Aiding Sleep through Aerial Yoga Nidra (plus easy poses!)

Have you heard about Aerial Yoga Nidra? You might get curious because of the peculiar name, and you should definitely be! As intriguing as it sounds, Aerial Yoga Nidra is actually a variation or modification of the aerial yoga that we know but particularly with the main goal of getting better and improving one’s quality of sleep.

At this point in our lives, we might find ourselves in a situation where we try to continuously function even at the littlest amount of rest because, admit it, we all at some point want to be referred to as resilient or someone that can withstand extended working hours.

In our opinion, this is not a healthy habit to develop. We have to keep in mind that our body runs best on a good lifestyle: proper diet and exercise will never be enough. It would not matter how many greens you eat in a day or how much time you spent in the gym if you are not getting the right amount of sleep.

In this blog, we will be tackling the importance of sleep, why you should get the right amount of sleep for your age, and of course, how aiding sleep through Aerial Yoga Nidra could help in inducing deep relaxing sleep!

Yet, the thing is, some of us find it hard to sleep. There could be a lot of factors affecting this and we will talk about it later on in the article and we’ll also share the best aerial yoga nidra poses that you can do, and we hope you’ll possibly find yourself a new hobby, and much more!

 

Common Sleep Issues

Before we proceed, let us first define the difference between sleep deprivation and sleep deficiency.

Sleep deprivation means that you are not getting enough sleep while, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, sleep deficiency could be caused by several factors such as:

• Not getting enough sleep or sleep deprivation itself
• Sleeping at the wrong time of the day
• Not getting the right kind of sleep that your body needs
• Or you have a sleep disorder that greatly affects your sleeping habits

As humans, we should keep in mind that sleeping is a basic need and not a privilege. Yet, considering that a lot of us live a hectic life, it might really seem to be a privilege.

 

Why should you sleep?

There is already a default answer to this question: to rest. Going to sleep allows our body to shut down and snooze. Sleeping lets our body take a break from a full day of constant functioning.

The Cleveland Clinic also says that sleeping deficiency could also lead to a whole other roster of problems including, but not limited to:

1. Lack of Alertness. Not getting enough sleep affects the way we respond to the things around us or the happenings of our days. We would not want to feel floaty while working, do we?
2. Being Too Sleepy in the Daytime. Of course, not getting enough sleep has its consequences and this one is probably the most apparent of them all — sleepiness in the daytime. When we do not get enough sleep, we often find ourselves suddenly dozing off even in the middle of the most important situations!
3. Memory Problems. Not getting enough sleep also affects the way you think! Your mind is still and is already tired from the whatnots of yesterday yet here it is, still doing its best to function on the next day even with the tiniest amount of sleep! Give it some much needed rest.
4. Relationship Woes. With what we said how lack of sleep affects the way you think and respond to situations, in extension, this also affects your relationship with the people around you.
5. Quality of Life. Lack of sleep most likely makes you feel restless therefore limiting you from participating in the usual activities you have been doing when you are still getting enough sleep!
6. A Greater Likelihood for Road-Related Accidents. Aside from drunk-driving, there is also a thing as drowsy driving and it is as rampant as the former. Driving while running on a few hours of sleep is like trying to drive your car for a long ride with only a small amount of fuel in your tank and just hope for the best.

Aside from these, The Cleveland Clinic also added that there are also health problems that could arise if you continue to deprive yourself of the sleep that you need.

Among these health problems are: high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, and heart failure or stroke. Others also include obesity, depression, weaker immune system function, and lower sex drive.

On the other hand, too much sleep is also not good, that is why it is important to know…

 

How much is the right amount of sleep for my age?

The National Sleep Foundation conducted a two-year research which yielded the results of the following recommended hours of sleep for the different age brackets:

• Adults – 65+ years: 7 to 8 hours.
• Adults – 26 to 64 years: 7 to 9 hours.
• Young adults – 18 to 25 years: 7 to 9 hours.
• Teenagers – 14 to 17 years: 8 to 10 hours.
• School-age children – 6 to 13 years: 9 to 11 hours.
• Preschool children – 3 to 5 years: 10 to 13 hours.
• Toddlers – 1 to 2 years: 11 to 14 hours.
• Infants – 4 to 11 months: 12 to 15 hours.
• Newborns – 0 to 3 months: 14 to 17 hours.

If you ever find yourself going below or over the recommended hours, then maybe it is time you aid on that and we have just the right activity for you to try.

 

What is Aerial Yoga and Aerial Yoga Nidra?

First, let us begin by getting a gist of what aerial yoga is. For those who don’t know, aerial yoga is a modification of the traditional floor yoga with the process of being suspended in the air while executing asanas, commonly called Swing Yoga.

