Yoga for Sleep

[Webimpulse]

Namaste HDF,

I'm guessing this question has been asked before, but is there a specific type of yoga that can help one sleep? It doesn't have to be from any specific branch of yoga, but it should help one sleep...

I'm asking because I keep having a problem with depression and crying spells when I try to go to sleep in the evening. If there's something I can do to prevent this from interfering with my sleep, I'd love to hear it.

[c.smith]

Hari Om!

Many seem to share your difficulty these days and I applaud your efforts at using a yogic approach.

Known as "yogic sleep", Yoga Nidra is not sleep in the traditional sense but many practitioners who use the technique do report that doing so before sleep often leads to a gentler more restful period. May I suggest that you search the numerous threads on this forum (some night when you can't fall asleep :)) or research on the net. Swami J and Swami Sivananda are good places to start as both offer excellent CD's which are perfect for the beginner in addition to the website material.

I do yoga nidra daily and it has greatly improved my life. Though my intention wasn't for its sleep benefits, it certainly hasn't hurt there either. Overall my life has become more calm, I have more of a glow and more "peaceful" energy am told.

Hope this helps in some small way.

All the best to you.

Om

[rakovsky]

I found that the best yoga involved excercizing somewhat before the yoga, which then made the yoga more relaxing.