6 Ways to Enhance Your Sleep Using Qi Gong
Qi Gong can provide some helpful tools to enhance your sleep. Here are six tips to help you fall asleep with ease.
In Qi Gong, balance is an essential component for health and well-being. For this reason, many Qi Gong exercises focus on bringing harmony and balance to all parts of the body. When it comes to sleep, many issues are the result of an imbalance between Yin and Yang energy. Expressly, when there’s an excess of Yang energy in the head, sleep can become difficult. It’s important to slow down, calm your mind, and relax your body. Here are some tips to do that.
1. Stop Using Your Devices an Hour Before Bed
There can be something very liberating about checking and sending important messages earlier in the evening, removing bright screens, and allowing the mind to calm down.
2. Choose Relaxing ‘Pre-Bedtime’ Activities
For some, reading is a wonderful way to unwind. Puttering on an enjoyable puzzle may be another favorable choice. For others, stretching, flows, or meditation can be helpful for relaxing the mind and body.
3. Massage the Bottom of Your Feet
Massaging the bottom of the feet is one way to move Yang energy downward in your body. This self-care can feel very pleasant for all the hard work the feet do during the daytime.
4. Establish a Consistent Bedtime
Your Qi can fall out of balance, leading to fatigue during the day and restlessness at night. When you have a consistent bedtime, your body naturally learns when it’s time to go to sleep and when it’s time to wake up.
5. Do Some Qi Gong Exercises That Tonify Your Yin Energy
Slow, flowing Qi Gong movements are a skillful way to calm your mind, relax your body, and prepare for a restful night of sleep. Water Waves, Swimming Dragon Flow, Pebble in the Pond, and Pulling Down the Heavens are just a few exercises to cultivate Yin energy in the evenings.
6. Do the Healing Sound for The Triple Warmer Exercise
Stand or sit with your feet resting on the floor about shoulder-width apart to do this exercise. Slowly inhale through your nose as you bring your hands above your head. On the exhale, drop your hands and let your palms scan your body while you make the sound “heeee.” Imagine Yang energy flowing toward the earth. After a few minutes of this exercise, feel your body and mind relax.
If you’re interested in personalized instruction or visiting a class, please check my class schedule (https://www.ladyalliumqigong.com/classes ) or email me at, ladyallium@comcast.net.