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You are here: Home / Blog

Sleep Solutions – Yoga Style

July 11, 2018 by Julie Lusk

How’s Your Sleep?

Are you getting enough sleep?  Are you tired of being tired?  Could you be suffering from sleep deprivation?  Well, you’re not alone.  Most of us don’t get enough sleep.  I don’t know about you, but it’s just irresistible to stay up late, even when I must get up early the next day.

Our busy lives make it so tempting to skimp on sleep.  Lots of us have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep.  Have you ever felt half-awake and half-asleep all night, here’s an explanation of why that happens with suggestions to help.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends 7 hours of sleep in every 24 hours for adults. It’s nine to 12 hours for children 6 to 12 years old and teens need eight to 10 hours daily on a regular basis.  Establishing good sleep hygiene habits are important to getting a full night’s sleep.

Benefits of Sleep

Getting enough sleep helps normalize mood, improves concentration, memory consolidation, and helps pain management.  It improves performance and lowers the risk of having an accident. Sleep is good for your skin and your sex drive.  It lowers cortisol, the stress hormone, resulting in better appetite control and weight loss.  Getting enough sleep helps regulate glucose levels, supports heart-health and contributes to a healthy immunity.  Recent NIH research reveals that sleep is needed to remove the daily buildup of waste and neurotoxins from the brain. Researchers are very interested in this since these neurotoxins are elevated in Alzheimer’s patients.  It is thought that the glymphatic system rinses and flushes these neurotoxic molecules from the brain nightly during deep sleep. This clearing process seems to be more effective when sleeping on one’s side, according to a study conducted at the University of Rochester Medical Center.  Here’s more information on side-sleeping.

Sleep Solutions – Yoga Style

The art and science of yoga has plenty to offer including postures, breathing techniques, meditation practices, and lifestyle recommendations for sleep improvement.  To further ease one’s mind, yoga’s wisdom teachings are helpful for gaining a healthy perspective on everything from handling life’s ups and downs to living with more meaning and purpose.  Furthermore, it addresses age-old questions like “Who am I?” and “What is my true nature?”

Students often say that they get their best sleep on the nights they attend yoga class.  Having a regular personal home practice is ideal.  Here are some of the many ways that yoga supports healthy sleep.

  • Yoga Postures: A vigorous practice is fine early in the day.  However, start winding down the evening with a practice that focuses on slow, mindful movements.  Focus your attention on postures that reduce physical tension.  Doing so has the added benefit of calming the mind and emotions.  Good ones to try include the child pose, gentle spinal twists, legs up the wall, and shavasana.  Restorative yoga works wonders as well.
  • Yoga Breathing: The Triangle Breath is a favorite for balancing oneself and is described in my book, Yoga Nidra for Complete Relaxation and Stress Relief (NHP, pg. 175).  It is effective for increasing your energy when feeling tired, calming your nerves when feeling anxious, and promotes sound sleep.  There are three parts to triangle breathing.  The important thing is for the exhalation, inhalation, and the retention to be equal in duration. Therefore, adjust the rate of counting to four more quickly or more slowly depending on your lung capacity and comfort.  Breathe through your nose; only use your mouth for breathing to the extent necessary.

Part 1 – Breathe out through your nose to the count of four.

Part 2 – Breathe in through your nose to the count of four.

Part 3 – Hold your breath to the count of four.

Repeat the whole process for a few minutes or until the desired effect happens.

  • Yoga Nidra: Yoga nidra means “yogic sleep” and has many documented benefits for your body, mind, and spirit. It happens when your bodymind is in deep sleep but with one big difference – you remain consciously aware.  How?  A series of techniques are used systematically to relax physically, energetically, mentally, and emotionally.  Yoga nidra awakens intuition, unconditional joy, and a timeless, spacious sense of being.  Get more on the stages of yoga nidra and how to practice it here.

Yoga nidra can also be used as a natural sleep aid at bedtime.  It eliminates layer after layer of tension and stress, allowing you to drift comfortably off to sleep and stay asleep. It’s like drinking a cup of comfort.  More on this here.

Watch this short video on how yoga nidra helped her insomnia.

One hour of yoga nidra practice approximates four hours of sleep. This is due to the series of brain wave states experienced during yoga nidra (Saraswati 1998, Kumar 2008).   Therefore, yoga nidra can help address sleep deprivation and renew your energy.  The conscious experience of deep sleep is what makes it so restorative and unique.  Due to the fertile brainwave states experienced, it’s also entirely possible to make positive behavior and personality changes. See the yoga nidra FAQ on setting intentions and sankalpas here.  Remember, yoga nidra is not intended to be a substitute for sleep.

How to Experience Yoga Nidra:  

Like all worthwhile things, regular practice yields the best results.  It’s as easy as 1-2-3.

