Sleep deprivation and stress are interlinked. When you are worried or tensed; there is a tendency to find difficulty in sleeping, and in turn, the fact that you are deprived of sound sleep makes you stressed the next day. Now, if you think medicines are the solution for it then you are probably wrong as there exist several natural ways that can help reduce stress and combat insomnia.
4 effective ways to relax yourself and sleep better:
Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation extends a variety of benefits; one of which is improved sleep. This technique of meditation requires taking out some time and developing awareness of your physical body as well as thoughts. Accepting your thoughts and feelings rather than judging them helps attain a state of harmony. A recent study has proved that people who took up mindfulness training program improved on sleep and depression.
Mindfulness meditation could be practiced independently as well as in the guidance of an instructor. It totally depends on your choice and comfort. It comprises of very simple steps: Take a comfortable position, pay attention to your breath, and when your attention wanders, return. The practice of meditation and mind-body awareness is aimed at reducing stress as well as coping with specific concerns like insomnia.
Deep Breathing
Breathing plays an important role in relaxation as its depth and pace impact the body functions like heart rate and blood pressure. There are several breathing techniques that involve deeper, slower breaths that bring relaxation and reduce stress. Controlled breathing not only keeps the mind and body functioning at their best, it can also lower blood pressure, promote feelings of calm and relaxation and help de-stress.
Listen to Music
Music holds the power to relax the mind and fight stress. It has a unique link to emotions, so can be an extremely effective stress management tool. Music reduces insomnia symptoms as a study of college students has shown that listening to classical music at night improved sleep and decreased depression
Yoga
Aside of being a very effective technique of ensuring good health and fitness; yoga is a boon for Insomniacs. Regular Yoga practice relieves stress, relaxes the body and thus helps in getting a good night’s sleep. To get acquainted with the various yoga asanas that are best for you, you can either go for yoga classes in close proximity or take the help of free online resources.
Practice one or more of the above mentioned methods to overcome stress as well as the related negative effects like insomnia.
Dr Rupali Shivalkar 