Sleep Guru Anandi on Ways to Beat Insomnia

I know I'm lucky in that I usually manage to sleep well at night. Plenty of other people I know regularly suffer from insomnia, so I thought I would share some information that was sent to me by sleep 'guru' Anandi, who is the author of the book Breathe Better, Sleep Better.

After battling her own insomnia for 15 years, Anandi says she is acutely aware of the long-term effects sleep deprivation has on health. She teaches techniques to help and her sleep reviews work towards removing the cause of sleep disturbances rather than just mask them. A personal sleep review is a step-by-step system that takes clients through an easy process based on five principles. Anandi has developed this tried and tested solution over a period of five years.

Anandi’s top tips for a good night’s sleep are:

• Go to bed early and avoid technology for at least one hour before retiring.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
• Lengthen and deepen the breath which calms the mind.
• A busy mind is never going to sleep well – a daily ritual that nurtures the soul is vital for deep sleep.
• Enjoy a nutritious diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables.
• Turn the lighting down low in the evening.
• Avoid heavy conversations before bed time.
• Keep your bedroom tidy and free of clutter.
• Aim for a minimum of seven hours of solid sleep per night.

Most people that are susceptible to bouts of insomnia, even if cured, will still have the odd restless night. Anandi suggests the following advice for getting through a sleepless night without the need to succumb to sleeping tablets.

• Break the cycle of frustration by getting up and make a small cup of chamomile tea. Don’t turn the computer on. Keep the lights low so your body does not think it’s time to get up.
• Breathe deeply, release the frustration and surrender to your bad night. Do this lying on a blanket on the floor with a pillow under your head and something under your knees so your back is relaxed. It will re-prepare you to go to bed and start again. When the breath meditation is finished, hum like a bumble bee for twenty-one breaths. The vibration you create with the sound of the bumble bee is extremely relaxing for the brain, releases negative emotions and stimulates serotonin.
• Get back into bed and repeat the following sleep mantra. This mantra is in the Sanskrit language which is based on vibration and is said to invoke sleep. The ancient yogis had various mantras for invoking different states, this one is for sleep. Om Agasthi Shahina (om Ah-gah ́-stee Shah-ee ́-nah). Repeat it softly, imagine it to be like the morning mist rising off a lake. Repeat it for as long as you feel comfortable or until you start to feel like you are dozing off.

Anandi will be speaking at the Mindful Living Show tomorrow, Saturday June 3, on the causes and effects of sleep deprivation. She will show how to use the breath as a tool for health, vitality and in particular sleep.

She is also hosting a sleep retreat in Devon this November. The retreat is at the elegant Old Rectory in Chulmleigh in the tranquil Devon countryside, from Thursday 9 to  Monday 13 November 2017. Anandi will create a unique restorative experience using her own blend of yogic science, breath therapy and ancient Ayurvedic healing principles to help balance the mind, body and soul.

For booking and further information on Anandi’s Sleep Retreat at The Old Rectory in Devon from 9 – 13 November 2017, visit her website: https://www.thesleepguru.co.uk/

Links
http://www.thesleepguru.co.uk/
The Old Rectory website: https://theoldrectorychulmleigh.co.uk/
The Mindful Living Show website: http://mindfullivingshow.com