How To Fall Asleep Naturally - Stone

Sleep Tip IndexFull Body Breath5Toe To Head Relaxation6Rock-a-bye Baby7Satnam9Visualization10Sending Thoughts11Memorized Texts12Prisoner’s Cinema13Physical Interventions14All Day Sleep Tips15How to Fall Asleep NaturallyAn Insomniac's Guidebook ToAncient Yogic Sleep Tricks–Andrew C. Stoneandrew@stone.com@twittelator

Before You Lay DownScientific research has revealed that ourcomputer devices’ screens inhibit the naturalformation of melatonin – the sleep inducinghormone – in our brains.'for Emma and all Thinkers Who Would Rather Be Dreaming'Make a habit of not bringing your phone andtablet and laptop to bed! If possible, cut outthe digital stimulation at least 2 hours beforebedtime.Besides your digital diet, what you eat anddrink can effect your sleeping pattern. Stayaway from caffeine, sugar and chocolate,especially in the evening. When you do snackin the evening, keep it light and several hoursbefore bed to avoid indigestion.After a lifetime of enjoying caffeine, I decidedto see what would happen if I gave it up. Itwas the worst 2 weeks of my life, but the endresult is that I wake up feeling fresh and canfall asleep whenever I want to.How To Fall Asleep Naturally15

Easy Physical InterventionsIf you still can’t get to sleep after any of thepreceding techniques, it’s time to try somethingmore dramatic.Did you know that simply yawning can trigger asleep response? A simulated yawn can stimulatean honest to goodness yawn.A tried and true method of deep relaxation thatwould allow a good night sleep is the hot bath.The water is calming, take it as hot as you canstand.And there is always the tried and true invertedyoga poses – either the head stand, or easier forthe beginner, the shoulder stand.You are not alone having trouble falling asleep.The pace of modern life has increased the velocity atwhich we live. Everything seems to be going fasterand faster, making us feel like there is less and lesstime to be getting more and more done.And when we lay our exhausted bodies down atnight, the brain keeps chugging along, refusing tostop and let us rest.Luckily, humankind has been plagued by mentalrestlessness for a very long time, and effectivetechniques to relax the mind and body have evolvedover the millennia.This guidebook shows you these techniques – givethem a try, and you'll find one or two that workespecially well for you.Although melatonin and herbal infusions ofcammomile, poppy or valerian root may be usefulnatural sleep aids, this book is only concerned withsomething you always have at your beck and call:your breathing and your attention.While some of these tools emerged from variousspiritual traditions, they are effective whether youbelieve in the supernatural or not – they are scientificin that the results are reproducible and have beenproven effective.Sweet Dreams!14How To Fall Asleep NaturallyHow To Fall Asleep Naturally3

“It's All In The Mind, Y’know”– John LennonTo sleep, perchance to dream. Why is it that if weare too rev’ved up, too wired, we simply cannotfall asleep? And worse, the thought, “I won't getenough sleep” begins to initiate a bad feedbackloop of increased anxiety.Don't even worry about the length of your sleep –one good 90 minute ultra deep sleep can refreshyou for a day. And when you learn a sleeptechnique that works for you, you'll be able totake a power nap on demand.Why did I write this booklet? I’ve suffered fromwork and play induced insomnia my whole life,so I’ve had a lot of experience with ways offalling asleep. My work, software engineering, isvery mental with long work hours too close tosleeping. As a result, my mind was humming withcode, ideas, and just plain noise when it wastime to sleep. Collected here are the techniquesthat work well for me – and some nights I need touse 2 or 3 of them – so please, mix and match.Mind controls the body,breath controls the mind.is the first thing you need to know. We'll be usingwords and breath in different combinations. Thewords are your words. For some of us, theancient call of Sanskrit and toning vibration of ॐ(OM) works well because it’s so pure and simple.Prisoner’s CinemaDuring the 1960’s, researchers intoconsciousness developed “isolation tanks” –heated pools in a dark room where theparticipants would be able to deeply relax.After just a short while, the participants wouldbegin to hallucinate as a compensation forthe lack of any other external input.The brain, when deprived of stimulation,begins its own self-created movie producedby phosphenes. This effect has been knownby prisoners for centuries. You effectivelywatch the movie created by the brain whenyou close your eyes.You can place your palms over your eyes tohelp rest them, and the dark seems tostimulate this effect. Just let the shapes andcolors emerge as a passive observer. Peeringinto our neural image recognition software inaction can be entertaining and distracting,which might help you relax and get somesleep.One of these tried and true techniques, or yourown variation, will be sure to help you fall asleepquickly and naturally.4How To Fall Asleep NaturallyHow To Fall Asleep Naturally13

