Yoga or Meditation for Insomnia?

Mindfulness Meditation
#1

Hi,

I guess i should kick things off with a bit of background information and i how i ended up at this point. I currently work night shifts 3 days a week for roughly three years. As you can imagine my sleeping patterns got messed up as soon as i started working night shifts but recently in the last two months my sleep has seriously deteriorated. I am gettting such light sleep now it’s hard for me to tell weather i have been asleep or not. I’ve decided not to go and see a doctor and get sleeping pills as that would just lead down another hole and thats the last thing i need. I have heard about yoga and the benefits it has so for the past couple of days i have been doing some posistions and it has helped in getting me relaxed but my mind is still racing when i try to get sleep. Is there anything anyone can suggest that i can do to help with this issue? Are there any medidations or yoga posistions that i can do to specifically help with my sleep issues? Normally i would just quit this night jon but am not really in a financial posistion to do so at the moment:-(

Thanks

#2

Well the obvious thing here is to begin a process of putting yourself into position to make a job or career change. The human circadian rhythms mandate a certain cycle for optimal health and so it’s a bit of a rock and a hard place. I assure you that career change can be had with a little effort and some creative thinking.

That having been said, let’s address the issue only as you’ve defined it. In order to do so can you tell us what you are eating, what your living environment is like, and what other things you are doing after your shift to calm your nervous system?

gordon

#3

Thanks for your reply. I will address your questions. If you are asking what i am eating when i finish work and arrive home i may make a sandwich with a packet of crisps followed by a glass of water. At work it’s pretty much the same except a chocolate bar. In terms of daily eating my mum cooks asian food which include meat, chicken and vegetarian dishes. As for living enviroment i am sleeping in the room that is facing the street outside. There is some noise but i can’t move anywhere else as there is no room. I do a few basic stretches when i get in after work to release any tension from my body and thats about the only thing i do to calm my nervous system after i finish my shift.

Thanks

#4

BUMP any help with this please?

#5

Hello Bhavick,
I also had a similar problem. But my problem was not as acute as yours. I would say it was more of a sleep disorder due to a work deadline. I’ll share 2 things which helped me:

  1. Yoga Nidra (Audio cd) - One Yoga instructor gave me an audio cd of Yoga Nidra (Yogic Sleep). It was a step by step program of deep meditation that taught me how to relax the body and helped shift my awareness from outside the body to inside. Please note that you are not supposed to actually sleep during Yoga Nidra but the relaxation it provides will make you fresh and more energetic. I used to hear it every night before sleeping for 20 odd days.
  2. Cleansing - Another step recommended by my Yoga instructor. Now this is just a way to take out the negative energy/ frustration out of the body. I would do this early morning after getting up. Sit in padmasan. After deep breathing, i used to imagine and visualize the thing/s that were causing the stress and say aloud that “I will not let this affect me”. Give it some time say around 15 minutes and it will start to show results after a week. It can be thought of as an alternative to the stress ball/ punching bag! :slight_smile:
#6

@innerAthlete - Most happy to meet a Yoga instructor and guru! Looking forward to reading your other posts on the forum…

#7

The Scales suggests you study:

VIPASSANA

#8

Thanks for both your replies. I will look in to what you both mentioned:p

#9

Hi Bhavick,
!) It is been said that when you are in bad mood do yoga positions, while in good mood do meditation…
Eventhough meditation can make you feel relax, it will also improve your concentration during bad moods…
So , its said to prefer yoga positions when mood is not good coz it might worsen up things.
Src: The complete Idiots guide to yoga

I personally feel this is a valid point.

  1. When it comes to yoga positions , i personally feel these two positions helps to relax and calm down.
    a) Head to knee forward bend ( Janu Sirsasana )
    b) Seated forward bend ( Paschimottanasana )

  2. Its been widely said shoulderstand (sarvangasana) , plow ( halasana ) , corpse pose ( savasana ) helps for Insomania

  3. Avoid too many standing yoga positions for Insomania , src : The complete Idiots guide to yoga .

Hope it helps :slight_smile:

#10

I took a Kundalini yoga class on the topic of sleep “improvement” a few months ago. I found it to be very helpful, even though that style does not suit me otherwise. An entire routine was covered, with poses, meditations and pranayama, but two things I return to are

  • a meditation called Shabd Kriya
  • an exercise where you lie on your back and take long deep breaths through the nose: stretch the toes against the head on the inhale and internally chant ‘sat’ - point the toes away from the head on the exhale and internally chant ‘naam’.
    It should be the exact same routine in your part of the world, so until there is a change in your situation, a Kundalini yoga teacher near you might be able provide a temporary solution if you feel that this would be right for you.