When your mind feels swamped with, “Tomorrow I need to….Why haven’t I already…Oh! I forgot about that…” Try these 3 steps to quiet the mind and get better sleep.1) Turn off the electronics
30 Minutes before bed, turn off the TV/computer/smart phone/etc. Believe it or not, it’s not relaxing and is actually stimulating your nervous system without asking you first. Scary movies and crime dramas make your heart beat faster, endless emails tempt you to take care of “one last thing” and today's new phones are an overload of texting, email, web browsing and games. The body needs time to decompress and transition into sleep, turning off these sources of stimulation can do wonders.
2) Have some “golden milk”
Now that the distractions are off, make yourself a simple and healthy Ayurvedic classic often called “Golden Milk” for its vibrant color. Each ingredient helps to calm the frantic mind and encourages a better quality of sleep: milk is soothing and brought just to a boil retains its nutrients and makes it easier for the body to digest; often lactose sensitive stomachs can tolerate boiled milk as the heating process removes lactose. For a vegan variation, try coconut milk, coconuts are soothing and help to protect the lining of the stomach. Turmeric offers a host of health benefits: it improves digestion, reduces inflammation and helps to balance blood sugar levels; and not to worry, it has a very subtle neutral taste that complements the other spices used. Cardamom, nutmeg and cinnamon calm and soothe the emotions as they also assist digestion and improve the functions of the lungs, liver and large intestines. An extra treat is a teaspoon of rosewater added to the finished drink on those days that are a little more stressful than average. You can find rosewater in health stores with the baking supplies or in any Indian or international market.
In a saucepan bring the following to a boil:
• ½ cup milk of choice (dairy or non-dairy)
• 1 cup water
• 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 fresh cardamom pods cracked with a knife (or 1/4 tsp powder)
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
Once this boils, let it simmer 5 minutes on low, remove from flame and add your favorite sweetener to taste.
3) Mattress-yoga
Now that your gold milk has settled (usually about 15 minutes), it's a good habit to create a space between the end of your day and when you turn out the lights. Letting the body relax in bed with a book or writing in your journal helps to transition into a calmer state. If your mind is still reeling, try this supported bound angle pose that opens the hips, low back, chest and shoulders. You'll need 3-4 pillows and 3-5 minutes of quiet:
• Lay the first pillow lengthwise so it will line up with your spine. Lay back on the pillow with your head and low back supported by the ends of the pillow and your hips on the mattress. (Taller yogis may need 2 pillows here)
• Bring the soles of your feet together, making a diamond shape with your legs, let your knees flop out to the sides and place a pillow beneath each knee for support (find the right height of pillow support for your body, make sure you’re not using any muscle effort but you can still feel a gentle stretch in the groin area).
• If it's comfortable, you can take hold of opposite elbows over your head, letting the arms relax and roll open towards the mattress. This is a great chest/lungs/shoulder opener, but if it causes strain, just gently lift your sternum towards the ceiling, tucking your shoulder blades together and relax fully into the pillow with the arms extended out by your sides, palms facing up. Stay here 3-5 minutes and then gently transition to reading or listen to calming music or if you're ready, off to sleep and prepare for a wonderful tomorrow.
Kimberly Russell
Red Apple Yoga Owner | Certified Yoga Teacher | Brooklyn, NY
kim@redappleyoga.com
Click here to learn more about Kimberly
