Hi guys! This month I’ve decided to write about how yoga may affect your sleeping patterns. It does so happen that I have had plenty of issues sleeping, but the last few years, my sleeping patterns has stabilized. That was until I started doing Ashtanga Yoga in the evenings. Terrible Idea.
Yoga has a calming effect on the nervous system due to all the mindful breathing we do. The way we breath in yoga determine wether the practice has a sedating or invigorating effect on us. Breathing into the lower back and stomach is super calming. Keeping the stomach in, breathing into the upper torso, on the other hand, gives you a lot of energy to carry you through the day. This type of breathing, utilizing the Mula Bandha and Udyana Bandha (lower energy locks), is common in yoga styles like Ashtanga, Vinyasa and Power Yoga. If you practice in the evening and do slower more relaxing styles of yoga, then breathing into your stomach might be a better option. Why? The energy you get from the more «heavy» styles of yoga gives you so much energy that it can be hard to fall asleep afterwards, especially if you make it a habit.
From the two weeks I practiced in the evening, I learned why the tradition says to do Ashtanga in the morning. I could not fall asleep until 3 or 4 AM.
If you haven’t already, Go check out the Teeki page here on my blog, or click the image on the right 🙂 Peace out ❤
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KayaYogini 
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