Good sleep and a stressed mind are two sides of the same coin — if you flip it, one always beats the other. They cannot co-exist. While pursuing a hobby, listening to music, and spending time with loved ones are the perfect ways to soothe frayed nerves, what is needed in times of stress is a panacea to address the problem. Yoga and chakra meditation may be the solutions at hand.
Surya namaskar, pranayama and Yoga Nidra are asanas that are practiced by individuals the world over for overall wellness, managing stress and anxiety, and for relief from multiple illnesses.
Yoga Nidra
An advanced form of finding complete rest and relaxation through the practice of yoga, Yoga Nidra quickly becomes the favourite asana of most practitioners after you have experienced it successfully once. Simple to incorporate into your daily practice and impossible to go wrong with, Yog Nidra is the easiest way to reduce stress and explore your innermost thoughts. It is proven that 30 minutes of Yoga Nidra is equivalent to two hours of quality sleep.
Surya Namaskar
A manifestation from the Hatha Yoga school of thought in the 9th century, Surya Namaskar vitalises the practitioner thoroughly and energises one for the activities ahead. Hence, it is recommended that it be practiced at the break of dawn. In fact, most yoga practitioners begin their yoga regimen with the Surya Namaskar i.e. the sun salutation. It is said that Surya Namaskar improves blood circulation within the body, stimulates the central nervous system and regulates one’s breathing.
A combination of 12 asanas, the Surya Namaskar is proven to activate 14 muscle groups within the human body. During yoga, as with working out in the gymnasium, it is very imperative that one is aware of each muscle group that gets activated. This helps in case of any wrong movements or wrong muscle groups getting activated due to incorrect postures and also to avoid injury.
Pranayama
Correct breathing is a very important part of overall well-being and good health. Pranayama is also known as the art of breath control in yoga. Some techniques of pranayama include Bhastrika, Bhramari, Kapalabhathi, Ujjayi, all working towards the ultimate aim of Kevala Kumbhaka i.e. suspension of breath.
(The author is co-founder, Dozee)