Insomnia - Causes & Remedies

If you've been counting sheep till the wee hours of the morning quite regularly, you're a victim of insomnia. This condition can not only make you dread the night, but also disturb your normal flow of life. And it’s common enough to afflict around 3.5 million people in the US alone!
 

Causes of Insomnia
Factors like restless legs syndrome, nocturnal disturbances and chronic pain are basically the causes of sleeping disorders. But these days, tension, mental stress and strains are also leading to insomnia. Our work worries and tensions keep us engaged even during the late hours at night thus keeping us wide awake.

Remedy to Insomnia
Of course, there are several sleeping pills that may solve the problem of insomnia, but it is always better to avoid them. Certain alternative therapies and meditation have proven effective against sleep disorders caused by stress, depression or other psychological factors.

According to Donald E. Miskiman of the University of Alberta, 'Transcendental Meditation seems to stabilize the sleep-dream cycle by reducing the effect of any disruption to this cycle and thereby restoring the system more quickly to its normal level of functioning."

The following are the methods of meditation which needs to be followed meticulously by all the chronic worriers:

1. Yoga exercises are the work outs helps in sleeping calmly. It also enhances blood circulation and keeps the body healthy.

2. Pranayama, as we all know is the best exercise for people of all ages. This practice helps an individual to stay fit and healthy even during the crisis periods.

3. Mudras affect the sensory organs of the chronic worriers and help them to attain self confidence and esteem.

4. Deep relaxation acts as wonderful stress busters.

5. Normal meditation relieves the individual from all fears, tensions and worries of life.

6. Meditation should be done in a quite and warm place with hands resting on the knees and the lap.

7. While meditating, never try to stop thinking about other things. It is better to let the thoughts come and go.

8. At the end of exercise, it is recommended to stretch and get up slowly.

The yoga scriptures insist that in order to control the mind an individual must practice the basic disciplines of yoga namely yama and niyama. The idea and concept of insisting on the practice of these particular virtues and disciplines helps in keeping the ideal before the practitioner, so that the inner strength may grow through self-effort. Even Patanjali – the great teacher of yoga says –

“Undisturbed calmness of mind is attained by cultivating the following four steps:

1. Friendliness towards the happy.
2. Compassion for the unhappy.
3. Delight in the good.
4. Indifference to the evil.

Across the world, the problem of insomnia affects millions of people. The method of meditation is a very natural cure to this problem. Though it is a time consuming process, but it work wonders. Just be patient and continue the practice of meditation for best results.