Yoga to Sleep

Do you ever have a night where your mind will not rest? So many thoughts cloud your head and you can not find respite. The clocks ticks and tocks as you think "alright now I will only get 7/6/5/4 hours of sleep if I fall asleep this moment." Yet your brain continues to process information, memories long forgotten pop into your head. You wonder about some old friend.

Finally you begin to doze off, and something happens, a loud noise outside, a crying child, and suddenly you are fully awake again. Another hour of thoughts, feelings, ideas, lists.

Is it just me? This happens rarely, but last night it hit me full force. I was still wide eyed at one in the morning. My brain was in full rotation. I thought of all the things I would like to do this Christmas season, and if Will wasn't fast asleep in the room with me, I would have been at the computer compiling those lists. Instead I lay supine for a time, then on my left side, my right side, my stomach, fetal position, just trying to find the one that would allow me sleep.

Sometime after midnight, I got out of bed and did a little yoga. I had tried deep breathing, and conscious breathing, but that didn't fully relax me. I tried basic leg stretches, Child's Pose, and Plow Pose. I think that did the trick because I was able to finally sleep after that (with five hours of sleep.)

It is now nine and I am just about to climb into bed. I only hope that last night's lack of sleep will allow me to sleep well tonight.