Six secrets of a better sleep

Do you snooze often? Do you snore and unknowingly irritate others? Are your dreams taking away deep sleep? Those who fall asleep as soon as their back touches the bed are lucky people. One-time luck can become a routine with a plan.

Following steps can help you have a dreamless restful sleep that will make you feel energetic when you wake up.

1. Sleep with a victorious mind

   

   It is scientific that if you sleep with the thoughts of your failures, they will get deep-seated in your mind. These thoughts will influence your next day. Restlessness will rule your sleep. Experiment with it for a few days to know for yourself. The thoughts just before you sleep recur when you wake up. So sow the seeds of positive thoughts of accomplishments in your mind, before you go to bed. Then restfulness will govern your night’s sleep. You will be full-on with enthusiasm the next day.

2. Yoga pose for sleep dose ?

   Apart from the daily activities, practicing yoga poses improves the qualitative parameters of your sleep – sleep duration and sleep efficiency. These poses reduce rapid eye movements to have a dreamless restful sleep effortlessly.

   Rock and Roll

   Give some time for some rock and roll on the yoga mat. While you lie on your back, hug your knees into your chest. Wrap both arms around your legs with clasped fingers. Gently inhale and rock up to your body to a sitting position. Completely exhale and roll back. Repeat it twice. Finally, roll back to leave your arms and legs loose on the floor.

   • Vajrasana
   • Child’s pose
   • Cat Stretch
   • Legs up the wall pose
   • Yoga Nidra 
   • End yoga session with yoga nidra

   

3. Mudra for sleep

   

   Take a comfortable seat (padmasana or sukhasana) and practice these mudras with slow and gentle breaths for 5–15 minutes. Breathe in Ujjayi while practicing these mudras. Closely observe the flow of energy in the body. 

   • Shakti mudra – for sleep disorder
   • Chin mudra – improves sleep patterns
   • Adi mudra – reduces snoring

4. Ayurveda 

   

   In Ayurveda, we have the Shankhpushpi Syrup that helps you sleep well. Cleansing your gut with Ayurvedic herbs enables you to sleep better. The tri-dosha balancer Triphala churna and tablets is a digestion booster. 

   Sleep disorder is unavoidable for people with jet lag and shift work issues. Practicing Ayurveda makes their sleep dreamless and restful. Undergo Ayurvedic treatments every now and then. The key benefit of online consultation by Ayurveda specialists and naturopaths at Sri Sri College of Ayurvedic Science and Research Hospital is to treat the root cause of sleep disorders. Nadi pariksha diagnoses the Kapha-Vata-Pitta constituents in your body system.  

5. Soothing sleep music

   

   Just like lullabies work great for kids to put them to sleep, research says that a slow tempo quietens the mind for you to doze off. But do not plug in your ear pods and go off to sleep with music. Use speakers instead. The use of ear pods for long can cause permanent damage to your ears. Select your favorite music (for example- light instrumental or classical music) having a rhythm of about 60 beats a minute. Lay on your favorite side of the bed and listen to beautiful soothing music for relaxation that induces sleep effortlessly. 

6. Sleeping vastu

   Understand the scientific side to the ancient thoughts related to sleep direction. This story is from the collection of funny yet meaningful stories by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. 

   Sleeping in the north direction is not recommended at all. The problems related to blood circulation, psychiatric issues, high stress, and insomnia are due to iron coagulation in the brain. Sleeping in the east direction is beneficial for students, as it enhances memory, improves concentration and overall health. East is the preferred direction by mediators. South direction is the best direction to sleep in case of health issues.

   Sleeping on the sides activates the Suryanadi (the right nostril), Chandranadi (the left nostril) and increases the flow of prana in our body. On waking up, you feel energetic. 

7. Meditation

   The rest obtained in twenty minutes of meditation is equal to the rest otherwise obtained from eight hours of good sleep. 

   Take some time off and experience it. Plug off your distractions, plug in your ear pods, and sit comfortably to meditate for a better sleep, guided by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. 

   Nature compels you to go into silence unconsciously, which is called sleep. Sleep gives you energy. When you choose to be silent consciously, that is meditation. It gives you more energy and can help open the doors to subtle dimensions. In the Advanced Meditation Program of the Art of Living, you take time off to go into silence. Meditation helps draw out the deepest layers of stress from your nervous system. You experience deep meditation to settle into deep rest. 

   It is time for some humor on controlling sleep | A Funny Interaction with Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

To wrap up with dim-light

Melatonin, the sleep-regulating hormone, is a cue to the body and mind to fall asleep faster. This hormone is released in darkness. So better dim your lights for a sleep warm-up! Use night mode filters on screens. Sleep in a dark room or dimly lit room. Thus regulate your sleep as well as release toxins.

I hope you will not hit on snoozes now, sleep cuddled up with your loved ones at night, and have a dreamless restful sleep by following all the above practical ways. 

Once you become habitual of a good night’s sleep, surely you can benefit from waking up at Brahma muhurta. Read to know more about an intimate affair with early mornings, the one-and-a-half hours before sunrise.

FAQ’s on Ways to a Good Night’s Sleep