We spend a third of our lives sleeping. Healthy sleep – one of the most important elements of training, along with motivation and a healthy nutrition. And not only for training!
Three things help to endure the troubles of life:
Immanuel Kant
hope, sleep and laughter.
Hope
Sleeping deprivation is a widespread method of torture. Sometimes it does not even need an external effect to distract us from sleeping. Worries and problems keep us from falling asleep and seem to deprive us of hope. But we should not lose it – as Nightwish already recognized…
For my dreams I hold my life
NIGHTWISH
For wishes I behold my night
The truth at the end of time
Losing faith makes a crime
Sleep
Worries and problems are often solved during sleep. This has now even been confirmed in scientific studies. Sleep provides the necessary distance to the problem and you can think clearly again. The solution comes by itself.
And we drift far away in our dreams
INSOMNIUM
Gather further distance while we sleep
Laughter
And if the solution does not come by itself, serenity and humour will help. What we cannot change, we should let go. With a smile on the lips. Because it has been proven that our brain cannot distinguish whether we are really happy when we smile. Even with a seemingly groundless smile, we pretend to be happy. Therefore – even if you are involuntarily sleepless – angles of the mouth upwards!
There´s something inside me ´n´ I know it´s good
D-A-D
But understanding, it´s misunderstood
At the end of a smile, there´s a laugh ´n´ a half
Sweet be your sleep…
Good and sufficient sleep is important. You should sleep between six and nine hours to replenish your energy reserves. Sufficient sleep is also necessary for a functioning immune system. During sleep, growth hormones are released (which is particularly beneficial for planned muscle growth) and the stress hormone cortisol is reduced.
DARK EXERCISES for better sleep
In order to find sleep more easily, gentle yoga exercises can help. They relieve physical and mental tension. In the following you will find my DARK EXERCISES for better sleep. Hold the asanas for about 30 seconds or as long as you like. It is supposed to be relaxing.
If you like music, I can recommend my Shavasana Playlist. You can find the direct link to Spotify under the playlist.
GOMUKHASANA WITH ANJALI MUDRA
Starting from a four-foot-stand, the legs are crossed. The feet are so
far apart, that the buttocks between the heels can be dropped off.
The backs of the feet should be as close as possible to the
of the hip, while the ischial tuberosities do not separate from the ground.
The hands meet at heart height in Anjali Mudra.
GOMUKHASANA
One hand grasps from above behind the head downwards while the other hand pulls
from below upwards. The elbow of the upward pointing arm pulls to above and
behind, the upper body remains upright. In the best case, the hands behind your
back meet each other, otherwise give a sock, sleep cap or anything in between.
With it you can also hold the stretch. Repeat both exercises with the other side.
PARIVRTTA SUKHASANA
Now you can put your legs in a more comfortable position. Sit down in a
relaxed cross-legged seat and turn with your exhalation the torso
on one side. The arms pull along. The upper body remains erected
and shoulders deepened. Repeat the twist to the other side as well.
BADDHA KONASANA
Now bring your soles together and push them along in a pleasant distance
to the bottom. The upper body may fall round forward. If you can’t
lie down completely, put one or more pillows under your head.
VAJRASANA
Straighten your backs and set your feet down.
The big toes meet under the buttocks.
USTRASANA
Now straighten up your thighs and place your hands on your lower back. Bend back.
The thighs should remain at right angles to the lower legs.
Stretch out your arms and reach towards your heels with your hands.
MAJARIASANA
Go to the four-footed stand for compensation.
Here you make the back exhaling alternately round…
BITILASANA
… and let him inhale and sag.
BALASANA
After that you can relaxed settle down and stretch your arms far forward.
APANASANA
Turn around and pull your knees to your chest. Alternately the legs move
inhaling away from the body and exhaling towards the body.
SHAVASANA
For the last exercise, lay your legs down at least hip-width, your feet fall loosely
outwards. Your arms are relaxed and open next to your upper body,
the palms of your hands point outwards.
And if you have made it this far and are still awake, I wish you a good night now, because you will surely slip away into the land of dreams…
