Calming Insomnia Sequence

A sequence to help calm the mind and body for those suffering from insomnia.

Time 45 minutes

Focus Forward Bends Backbends Abdominals Twistings Balancings

Contents

Introduction

Insomnia can have various causes, and it would be best to have a sense of what is behind the sleeplessness. It could be jet lag repercussions, it could be menopause, or it could be overwork and overstimulation, to name a few possibilities.

In general all of the above would indicate an imbalance in our nervous system, an inability to switch off, and disruptive overstimulation.

The sequence below aims to calm the nervous system and the adrenal glands to help calm the overactivity of the brain. It can be done in the evening if possible, with light food afterwards before bed. Repeat for several days in a row.

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Supta Baddha Konasana

Reclining Bound Angle Pose

5 minutes

Join your feet together, your heels pressed to your pelvis. Lie back over a bolster or other form of support. Relax and let your chest open. If necessary, use a strap to hold your feet in place.

Adho Mukha Sukhasana

Simple Cross Legs Forward

2 minutes each side

Sit with your legs crossed. Keep your sit-bones pointing downward as you fold forward over your legs to capacity, lengthening your spine.

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Downward-Facing Dog Pose

2 minutes

Press evenly into your hands and feet. The main aim is to elongate the back of your body and lift your hips up as high off the ground as possible without losing the stable foundation created by your hands and feet. If you lack the hamstring flexibility, bend your knees a little.

Prasarita Padottanasana

Wide-Legged Forward Bend

1-2 minutes

Plant your feet as wide apart as you can. Place your hands on the floor and lengthen forward through your spine. Once you have achieved the concave spine, start to walk your hands backward to capacity, aiming to lengthen and release your spine as evenly as possible.

Salamba Sirsasana I

Headstand 1

5-7 minutes

Activate your shoulders and upper back muscles as you lift your body up into inverted balance. Use the wall for support if necessary.

Dvi Pada Viparita Dandasana (Over chair, hands to chair back)

Two-Legged Inverted Staff Pose Over Chair

3-5 minutes

Activate your legs and push your feet into the ground. Hold onto the chair legs: this will help pull your shoulders and chest open and deepen the pose.

Virasana Forward

Downward-Facing Hero Pose

2-3 minutes

Join your feet together under your buttocks and keep your knees far enough apart for your ribs to fit in between your legs as you fold forward. You can rest your forehead on the floor or on a block.

Halasana

Plough Pose

5-7 minutes

Use support under your shoulders if necessary. Keeping your shoulders open, lift your hips up high above your head, dropping your feet down behind you. Place your hands on your back to help keep it from rounding.

Viparita Karani

Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose

7-12 minutes

Bring your hips up to the wall and lift your legs up against it so that they're perpendicular to the floor. You can use a bolster or other form of support under your hips and lumbar spine to incorporate a mild backbend into the pose.

Adho Mukha Sukhasana

Simple Cross Legs Forward

2 minutes each side

Sit with your legs crossed. Keep your sit-bones pointing downward as you fold forward over your legs to capacity, lengthening your spine.

Janu Sirsasana

Head-to-Knee Forward Bend

2 minutes each side

Bend your knee out to the side and keep your sit-bones pointing downward as you stretch out over your extended leg. Use a belt if necessary.

Triang Mukha Eka Pada Paschimottanasana

Three-Limbed Forward Bend

2 minutes each side

Bend your left knee so your foot points straight back as you extend your right leg forward. Release your spine as you reach out to grab a hold of your extended foot. Use a belt if necessary. Repeat on both sides.

Paschimottanasana

Seated Forward Bend

2-3 minutes

Make sure the backs of your legs are pressed firmly to the ground as you bend over to reach your feet. Release the spine. Use a belt if necessary.

Simple Cross Legs Twist

3-4 breaths each side

Sit with your legs crossed and back straight. Place your hand onto the opposing knee and, staying tall through the crown of your head, look over your shoulder as you twist.

Savasana

Corpse Pose

5-15 minutes

Lie down on the floor. Spread your arms and legs slightly at your side. Relax and concentrate on your breath.

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You are welcome to download the PDF of the sequence and print and distribute it freely. You may have to wait up to 30 seconds for the PDF to generate. Please credit the teacher who created it. All illustrations from Dona Holleman’s ‘Yoga Darśana’, RIMYI Institute texts and Yoga Vastu illustrators for original asana drawings.

By Pixie Lillas

31 July 2018

Pixie is the founder of Yoga Vastu and runs the Balmain Iyengar Yoga Studio in Sydney, Australia. She has over 45 years of teaching experience and regularly runs teacher training courses. She regularly teaches workshops in Europe and New Zealand.

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Calming Insomnia Sequence

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