Yoga for Sleep

There are many useful practices to help relax the body for sleep. Perhaps the most effective is Yoga Nidra, where you systematically relax each part of the body. Starting with the feet, say to yourself, feet relax, feet reeeeelaaaax, my feet are relaxed, legs relax, legs reeeelaax, my legs are relaxed. Continue up through hips, buttocks, stomach, lungs, chest, arms, hands, shoulders to the head, ending with eyes and jaw.

Here are three other simple techniques to help prepare for sleep.

• Asana - Padangusthasana - Lying on your back in bed, without a pillow, lengthen your body by stretching your heels away from your hips, and your head away from your shoulders. Lift first your right leg then the left, holding your foot for 20-30 seconds on each side.
• Pranayama - Viloma I and II - lying on your back, with your eyes closed, take a couple of normal breaths. Then inhale in three parts, stopping for a few seconds in between, then exhale slowly. Take a normal breath, then repeat two more times. Then inhale slowly, and exhale in three parts, take a normal breath, and repeat two more times.
• Tantric Yoga - contemplate the following concepts for about 30 seconds each:

1. Love
2. Radiance
3. Unity
4. Health
5. Strength
6. Abundance
7. Wisdom
8. Light as air
9. Inner space 
10. Trust

Yoga for Pregnancy - Five Key Asanas

Child's Pose or Balasana: This is a good pose for relaxation. With toes together, open the knees to the width of the mat (to allow space for your belly and baby), and fold over onto a bolster, several folded blankets, or a large pillow. Halfway through, change your head to the other side.  Practice for 5-10 minutes.

Supported Butterfly Pose or Baddha Konasana: Bring the soles of your feet together, and support the knees using two blocks, or folded blankets. Your hands can rest on your thighs, or you can support yourself from behind as illustrated in this picture. This pose will help strengthen your inner thighs.

Squat or Malasana: To help strengthen the pelvic floor, it is recommended to practice squats as often as possible. Ideally, your feet will be flat on the floor, and you can squat against a wall for better balance. If your heels do not touch the floor, roll a blanket underneath to support the heels. With your hands in prayer, use the elbows to gently encourage the knees to open. Hold for 3-5 minutes.

Chair or Utkatasana: In the last trimester, squats may not be available to you. Instead, you can place yourself in a supported chair pose. With feet hips width apart, about a foot or half a metre from the wall, slide your back down the wall until you are sitting against the wall, and can feel your pelvic floor strengthening. Rest your hands on your thighs. Hold for 3-5 minutes.

Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana): Lying on your back, place a belt around your feet, then bend your knees so that the soles of your feet are facing the ceiling. Use the belt to gently open the hips, encouraging the knees towards the floor. Hold for 3 to 5 minutes.

This posture is a good hip opener. It stretches the inner thighs and groin as well as the hamstrings. It releases the spine and sacrum, and is particularly beneficial in releasing or decompressing the sacroiliac joint.

It helps to build strength in the hips, legs, thighs, and arms, while opening up and building flexibility in the hips. Internally, it can also massage the stomach organs and stimulate the digestive system. Happy Baby Pose awakens your inner child to relieve stress, and reinvigorate your mind, body and soul.

Pranayama: Breathwork for Pregnancy and New Motherhood

Pregnancy and new motherhood is a magical time in a woman's life.  Not only do you go through tremendous changes in your physical body, but also you experience changes emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Yoga has much to offer this roller-coaster time of joy and emotion, to help relax the body and calm the emotions, and in doing so, send peaceful messages to your baby.

The following pranayama breathing exercises can be done for 3-10 minutes, in the morning, or whenever you need to bring yourself back in balance. With both these techniques, the important thing is to find a natural rhythm without forcing the breath. These are useful both before and after the birth.

Deep Belly Breathing

The benefits of deep belly breathing include relaxation, stress release, stimulation of endorphins that fight depression, expansion of lung capacity and an increase in patience.

Start by closing your eyes, slowing down your breath, breathing smoothly through your nose.  Allow your belly to expand.  Think about expanding the rib cage, including to the side and back. The breath moves into the body from the bottom of the lungs to the top of the lungs. When you exhale, start at the top and move down to the bottom of the lungs, drawing your navel towards the spine. (This movement will be less in the later months of pregnancy.)

Alternate Nostril Breathing

This breath brings mental and emotional balance, as it balances the hemispheres of the brain. It creates a sense of harmony and well-being, and helps relieve stress related tension headaches.

Close your eyes and begin to slow down your breathing through the nose. Let your left hand rest on your left knee with the palm facing up and your index finger and thumb tips touching in gian mudra.  Fold the right index and middle finger. Use your right thumb to gently close your right nostril to inhale through the left nostril.  To exhale, gently close the left nostril with your ring and little fingers to allow the breath to release through the right. On the next inhale, breathe in through the right nostril and exhale through the left. Whichever nostril you exhale out of, that will be the nostril through which you take your next inhale. Continue directing the breath through the alternate nostrils in this way. With practice you can also do this breath without blocking the nostrils with your fingers.