My Journey with Sleep Problems, Stress, and Yinyoga
As long as I can remember, I’ve always been full of energy and never thought it was necessary to sleep too much or lounge in bed. A typical Yang person. Fast, energetic, and almost never tired. Sleepy, yes, but tired? Hmm… I’ve always had tons of ideas and endless energy. As a child, I didn’t want to sleep at night—I could stay up as long as I wanted. Luckily, my grandmother (since my mom worked night shifts at a newspaper) was quite strict about this. I had to sleep or at least stay in my room and lie awake. Then, I woke up earlier than anyone else in the morning, around 5:30–6:00. My sleep career continued to be shaky. During my teenage years, I did sleep more, of course. But then, in my 20s, it became difficult again. Thoughts would spin, and I just couldn’t fall asleep. I heard people say how important it was to sleep, and that just stressed me out even more. The anxiety worsened—not in general, but specifically about sleep.
Sleeping Aid
My sleep issues really took off when I was diagnosed with Graves’ disease (an autoimmune thyroid condition). I had a resting heart rate of 102 and felt anxious all the time. The nights were the worst. Sometimes I could be awake for two nights in a row. That’s when I was prescribed Imovane (same as Still Nocht etc)to help with falling asleep. It was absolutely wonderful—I could finally sleep. I was very against any kind of medication, so I used it sparingly and only when absolutely necessary. But my nervous system calmed down with a full night’s rest, and the nights afterward became much quieter and more restful without any aid. I really recommend being cautious with Imovane and similar medications as they can be addictive. But for me, it provided the support I needed at the time.
Meditation Helps Me Sleep
My Graves’ disease was treated with chemotherapy for two years, and I began meditating daily. It was then, in 2004, that I finally noticed a difference. I was finally sleeping well—I fell asleep and woke up feeling refreshed. Research shows that mindfulness meditation can improve sleep by reducing stress, worry, and hyperactivity in the brain. Studies have shown that regular mindfulness meditation can shorten the time it takes to fall asleep, extend sleep duration, and improve sleep quality. Meditation—and shortly thereafter yinyoga—changed everything. In 2006, I was officially declared free from Graves’ disease. I continued meditating and deepening my yinyoga practice.
Different Yoga Styles – Which is Best for Better Sleep?
Ashtanga yoga was important to me as well. But in Ashtanga, the sympathetic nervous system is activated, and the upward energy, Udana Vayu, rises. This is one of the five main types of prana (vital energy) in yogic philosophy. Udana Vayu is responsible for upward energy and awareness, and it’s associated with the throat chakra. It can give a sense of lightness and expansion but also lead to sleep problems if it becomes overactive. For me, this increased the sleep difficulties that returned as soon as I increased my Ashtanga practice, especially during longer retreats (this energy often also causes constipation, as the energy moves upwards, which also happened to me).
Apana Vayu: The Downward Energy That Helps the Body Relax
However, yinyoga (and restorative yoga even more so) is the complete opposite—it activates the parasympathetic nervous system and helps the body relax deeply. In yinyoga, it’s mainly Apana Vayu that is activated, the downward energy in the body. Apana Vayu is responsible for relaxation, elimination, and grounding, which helps release tension and bring the body to rest. This is one of the reasons why yinyoga is so effective in improving sleep and calming the nervous system. Combining these two yoga styles with meditation created a balance for me. Yin & Yang.
Avoiding Research About the Importance of Sleep…
But when I entered perimenopause, sleep difficulties returned, and anxiety about not being able to fall asleep or waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to go back to sleep followed. In 2013, when I met my meditation teacher Sayadaw U Tejaniya on a retreat in Burma, the penny finally dropped for me. He really drilled into me: “You don’t have to sleep—you can rest, relax while awake, and your energy will be fine.” He also said that I needed to observe the anxiety before bedtime, before sleep. “As soon as the worry comes, along with thoughts about how you WON’T sleep—just say ‘whatever’ and really feel it—’whatever!’—dare to!” And I dared, and I was finally “freed” from what I call “sleep-psychosis”—the obsessive thoughts based on all the information I’d read about how incredibly IMPORTANT sleep is. That fear only hinders rather than helps your energy. That was the case for me.
Why I Stopped Reading Articles, Books, and Listening to Podcasts About the “Importance” of Sleep
I’ve since stopped reading articles, books, and listening to podcasts that talk about the IMPORTANCE of sleep and what happens to the brain if you don’t sleep. I recently read a book about the nervous system where the author urged the reader to “you MUST sleep!” What stress for the nervous system! I know that it’s not easy to just let go of this idea and trust that relaxation is more important than sleep itself. I’ve struggled with believing that myself, and that’s okay.
How to Avoid the Thoughts That Spiral at Night and the Stress Around Sleep Deprivation
Right now, for the past year or so, I often wake up at 4:00 AM. For the most part, I’m okay with that. Like last night, I lay there resting, relaxing, observing my body, and thinking pleasant thoughts. Of course, part of it is menopause (read my article about yinyoga for menopause here), but so much has happened this past year—a new app, my father’s passing, and last week we opened our new studio, Wisdom Works Studio. My thoughts were fully focused on all the things that must be done. Totally normal. Accepting this made sure I didn’t feel overly exhausted. I still have energy and joy left. Even though I do long for some alone time, to rest, and to do nothing.
How to Create an Evening Routine with Yinyoga for Deeper Sleep
So, the bottom line about sleep: If you can just let go of the pressure to be the “best sleeper” and release the “must sleep” thought, and learn to relax, meditate at night (while lying down), you will have more energy and feel more awake during the day. If you, however, can’t let go of the thought that you must sleep, I recommend doing yinyoga and meditating. I recorded a “Sleep Well” meditation in the new app, “Yinyoga with Magdalena Mecweld”, and if you listen to it, you’ll hear me say: “It’s okay not to sleep—I’m just resting here.” Paradoxically, I’ve received many thank-you emails from people saying that precisely because they don’t need to sleep, they fall asleep to this meditation. A body scan is also appreciated by those who have trouble sleeping. The app also has a yinyoga session called “Sweet Sleep,” which helps the body wind down and come to rest.
And if It REALLY Doesn’t Work…
If it really doesn’t work, I recommend something like melatonin—or, in rare cases, a sleeping pill that can break the vicious cycle of anxiety, stress, and sleep problems. As one doctor once said to me: “Life is filled with so much suffering, why add more? Sometimes it’s okay to ask for help!”
And just like when I was a child—I’m still rarely tired. Sleepy, yes, but tired? Nah. Life has so much exciting stuff to offer!
I hope you can sleep well after reading this—or, no, I hope you can accept if you can’t sleep well if that’s the case!
Hugs,
Magdalena
Sleep Session
- Sphinx
- Virgin Pose
- Virgin Pose (Other Side)
- Butterfly with support
- Bridge with support
- Waterfall
Note: The app is currently available in Swedish, but we’re planning to release an English version by fall.