The only treasure that money can’t buy is sleep. Factors causing lack of sleep may vary from a change in one’s sleeping environment, change in work shift, pain due to disease or illness, but significant factors remain anxiety and depression. When your mind keeps wandering through thoughts or a long to-do list, it becomes hard to fall asleep. Older people are at higher risk for insomnia. Lack of proper sleep results in mood swings, fatigue, low energy levels, frustration, lack of concentration and lack of motivation also lack sleep in the long term may result in obesity (weight gain), high blood pressure and other problems.

Insomnia may be familiar, but if left untreated, its health consequences can cause disaster. Any treatment is best, to begin with, necessary lifestyle changes, and yoga and mindfulness meditation can be an effective treatment for insomnia and other sleep disorders. It works by improving your sleeping patterns through exercise and is especially useful in those who lead a relatively sedentary lifestyle. Certain poses nourish tissues and the nervous system and balance the hormones in your brain, thus relaxing the whole system. An evening yoga practice can further add significantly to sleep efficiency.

Mindfulness Meditation

Practicing mindfulness meditation for 20 minutes every day involves concentrating on your breathing and then bringing your mind’s attention to the present without racing into concerns about the past or future. If you cannot focus on your breath, choose a sound, maybe ‘Om’ and keep chanting inside as you inhale and exhale, if your thoughts wander in between, don’t worry, again take a deep breath and return your focus to chanting.

Effective Asanas to help you sleep

1. Utkatasana

2. Dhanur asana

3. Matsyasana

4. Ardhchandrasana

5. Tadasana

6. Kapotasana

7. Parivrtta Trikonasana

8. Vrkshasana

9. Manjari asana

10. Halasana

11. Parvatasana

Lastly end on a positive note, lie in Savasana for 10 minutes