Students sometimes ask what they can do for insomnia. There are some general rules to help improve your sleeping habits. These include tips on limiting alcohol and caffeine as well as tips on napping and exercise. You can read WebMD’s article on the “10 Tips to Beat Insomnia” here.
There are some yoga practices you can do to help you sleep. These practices would be done sometime after dinner and before bed, maybe instead of crashing out in front of the TV. In Iyengar yoga, Headstand and Shoulderstand are often prescribed for insomnia, but not everyone wants to do those postures. For those who do, here is a sequence to follow. The Immune System Sequence is also good for insomnia. There is a section of it that is recommended specifically for an evening practice.
This is a strong practice. If you do just the evening practice you can adjust the times to suit your needs, but try to keep the ratio the same. Hold all poses except Halasana for the same amount of time. Halasana should be held for half the amount of time.
Click here for a sequence for insomnia that does not include Headstand or Shoulderstand. This practice can be tailored to be 10, 20 or 30 minutes long depending on the amount of time you have.
These sequences are not meant to be practiced when you get up in the middle of the night and cannot fall back to sleep. However, if you do find yourself awake in the middle of the night you could try a Pranayama practice called Chandra Bhedna , or Moon breath. This breathing practice is good for reducing anxiety and promoting a sense of calm could help you fall back to sleep. Try it for anywhere from 1 to 5 minutes.