What to do when you can't sleep

Last week, a student came in for class, and someone revealed that it was her birthday. As is my practice, if I know it’s someone’s birthday, they get to choose the topic or pose for the class.
So this student requested Yoga Nidra.

At first, she didn’t know what it was called, but we eventually teased it out. She had experienced it during a class I taught as a last-minute substitute. I happened to be pretty sick that day and was running on very low energy, so all I could manage was a very slow, gentle class with a long period of rest at the end.

Apparently, that accidental Yoga Nidra left an impression! She kept saying, “You need to bottle this!” Well, guess what? It already was.

Yoga Nidra is a progressive relaxation practice that literally means “the sleep of the yogis.” My teacher used to say that 20 minutes of Yoga Nidra was equivalent to three hours of sleep.
Today, I came across an article about research done at McGill University that found that when people haven’t been sleeping well, 20 minutes of exercise or a nap can help with memory retention. (See link below.)

There you have it. Science has once again caught up with yoga!

You can address the effects of lack of sleep through the physical body with asana, or through the energetic and mental bodies with Yoga Nidra.

Over the years, I’ve often suggested Yoga Nidra to people who are having trouble sleeping or who wake up during those mysterious “witching hours” of 1:00–3:00 a.m.
I’ve found that the one-two punch can be particularly effective. And by one-two punch, I mean TRE followed by Yoga Nidra. If you have a mantra practice, you can add that into the mix as well.

When I was a mother of young children, I would be awakened in the middle of the night because someone needed to be fed, changed, or otherwise tended to. Now, like many of us, I’m still sometimes awakened by other forces.

Maybe it’s my body switching into what Ayurveda describes as pitta time, when the body is doing its nighttime housekeeping (usually around 2:00 a.m.). Maybe it’s a bad dream. Maybe it’s some mysterious noise or sensation that I can’t quite identify.

Or sometimes, I like to think it’s the cosmos calling me to do some kind of practice.
Whatever the reason, my nighttime lineup is usually:

Mantra → TRE → Yoga Nidra

I’ve included two Yoga Nidra recordings below for you to try.

One is by Richard Miller, a renowned teacher and expert in Yoga Nidra. He has written several books on the subject and has done remarkable work bringing Yoga Nidra to at-risk populations. Mukunda was a big fan of his work, and Richard was also a great admirer of Mukunda. I had the opportunity to meet him many years ago, after Mukunda’s passing.

I’ve listened to Richard’s voice so many times that hearing him guide a Yoga Nidra is almost like having someone special read me my favorite bedtime story.

The other recording is by Sarah Gerhardt, whom some of you may remember from the local CSA. Sarah taught several workshops at Yoga Loka and occasionally subbed classes. She also has a YouTube channel where you can find other offerings. I’ve included her 20-minute Yoga Nidra below.

So here’s your recipe:

During the day: Try a Mini Flow—a 30-minute flowing asana practice. It can be vigorous, challenging, and fun. They’re short and sweet and include elements of a full yoga practice. We have more than 600 Mini Flows in the library on my website, available to members. This active class can give you the juice the article wrote about—a nice brain boost for those times when you are in the fog created by lack of sleep.
(You can also join us in real time via Zoom on Mondays at 5:30 p.m. and Thursdays at 6:30 p.m.)

In the middle of the night: If you wake up and you’re able to tremor, try about 10 minutes of TRE.
If you’re still awake, put on a Yoga Nidra.

If you’re still awake after that, sit up and do some mantra.

And if you’re still awake after all of that, perhaps it’s time to stop trying to force yourself to sleep. Get up and start your day. During the day, make time to take a brisk walk. Do some jumping jacks. Squeeze in a Mini Flow. It will make a difference.

And if you have the opportunity, lie down and listen to a Yoga Nidra.

You will function better.

And, of course, be as regular as you can with your yoga practice, whether it is meditation, asana, mantra, or mindfulness.

Links:
Research article

Yoga Nidra Richard Miller

Yoga Nidra Sarah