Stress and Sleep for Women
By Kristin Taff | August 8th, 2022
Did you know that one night of poor sleep takes at least two weeks to repair your immune system? It significantly weakens from just one night of sleep loss. You can imagine what consecutive sleepless nights are doing.
It’s a common theme among women: sleep and stress are their biggest struggles. I've decided to spend this month discussing why and how I can help you get to the root of the problem.
Let’s begin by looking at the first result from a Yogic perspective: how to sleep when stressed.
Reflect on your sleep.
The first step you should take when thinking about how to improve your sleep is to think about what you need in order to sleep well. Do you remember the last time you slept deeply? Was there a time in your life when you got consistently good sleep? If asking yourself these questions makes you realize you haven’t slept well for a long time, you need to dive deeper into what may be causing you such levels of anxiety.
In our Women on the Remake Lifestyle course I work with women who often feel angst and worry in their lives related to relationships, work exhaustion, or a health crisis. When this happens, we enter a fight or flight state often throughout the day, making us feel less safe and unable to relax and sleep well.
From a Yogic perspective, you must get to the root of every issue. You must understand first why you don't feel safe in order to let go and achieve deep sleep.
Practice finding the pattern.
In order to feel safe you have to start trusting that you are exactly where you are supposed to be and accept support from the universe. Meditation or yoga postures allow you to shift your state of consciousness.
In my case, I find a short meditation practice can shift my state of mind, resulting in less stress and worry. But in order to go deeper into finding a pattern, it’s not enough just to meditate once. I have to be intentional and let my practice guide my path for the rest of my day. The more I practice the easier it becomes.
Practices help us release the pattern of fear. This is because, during practice, when our state of consciousness shifts, we realize we are not the pattern. Some of the patterns we are currently in we chose consciously. Others are subconscious and a product of repetition. But during practices that help to unwind the pattern, you begin to see subtler and subtler patterns.Practices help us release the pattern of fear. We often stay in old patterns and are not even aware of it. Some of these patterns are from years of repetition that are hard to break. But when we develop patterns that help us unwind, we can tap into the subtle body patterns. ~ Cate Stillman; Yoga Healer
Yoga tells us to tap into our deep subtle layers first and then toward our growth. I tap into my spirit, which is our heart center, my cellular layer, the metaphysical, and our physical. You are going from source to manifestation. I will share with you a practice that will help you from the source level.
Start with a simple exhale by opening your mouth and saying “Aha.” Release fully into your belly. Start to lengthen your exhales each time; your inhales will deepen naturally without force. Repeat the “Aha” breath as many times as you need. Every time you do this, you release stagnation and fear.
Practicing yoga over time helps you build patterns that enhance your overall quality of life.
When it comes to stress, sleep, and other issues, Yoga teaches us to get to the root of the problem. If you aren’t sleeping, you should start with the “Aha” breath, which signals your mind to dissolve the day.
If you continue to struggle with sleep, please reach out here to learn more about how I might help you.