This practice makes the execution of a lot of poses possible because of the limits that the yoga swing transcends.

Aside from this, aerial yoga also makes inversion much more possible and easier. Inversion is a series of poses in aerial yoga that involve being suspended upside-down.

These poses are great for the body particularly lymphatic drainage, and helping our fluids return to the upper portions of our body.

And with the main star of our blog, Aerial Yoga Nidra, Yoga Nidra, or Yogic Sleep is a form of aerial yoga that focuses on improving a person’s quality of sleep.

Aerial Yoga Nidra is a relaxing guided meditation that one should try especially if you have been experiencing difficulty in sleeping for the past few days. Do not worry because it is easy and like we said, most yogic sleep sessions are guided.

Yet, it is also possible to do this on your own! If you want to have more alone-time with yourself then it is also a great choice. Some people do tend to do meditation alone because they feel more safe and can enter their own bubble faster and do their own personal rituals once in it.

Meditation is a long proven practice that helps in various areas including, and most especially, sleep.

Taking some time in silence, in solitude, before dozing off could be an avenue for your body to release stress, re-channel, gather, and ground yourself back to your reality. Doing so makes our body relax and entrust ourselves to our surroundings making it easier to sleep.

Usually, places where aerial yoga is done also includes aerial yoga nidra sessions but it is still important that you inquire before waltzing in the place. You also have an option to do it alone especially if you feel like this would be more effective to what your goal is.

Yet, if you have reached this part and have been really reading or getting hyped by this blog, then we will now give you what you have been waiting for – The poses aiding sleep through Aerial Yoga Nidra!

 

Aerial Yoga Nidra Poses

Today, we would be teaching you a few aerial yoga poses for aiding sleep through aerial yoga nidra that you can try at the comforts of your own home and with your own yoga swing.

These will include gentle poses that will focus on your breath to help you wind down before drifting off to sleep:

Aerial Bridge Pose

Aerial Bridge Pose is a great one to begin with especially if we are to start from the ground and up to the time when we lie down in the aerial hammock and sleep.

Start by lying down on the ground and having your yoga swing at just about the height of your knees when you are standing. If you are looking for a more extended stretch, then you can set it a bit higher but make sure that you are not putting too much pressure on your spine.

As you are lying down, insert both of your legs just about your ankles, into the sling. Keep both of your arms lying flat down on the ground and remember to engage your core and breathe as you go.

Straighten your legs to further the stretch. Stay in this pose for 3-5 minutes or longer if you want to.

 

Aerial Half Forward Fold Pose

In this next pose, you can now return the height of your yoga swing to how high you have set it in the first place.

Stand behind your swing so that you are facing it. The sling should now be in front of you. Take a few steps back if you feel like this pose would consume a lot of space.

Then, begin to slowly make a standing forward fold. You do not need to hold on to the fabric immediately. Once you have reached your 90 degree angle, you can now opt to hold onto the sling for extra balance since this is the aerial variation.

Remember to breathe as you stay in the pose, for again, 3-5 minutes. You can also opt to close your eyes for a more intimate meditation with yourself.

 

Aerial Raised-Arms Mountain Pose

This practice also helps, particularly, the balance and restoration of our thoughts back into our own and promote awareness and peace of mind.

This pose would begin with you standing and the front of your yoga swing so that it is now behind you. Then, let the fabric rest at your upper back.

Step forward at least thrice to make a space for when you lay back down on the sling.

Once you do, lay back into the sling and raise your arms up above your head and out. Let your bodies stretch for now and we will have a cool down later.

Stay in this pose for another 2-3 minutes or even 5 more minutes, depending on your preference.

 

Aerial Corpse Pose

This next pose is probably one of the most well-known and widely used aerial yoga poses when it comes to aiding sleep through aerial yoga nidra.

Aerial Corps Pose is when we put ourselves entirely on the yoga swing, lay down, and let the sling carry and take away our weight so it can be the least of our worries.

To do this, sit on your swing and open up the backside.Then, lie yourself down on the sling. Make sure that your entire body is fully supported by the swing.

The pressure from the sling against our body definitely feels like a hug. This initiates our mind and body to start contemplating and meditating about how our day is going or if there are things that need to be addressed.

Stay in this pose for as long as you want. You can also sleep there!

 

Get your Aerial Goodies at Gravotonics!

When it comes to finding the best equipment for the job, rest assured that Gravotonics is your best option as we have been in the business since 2003.

We pride ourselves with the fact that our products are authentically and ethically handmade in Bali, Indonesia by skilled artisans who have a passion for their work that translates into the care that goes into each piece.

So what are you waiting for? Let Gravotonics be your besties in helping with aiding sleep through Aerial Yoga Nidra and gett a better night’s sleep!