Illustration: Curtis Settino
be uncomfortable in bed and sleep poorly. Of course, getting good sleep is one ingredient for overall well-being and can
THE LONG AND SHORT OF A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP By Roger Cole
contribute to lack of disease. • Styana (sluggishness). Sometimes, I simply have no motivation to move my body—especially when I’m tired from not getting enough sleep! It’s a catch 22 because exercising the body during the day leads to more restful sleep at night, which in turn makes it easier to practice overall.
MENTAL • Samsaya (indecision or doubt). There may have been a part of me at one time that doubted whether eight hours of sleep was really that important, but now I’m certain that I need at least that much to feel refreshed. Depending on the day, I may still weigh my options in terms of getting more sleep or going out with a good friend. And I can be indecisive about
If you have a sleep problem or are sleepy during the day, first find out whether you have sleep apnea. If you snore loudly, there’s a good chance that you do (and some people have apnea without loud snoring). Ask someone to listen while you sleep or use a smartphone app that can record snoring. You can’t tell by yourself if you snore; a lot of champion snorers have no idea that they are doing it. If you do snore significantly, get checked for apnea at a sleep clinic (they may provide you with a takehome, medical-grade monitor). If you have apnea, get it treated! One effective treatment to consider is an oral appliance, which is essentially a prop that you wear in your mouth while you sleep. At present, there are no yoga sequences known to treat sleep apnea.
what steps to take on any given night when getting ready for bed. In a similar vein, when I’m struggling to fall asleep
If you have insomnia (especially if you fall asleep at first
or when I’m fatigued during the day, I can doubt my own
but wake up and have trouble falling back to sleep), here
efforts toward establishing good sleep habits and then
are two options. For each option, it may help to sleep with
spend a lot of time worrying about this.
an elastic bandage wrapped loosely around your head, covering your eyes.
• Pramada (carelessness or negligence). When I choose to do the things that keep me from getting a good night’s sleep—
Option 1: Short Time in Bed
like staying out late or watching movies past my
If you choose this option, start by shortening your total
bedtime—it’s a careless attitude. I’m flat out neglecting my
time in bed each night to approximately six hours—and do
overall health and ultimately affecting many other aspects
this night after night on a strict, fixed schedule. Don’t take
of my life, which can actually create a domino effect of
any naps or practice any restorative poses during the day
imbalance.
or evening (except three minutes or less of Savasana after an ordinary asana practice each day). Continue
• Alasya (idleness). I can have a sort of mental laziness when
your usual seated pranayama practice if you have one.
it’s time to practice relaxing, sleep-inducing yoga poses in
During the six-hour scheduled bedtime period, if you
the late evening. Part of it is that I get overwhelmed by all
don’t fall asleep within 15 minutes of getting into bed,
the steps I need to take in preparation for keeping myself in
or if you wake up and lie awake for 15 minutes, then get
balance. I end up wasting time in some idle way while I Spring/Summer 2014 Yoga Samachar
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