2 Exercises to settle the nervous system & support sleep

Today I want to pass along some techniques I learned  recently that will help you get to sleep, and I hope you will find them useful. I have tried the first one myself, and was impressed by the soothing effect it had. Both techniques are meant to soothe your nervous system, shifting it into parasympathetic functioning so that you can get to rest.

Qi Gong flow to harmonize Kidneys and Heart

• Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees soft, arms extended, palms facing up, with fingers tips pointing towards each other almost touching

• Take a deep breath in, and as you do, slowly raise hands, palms facing up towards your heart

• Turn palms down and as you slowly exhale, bring arms back down

• Repeat for several minutes before bedtime, matching movement of arms with the pace of your inhalation and exhalation

Feet up against the wall

• Laying on the floor near a wall, rest legs up against the wall (as in the image above, but preferably uncrossed)

• Focus on your breathing and rest in this position for several minutes before bedtime 

If you try these techniques, I'd love to hear your experience with them.