Do you ever wake up feeling as though you’ve been run over by a bus? I do, but thankfully not very often. We all know the feeling of having suffered a terrible night’s sleep. We feel exhausted both physically and mentally. We may also feel anxious that we won’t be able to function to the best of our ability at work. We may also be fearful of this happening night after night, and wonder how we are going to manage our lives if the exhaustion gets worse. In the video today you’ll learn how to use Qigong for sleep problems.
Janice Tucker is a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Medical Qigong. She is also the founder of the Space To Relax online programme of Qigong video lessons.
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Types of Sleep Problems
There are a number of different sleep problems which can all affect the quality and quantity of the sleep we get. The result is that they can also have a negative effect on our energy levels and our mental health. The following sleep problems are listed on the Mental Health Ireland Factsheet on Sleep where you can find more information.
- Insomnia. This affects an estimated 20% of people and is the most common sleep disorder. This is the one we will be focusing on in this video.
- Narcolepsy. This is excessive sleepiness.
- Sleep Apnoea. The person may stop breathing at intervals in the night which then wakes them so their sleep is constantly being interrupted.
- Sleep Disorders in Children. This can be distressing and exhausting for both children and parents. Sleep problems can impact on the physical and emotional health of a child so are important to address as early as possible.
The Solution – Qigong For Sleep Problems
In order to be able to sleep soundly we need to have a calm mind. Often we find that our minds are too busy when we go to bed. This over-excitement in the brain can prevent us from getting off to sleep quickly and easily.
There are many practical steps you can take to ensure that your mind is calm before bed, e.g. taking regular exercise, establishing a regular time for going to bed, turning off screens at least an hour before bed, taking a bath, avoiding coffee and alcohol a few hours before going to bed.
Qigong is also the perfect practice to help you improve the quality of your sleep because every Qigong method helps to calm your mind, the essential ingredient for good sleep.
Below are a few specific tips using Qigong for sleep problems.
- Practice Abdominal Breathing as you are lying in bed at night. Refer to my previous video called “How to Do Qigong Abdominal Breathing or Diaphragmatic Breathing“.
- Watch my previous video called “How to Calm Down with Qigong” so that your mind is in a calm state before going to bed.
- Relaxation is very important as it gets you into the state where you can easily go to sleep. Watch the video “Qigong Relaxation Techniques” for some effective Qigong tips on how to do this.
- Watch another video from me called “Qigong for Sleep Difficulties” which will give you more information and useful methods of Qigong for sleep problems.
What Do I Do Next?
If you would like to start using Qigong for sleep problems then:
- Head over to my Space To Relax homepage. There you can sign up for a free 3 part video series of Qigong lessons. These three lessons will you to help to improve the quality and quantity of your sleep. Once you’ve completed the free series you’ll have the opportunity to join my Space To Relax online membership programme of Qigong video lessons. This will allow you to take your practice to a whole new level where you will learn many exercises to eliminate health issues before they become a major problem. I’ll guide you step by step through many more effective Qigong methods which work to calm and clear your mind; essential factors in enabling you to sleep soundly.
- Subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red “Subscribe” button. That way you won’t miss my regular videos which are full of useful health enhancing tips. Also please give this video a “Like” and share with me in the comments box any tips you might have to improve the quality of your sleep.
- Join my free Facebook group, “Space To Relax Free Qigong Group” and leave any comments or questions for me there. I’ll be happy to answer them. Also, by joining this group, you will receive regular posts of Qigong articles and videos with really useful tips about how to use Qigong to improve your state of health.