.

7. Write a gratitude journal or a gratitude list. Grateful feelings can help you get a great night's sleep because positive thoughts beat negative ones.

8. Practice this simple breathing exercise once you are in bed:

• Lie on your stomach, turn your head so your right cheek is on the pillow. This automatically opens your left nostril to bring in the cooling, soothing, calming energy.
• Do long, deep breathing through both nostrils.
• Block your right nostril with your hand and continue long, deep breathing through the left nostril.
• Once you feel drowsy, turn over onto your back, side, or your preferred sleeping position.
• Continue long, deep breathing until asleep.

9. And of course, practice meditation and try relaxing Yoga poses that helps you calm down - like this one:

• Sit in a comfortable cross-legged position, with your spine straight and shoulders relaxed.
• Rest your hands in your lap with palms facing up.
• Close your eyes and completely relax.
• Breathe through the nose slowly and deeply.
• Stay focused on your breath as it fills your lungs, expanding the ribcage.
• With each exhale relax and let your mind come to rest. Continue for 1-5 minutes.
• Then lie down on your right side and enjoy a deep and restful sleep. The related tea is YOGI TEA® Bedtime.