Replenishing Sleep
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My dog, Grace, who can sleep anywhere, in any position, has this replenishing sleep thing down.
Last week, I wrote about replenishing you time. This week, I’m talking about possible the most elusive replenishment of all, especially during this busy season - replenishing sleep. Before I go any further I would like to say up front that I know we all have different patterns and schedules and habits, and that what works for me may not work for you, and vice versa. I’d also like to add the reminder that I’m not a medical professional or mental health professional, so I’m speaking purely from an experiential point of view - if you are struggling with insomnia from a sleep disorder or from some other medical condition that disrupts your sleep, I definitely suggest discussing with the appropriate health/medical professional.
So with that out of the way… sleep. Sleep troubles certainly aren’t limited to this time of year, but I think the busy schedules and the running around the increased social demands and end of the year deadlines and all of these things can lead to decreased sleep. And decreased sleep can affect … basically everything - our moods, our stress levels, our ability to concentrate and focus, our decision making abilities, and so much more. Not to mention the fact that if we lack sleep, we may be going through the days in a bit of a haze and not able to enjoy the time with family and friends that we normally would find fulfilling.
So I wanted to share a few things, both on the mat and off, that have helped me feel more replenished sleep wise:
Yoga Nidra - yoga nidra is essentially yoga sleep. It’s not REM type sleep, more of a deep meditative state type of “sleep”, though for many people (myself included) it feels easier to get accustomed to than meditation. So if the word meditative makes you wary, I wouldn’t write yoga nidra off just yet. It might feel more accessible because you’re generally lying down. Furthermore, while the goal isn’t to actually go to sleep, it’s not the end of the world if you do, which makes this a great practice to include in your bedtime routine. There are plenty of apps and resources for guided yoga nidra. I personally use the Insight Timer app, which allows you to choose based on the length you want as well as other filters, but there are certainly numerous options. Many yoga studios also offer Yoga Nidra classes or workshops as well, if you like the idea of yoga nidra but would prefer to be in a class setting.
Winding down your day with a restorative or yin class. If you like the idea of ending your day with yoga to relax, but yoga nidra isn’t your thing, you may prefer restorative yoga or yin. Both use plenty of props, and unlike a vinyasa class, where you’re moving from pose to pose relatively quickly, you hold the poses in these classes quite a bit longer - several minutes in yin (usually somewhere around 1-3 minutes or so), and up to about 10 minutes in restorative. These practices also tend to be more grounded, so instead of standing poses and flows, poses in these classes tend to be mostly seated, lying down, or have a good amount of contact with the floor.
Meditation and breath work. Adding some meditation or breath work before bed - whether it’s a guided meditation, or you use mala beads, or you simply sit or lie down and focus on your breath - can be a helpful way to come back to yourself, and ease into sleep.
Sticking to a sleep schedule as much as possible. I know this can be tricky. I’m not going to pretend it’s easy to say, “Well, I’ll just make sure I’m in bed by x time every night, no matter what” and actually do it. Life happens. Especially during a busy time of year, where we seem to have an increased number of work and personal events to attend, this can be especially tricky. Or if you’re like me and teaching classes at various times in the evenings, no evening throughout the week has the exact same schedule. But as much as you can, try to regulate it. I find having bedtime routine helps. Set a time (i.e. 30 minutes before I’d like to be in bed) that you want to start your bedtime routine. Do the same activities - whatever your bedtime routine entails - in the same order if possible. It signals to your brain “I’m getting ready for bed now” and that, along with the activities, can help you prepare for sleep.
Schedule some unscheduled evenings and/or mornings. Block them out as if they’re a super important appointment - because they are. Set aside a morning where nothing’s planned (i.e. like a weekend morning if you have a traditional work week schedule). If possible, let yourself sleep in or, if like me you aren’t a sleeper-inner by nature, let yourself “rest in”. If there are morning duties that another person can help out with (walking the dog, getting the kids breakfast, etc), help each other out by alternating responsibilities so that you each get a morning to get some extra rest. If this isn’t an option, still take the unscheduled time. Allow yourself some time in pajamas with your coffee. Watch Saturday morning cartoons with your kids (is this still a thing? I’m dating myself here!). True, it’s not sleep. But just the idea of knowing you have down time in the morning instead of waking up to an alarm and having to rush around might help you sleep better. Do the same for evenings. Take an evening with nothing to do. Get in pajamas early. Relax and unwind. Turn off electronics a while before bedtime. Get into bed extra early. Give yourself this break.
I realize what I’m offering isn’t anything new or earth shattering. As I said, I’m simply speaking from experience. But I think sometimes we need to remind ourselves that it’s ok to take care of ourselves. That replenishing our sleep, even if it means saying no to yet another holiday gathering, or taking extra time to establish a bedtime routine that helps you wind down, is so important. Not just during the holiday season, but year round.