  1. Listen to Yoga Nidra: Guided Meditations for Relaxation and Renewal (Health Journeys, 2016) or similar recordings. Read about it and get free audio downloads in Yoga Nidra for Complete Relaxation and Stress Relief (New Harbinger, 2015).
  2. Go to a yoga nidra workshop or retreat here.
  3. Take a yoga nidra teacher training course and earn a certificate here.

Sweet Dreams!

Sleep Well ~ Yoga Nidra CD
Sleep Well ~ Yoga Nidra CD
Ease into sleep with yoga nidra with deep relaxation, soothing flute music, and ocean waves. "I slept like a log." "I've never been so relaxed." Digital downloads are also available. From Julie Lusk, author of Yoga Nidra for Complete Relaxation and Stress Relief.
Quantity:  
Price: $9.99Price: $16.99 

Julie Lusk

 

Julie Lusk, MEd, E-RYT 500, has more than 35 years of expertise in stress relief, yoga, relaxation training, guided imagery, and meditation as an international author, recording artist, and workshop leader. Julie is the author of Yoga Nidra for Complete Relaxation and Stress Relief, Yoga Meditations, two volumes of 30 Scripts for Relaxation, Imagery and Inner Healing, and Desktop Yoga®. Her audio downoads and CDs include Wholesome Relaxation, Power of Presence, Blue Moon Rising, and many others. Learn more at WholesomeResources.com

Filed Under: Misc Musings, Stress Relief / Management, Yoga, Yoga Nidra

The 4 Keys to Happiness

July 9, 2018 by Julie Lusk

The one thing we all have in common is to find happiness.  Here are the 4 keys to unlock happiness.  They are from Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra 1.33.

The 4 Keys to Happiness

~ Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras 1.33 ~

The mind becomes peaceful and free when the qualities of the heart are cultivated.

These qualities are:

​​​     Friendship toward the joyful,

     Compassion toward the suffering,

     Happiness toward the pure, and

     Undisturbed toward the impure.

Sri Swami Satchidananda helps us better understand what Patanjali is conveying in his booklet, Integral Yoga: The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (Pocket Edition).  On pages 16-19, he writes:

“Whether you are interested in reaching samadhi or plan to ignore Yoga entirely, I would advise you to remember at least this one Sutra.  It will be very helpful to you in keeping a peaceful mind in your daily life.  In my own experience, this Sutra became my guiding light to keep my mind serene always.

Patanjali gives us four keys: friendliness, compassion, delight, and disregard.  There are only four kinds of locks in the world.  Keep these four keys always with you and when you come across any one of these four locks you will have the proper key to open it.

When you see a happy person, use the “friendliness” key.  Why should Patanjali say this?  Because even four thousand years ago there must have been people who were not happy at seeing others happy.  It is still the same way.  Suppose somebody drives up in a big car, parks in front of his huge palatial home and gets out.  Some other people are standing on the pavement in the hot sun getting tired.  How many of those people will be happy?  Not many.  They will be saying, “See that big car?  He is sucking the blood of the laborers.”  We come across people like that.  They are always jealous.  When a person get name, fame. or high position, they try to criticize him.  “Oh, don’t you know, his mother is so-and-so; she must have pulled some strings somewhere.”  They will never admit that he might have gone up by his own merit.  By that jealousy, you won’t disturb him, but you will disturb your own serenity.  He simply got out of the car and walked into the house, but you are burning up inside.  Instead, think, “Oh, such a fortunate man.  If everybody were like that how happy the world would be.  May God bless everybody to have such comfort.  I will also get that one day.”

Make him your friend.  That response is missed in many cases, not only between individuals but even among nations.  When some nation is prospering, the neighboring country is jealous of it and wants to ruin its economy.  So we should always have the key of friendliness when we see happy people.

And what of the next lock, the unhappy people?  “Well, Swami said everybody has his or her own karma.  This person must have done some wretched thing in her last birth.  Let her suffer now.”  That should not be our attitude.  Maybe someone is suffering from previous bad karma, but we should have compassion.  If you can lend a helping hand, do it.  If you can share half of your loaf, share it.  Be merciful always.  By doing that, you will retain the peace and poise of your mind.  Remember our goal is to keep serenity of our minds.  Whether our mercy is going to help that person or not, by our own feeling of mercy, at least we are helped.

Then comes the third kind, the virtuous people.  When you see a virtuous person, feel delighted.  “Oh, how great he is.  He must be my hero.  I should imitate his great qualities.”  Don’t envy the person; don’t try to pull him or her down.  Appreciate virtuous qualities in that person and try to cultivate them in your own life.

Lastly, the wicked.  We come across wicked people sometimes.  We can’t deny that.  So what should be our attitude?  Indifference.  “Well, some people are like that.  Probably I was like that yesterday.  Am I not a better person now?  He will probably be alright tomorrow.”  Don’t try to advise him because wicked people seldom take advice.  If you try to advise them you will lose your peace.”

