Annie Appleby, Founder and CEO of YogaForce, relaxing on her YogaForce A-Line Mat/ By SARAH JONES Guest Blogger
How Daily Yoga Helps Your Sleep and Longevity
As someone who does yoga each day, I am familiar with many of the benefits the practice can bring to the overall health of the mind and the body. However, I’ve recently learned that yoga can help improve your sleep as well as your longevity. That’s right, not only will you sleep better, you can even live longer just by practicing yoga.
How Can Yoga Improve My Sleep?
When you practice yoga, the variant types will provide your body and mind different benefits. For example, yoga nidra, also known as yogic sleep, allows you to consciously take yourself to the stage that is between fully being awake and being asleep. This will allow your mind and your body to become completely relaxed. It is said that those who practice yoga nidra will have a more balanced and calmer state of living.
Not to mention, specific yoga moves/poses will allow you to sleep better at night. Yoga is an important practice for overall mental and physical health and can truly benefit those looking for better sleep and longevity. According to Longevity Live, eight out of ten adults experience difficulty with sleep.
Here is a quick list of yoga poses that can improve your relaxation, but most importantly, your sleep. Of course, for all of these exercises, you will need your handy yoga mat. I always turn to my Yogaforce A-Line mat for my daily yoga. As always be sure to keep proper alignment when you are practicing yoga. Not only is it important to ensure you achieve the correct pose, it enables you to have an aligned spine which is great for posture.
Upside Down Relaxation
● Sit facing a wall with your bottom placed 6 inches away
● Lie on your back and extend your legs up along the wall (if it is too tight or too loose on your hamstrings, adjust accordingly)
● Allow your arms to rest at your side with the palms facing upwards and breathe deeply for two minutes
Child’s Pose
● Sit on your yoga mat on your heels
● Roll forward with your torso and bring your forehead to rest on the mat in front of you
● Bring your chest as low as you can towards your knees and extend your arms out in front of you
● Hold the pose for 5 minutes while breathing deeply
Goddess Stretch
● Lay on your back with both knees bent
● Bring the soles of both of your feet together and allow your knees to gently fall open. (This will form a diamond shape with your legs)
● Rest your arms by your side and hold this pose for up to 5 minutes
While yoga can fully relax you and help you sleep, you are also increasing your lifespan with each practice. Even though Western sciences are still uncovering more and more benefits to yoga with each passing year, yoga will improve your longevity many reasons.
According to Washington.edu, yoga will encourage higher levels of self-care and promotes a healthier lifestyle. Those who practice yoga are more involved with their own health and self-care and healthy living habits over time will have a positive impact on the yogi’s life expectancy.
Besides promoting a healthier lifestyle, yoga can improve your life expectancy by:
● Improving your digestion
● Expanding your lungs
● Improving your balance
● Lowering your blood sugars
● Regulating your adrenal glands
● Increases your overall blood flow
● Cleanses your immune system and your lymph nodes by releasing toxins
● Preventing joint and cartilage breakdowns
The Final Word
How long have you been practicing yoga? What mental or physical health benefits have you noticed? No matter which yoga poses you choose to do the physical exertion will allow you to feel more tired at night and you will be able to get to sleep faster.
### Sarah Jones, Guest Blogger
Bio: Sarah is the editor of sleepydeep.com. Feeling the repercussions of being an irregular sleeper for far too long, she decided to do something about it. She learned why sleep is so important and how to maximize it, and is now helping others who are struggling to find their right sleep routine.