Prayers and Memorized TextsWhen we were young we learned variousprayers and texts like the pledge of allegiance,poetry, and songs. You might know the Lord’sPrayer or the Shema, or even the GettysburgAddress or Ripple.It is very relaxing to repeat these texts that areso well known to you that very little effort isrequired.You might find yourself already asleep beforefinishing the first time through.Full Body BreathBecause breath controls the mind, start withcontrolling your breath, it’s that easy.The full-body breath is a great start – it’s along slow breath in, followed by a long slowbreath out.Exhale fully, and then, start slowly filling yourlungs from the very bottom, continuing to theheart area, and then keep going until you topoff your lungs fully.Begin exhaling slowly and steadily in reverseorder, from the top to the center, then to thebottom of your lungs.Repeat until you watch yourself drift gently offto sleep.12How To Fall Asleep NaturallyHow To Fall Asleep Naturally5

Toe To Head RelaxationSending Thoughts ToFamily and FriendsLay on your back, with your hands at your side, palms up, feetgently fall outward. Beginning with your toes, say to yourself:“My toes are relaxing, my toes are relaxed.”“My feet are relaxing, my feet are relaxed.”and on up the legs and center:“My ankles are relaxing, my ankles are relaxed.”“My shins are relaxing, my shins are relaxed.”“My knees are relaxing, my knees are relaxed.”“My thighs are relaxing, my shins are relaxed.”“My hips are relaxing, my shins are relaxed.”“My torso is relaxing, my torso is relaxed.”“My heart is relaxing, my heart is relaxed.”“My organs are relaxing, my organs are relaxed.”now the arms:“My fingers are relaxing, my fingers are relaxed.”“My hands are relaxing, my hands are relaxed.”“My wrists are relaxing, my wrists are relaxed.”“My forearms are relaxing, my forearms are relaxed.”“My elbows are relaxing, my elbows are relaxed.”“My shoulders are relaxing, my shoulders are relaxed.”Sometimes, it’s quite relaxing to send out wellwishes, blessings and prayers to those wecare deeply about.Take a moment to think about each of yourbrothers and sisters, parents and children.Consider the intricate web of life that binds youto these people.Continue to extend the web to cousins, uncles,aunts, friends, and even those that are nolonger living.Nested in this vast web, you’ll drift off cosily tosleep.finally the head:“My neck is relaxing, my neck is relaxed.”“My tongue is relaxing, my tongue is relaxed.”“My eyes are relaxing, my eyes are relaxed.”“My jaws are relaxing, my jaws are relaxed.”“My face is relaxing, my face is relaxed.”“I am completely, totally relaxed.”6How To Fall Asleep NaturallyHow To Fall Asleep Naturally11

VisualizationOM–AH–HUMAdding visualization to sound is another way torelax deeply. With this simple mantra, there is avisualization added for each syllable, which laststhe duration of a deep inhalation or exhalation:Rock-a-bye BabyHere’s a simple trick I remember from mychildhood. Growing up in the late ’50’s and early’60’s, life was very punctual. To bed at exactly8pm. Of course, I wasn’t tired until 9pm.I was able to calm myself simply by gentlyrocking, while laying curled up on one side.OMimagine white light coming into your headAHimagine ruby red light engulfing your throatThe rocking rhythm is relaxing and helps yourelax your agitation.And humming a lullabye while you rock justmight do the trick to send you drifting off into adeep slumber.HUMimagine blue sapphire light flooding into your heartHUM is intoned with an ‘ng’ sound at the end10How To Fall Asleep NaturallyHow To Fall Asleep Naturally7

The Power of WordsThe ancients used to compare our thoughtprocesses that seem to run out of control with a‘drunken monkey’. Nothing calms the chatterand the clatter of the inebriated simian betterthan soothing words.Which words are not that important – each of ushas words that are meaningful to us, and remindus to be aware and awake. In the Vedic traditionsof India, a group of words that are repeated overand over again is called a “mantra”.The words, repeated silently or even under yourbreath if it helps you pay more attention, creategentle waves which wash over thediscombobulated parts of our minds,encouraging us to relax and open fully.Whether it be Sanskrit, English, Hebrew or anylanguage really, simple phrases with repetitioncalm the mind. We’ll look at a few techniquesthat combine breath, mantra and visualization toallow you to fall deeply into sleep when you arelaying down.Satnam ਸਿਤ ਨਾਮ'If ever there was a place to start with words, it wouldbe in the attentiveness to the sounds of your breath.Slow breath in, slow breath out. Here's an ancientmantra from the Sikh scripture Guru Granth Sahibwhich consists of two words: ਸਿਤ ਨਾਮ' (sat nam)Listen carefully to your breath:On inhale you hear 'sat' - everlastingOn exhale you hear 'nam' - nameLet the two simple words vibrate fully in yourimagination. Calm shall embrace you.All these same tricks, when sitting uprightcrosslegged and alert, can help you enter deepstates of meditation.8How To Fall Asleep NaturallyHow To Fall Asleep Naturally9

controlling your breath, it’s that easy. The full-body breath is a great start – it’s a long slow breath in, followed by a long slow breath out. Exhale fully, and then, start slowly filling your lungs from the very bottom, continuing to the heart area, and then keep