Or that calm is retained by the controlled exhalation or retention of the breath.  Yoga Sutra 1.34

Or the concentration on subtle sense perceptions can cause steadiness of mind.  Yoga Sutra 1.35

Or by concentrating on the supreme ever-blissful Light within.  Yoga Sutra 1.36

Integral Yoga: The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (Pocket Edition).  Translation and Commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda.  Integral Yoga ® Publications. Buckingham, VA. 1985

Filed Under: Mind-Body Mastery Tools and Techniques, Misc Musings, Yoga and Meditation Quotes, Sayings, Poems

Blessing in the Chaos

February 16, 2018 by Julie Lusk

To all that is chaotic   
in you,
let there come
silence.

Let there be
a calming
of the clamoring,
a stilling
of the voices that
have laid their claim
on you,
that have made their
home in you,

that go with you
even to the
holy places
but will not
let you rest,
will not let you
hear your life
with wholeness
or feel the grace
that fashioned you.

Let what distracts you
cease.
Let what divides you
cease.
Let there come an end
to what diminishes
and demeans,
and let depart
all that keeps you
in its cage.

Let there be
an opening
into the quiet
that lies beneath
the chaos,
where you find
the peace
you did not think
possible
and see what shimmers
within the storm.

      –Jan Richardson

Filed Under: Misc Musings, Yoga and Meditation Quotes, Sayings, Poems Tagged With: Blessing in the Chaos, Jan Richardson

The 12 Nights of Yoga Holiday Poem

December 19, 2017 by Julie Lusk

What a blast of joy to share my rendition of “Twas the Time at Christmas and in the Yoga Place” holiday poem. 

This year, I was inspired to take a crack at revising The 12 Days of Christmas.  As soon as I mentioned it at yoga class, we jumped in and had a lot of laughs writing this for you.

Sing out and Enjoy!

The 12 Nights of Yoga Holiday Poem ©
 by Julie Lusk & Yoga Friends on Dec 6, 2017

On the 1st night of yoga, my teacher gave to me …  

Balance in a tree pose

2    Downward Dogs

3    Sun Salutes

4    Breaths of Joy

5    Namaste’s

6    Standing Stretches

7    Chakras Spinning   Image result for free yoga christmas images

8    Pigeons Posing

9    Yogi’s Sleeping   

10 Oms A-Singing

11 Warrior Poses

12 Meditations               

                                                  

Filed Under: Holiday Stress Relief, Yoga and Meditation Quotes, Sayings, Poems

Loving Kindness Face Lift

October 6, 2017 by Julie Lusk

Many thanks to Dan Leven for sharing this Loving Kindness Face Lift.  He was inspired by Sharon Salzberg’s book, Real Love.

As he puts it, “It begins with “may my face be happy, may my face be peaceful.”  And then you continue moving through each body part wishing them well in this way… “may my neck be happy, may my neck be peaceful … may my shoulders be happy, may my shoulders be peaceful,” and so on.   You open your heart’s kindness to your whole body (including to your own heart).”

It’s a great way to start and end the day.  I love it.  I really go to town with spreading happiness and peace throughout my entire body.  I enjoy coming up with new places to shower with loving kindness with each practice such as for my brain, blood, eyes and ears – even my hair.  Before long, it’s going out to family, friends, pets, strangers and to all kinds of situations.  This meditation is especially handy when my attention is restless since it lets me jump all around.  It can be any length too – long or short.  It sure feels uplifting.

Dan goes on to explain the science underpinning it.  He says, “the vagus nerve is a core part of our parasympathetic nervous system that has two branches.  One branch is associated with surviving in a perceived life or death situation where our whole body slows down, feigning death (a primitive survival mechanism).  The other branch is about helping us relax and soften into the loving support of others and is associated with the release of oxytocin (the cuddle or bonding molecule).  Both branches are about our relationship to “others”: dangerous “others” or safe and loving “others.”

Here’s the kicker he reports, “the vagus nerve has many fibers that connect to our facial muscles where we reveal our emotions through a plenitude of expressions.  Scientists have logged 21 different emotional expressions that register within the face and there are 8 universal emotional facial expressions that you don’t need a translator to interpret.  So our face can register the vagal response from shock and terror, like a deer in the headlights of a moving car (survival vagus nerve), to happiness and peace, like a contented Buddha face (loving vagus nerve)!  However, we can also create the response as we bring happiness and peace to our faces!”

So the KEY point, according to Dan, “is that as you invite or train your facial muscles to discover happiness and peace you are strengthening the relaxation response that’s linked to feeling supportive or loving connection with others -to feeling safe in the world.”

Come on – Give it a shot!

PS.  May you be happy and peaceful!

Filed Under: Meditation / Guided Imagery, Misc Musings, Relaxation Exercises, Stress Relief / Management Tagged With: loving kindness face lift, metta meditation

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