Giving the boys a hand in getting them sleeping well! Check out my boy sleep tips here!
If the sun has gone to bed… so should you! Nature as a whole is resting during the darker times. These days there is every excuse and opportunity to stay up later, and maybe to get up later. We can falsify nature with bright electrical lighting to make us think it’s still daytime at 11pm, and blackout blinds to make us think it’s still night time at 11am. But this is dragging us out of sync with the way our bodies are naturally attuned to be!
My last blog post was about Ayurvedic doshas, and how your dosha might affect your meditation.
One of the main questions I am asked about my meditation practice is something along the lines of “but don’t you just sit there and think about all the things you need to do today?” Well yes, I do! I’m primarily a Vata personality.
A quote from Anandi on sleep in winter!
‘We need at least another hour of sleep every night in the winter. When the light goes down, melatonin – our sleepy hormone – is produced, so we get tired earlier. You’re going against nature to wake up when it’s still dark’
Here Anandi shares some thoughts on the power of meditation.
Sleep is really important for your wellbeing. Sleep disturbance or insomnia can affect everything from your weight to your mental health. Not to mention bags under your eyes and an uncanny ability to forget everything! My goal is to help everyone to get a restful, relaxing night’s sleep and to wake feeling refreshed.
One thing that can really help with maintaining a healthy sleep rhythm is meditation. Meditation is a great way of relaxing the mind and calming that fight or flight response that many of us have for large portions of our days in modern life. Instances such as an irritating phone call, disagreement about who’s the best looking person in TOWIE etc, all build up and leave us in a constant state of stress that’s not great for getting seven hours’ sleep at night.
Many people feel like they must be a complete meditation moron. A typical complaint I hear is that, “When I try to meditate, everything I need to do pops into my head.” This is perfectly normal and everyone experiences it when they first begin to meditate – it doesn’t mean you’re no good at it! The important thing is to stick at it and be patient. It’s important not to become disheartened; stick with it daily for at least three weeks and you will notice the benefits! Watch those shopping-list thoughts come into your mind, and float away again. Your to-do list will still be there when you finish!
Psychologies Magazine – Tried & Tested Sleep Solutions
‘Many people are shallow breathers, which means the sympathetic nervous system is permanently activated, raising heart-rate and blood pressure and making deep sleep hard, says Sleep Guru Anandi.’ Read the full article here.
Woman & Home Online – How to Become a Morning Person:
‘Yoga and meditation expert, Anandi, says: ‘Never go to bed on a full or empty stomach. Eat a big lunch and a lighter, low-carb dinner in the evening as it’s easier to digest.’
You look tired
“but sleep guru Anandi has another noise-cancelling trick for a restful night: “The one noise that can comfort us is humming. Hum for 15 minutes before bed as it stimulates serotonin leading to a great, and hopefully blissful, night’s sleep.”
Did you know that you can control of your mind with the breath?
Firstly, when people hear the word chakra, they often dismiss it as being too ‘woowoo’, but listening to Deepak Chopra