Can't Sleep?

Our body and mind have an 'internal clock', one that is often set, inadvertantly, by our environment.

This means that in our rush-a-day world, our body and mind are used to being hurried, so when it comes to the evening - even after work and dinner - they are not willing to slow down.

Yoga suggests we create an 'electronic sundown' to purposefully signal that evening is come and restorative sleep should follow.

Just as your body and mind have been trained to be awake and alert all day - sometimes with artificial aids like caffiene - so to must we train our body to let go and sleep.

A good way to do this is turn off the television, the computer and your cell phone at 10pm. Drap a light kercheif across your digital clock and/or any other blinking or glowing light source.

Light effects the melatonin levels in the brain, which has a direct impact on our ability to sleep at night.

So go to bed, do some light reading to relax, then turn off the light and do deep and slow breathing. Having turned off or down all the electronic sources that can disturb you, and having turned off the lights, the body will readily respond. After all, the body wants to be healthy, and it knows that sleep is very healing .. so help it out!

Om Peace!
Yogini Valarie Devi