The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › Injuries, Restrictions, Ailments, Pose Modifications › Illnesses/Ailments › Sleep Issues
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Hello,
I am rather new to Bikram and have been going for a little over a month I think. I have Multi Directional Instability in my joints (which means they are actually too loose) so after a few tweaks to ensure that I am not hyper extending anything I seem to be doing OK. Due to my schedule I am only able to go to class on Tues at 6:15pm and Sat at 9am. Since I have started going I have been experiencing a strange issue after the Tuesday night class only. After class I have been having tremendous difficulty sleeping. So much so that after last Tuesday’s class I was unable to sleep at all that night. After last night’s class I could not fall asleep until around 2:30am. And this was only after taking 4 Tylenol PM and drinking herbal night time tea.
The main reason that I have been trying Bikram was because I need to greatly strengthen my immune system. I am beginning to wonder if the issue with being unable to sleep is actually being counter productive to the benefits that I may have otherwise received from the class. Could you please provide me your feedback regarding this? I am mainly wondering:
1. Will my body eventually become used to this and will I be able to get into a regular sleep pattern on Tuesday’s again?
2. Is the lack of sleep immediately after class counter productive to any of the benefits I may have otherwise gained that night during class? Lack of sleep has a rather strong effect on the immune system. And since for now I can only go 2x a week, b/c I am not sleeping well after 1 of the classes, I am not sure if I am getting much benefits.
3. Is taking the Tylenol PM after class (whether it be temporarily if my body gets used to this, or permanently if my body does not get used to it but I decide to continue with Bikram regardless) have any negative or counter productive effect on the benefits I may have otherwise received from class that night?
I truly believe in the benefits that Yoga has on the body. But I need to find the right type of Yoga for me. I find that the Bikram style of practice is not very calming or soothing and is more of a strenuous type of yoga. I figured I would be able to knock out after such a strenuous workout but the opposite seems to be true. So any insight that you could possibly provide to me would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
Hello Douglas,
My name is Andrea, I graduated from Gabrielle’s teacher training in May.
She gave me the permission to respond to forum posts, I hope thats ok with you too =)What you are experiencing is a curious thing indeed. I think its important for you to know that you are not the only one who has this problem and what is even more important to know is that it is possible to solve it.
Here is a story that I think will help you: A yogi friend of mine (lets call him J. =)) couldn’t sleep at night on days he did yoga, not even when he practised in the morning!
He found it really distressing, as it kept him away from yoga for a while. Fortunately I already knew Gabrielle at that time and I could ask for her opinion. Her first instinct told her, that it was related to the way J. was breathing (or not breathing) in the class.
You see, holding your breath in poses can have negative effects on you, on both physical and mental levels.
After telling J. about my chat with Gabrielle he made a conscious effort to breath as deeply and properly as he could inside (as well as outside of) the yoga studio.
Watching the breathing related videos on this website helped him enormously to understand the importance and mechanics of calm and constant breathing in yoga practise.
I am glad to say that his story has a happy ending, J. is now practising yoga and sleeping well again. I am not suggesting that It ALL comes down to how you breathe but it is very important.
This friend of mine also told me that besides the frustration that came from not being sleepy at all, his own thoughts kept him wide awake too! So as difficult as it may sound, finding mental calmness in that situation is crucial.
So let me answer your questions:
1.: I don’t think insomnia is something you can or should get used to. Focus on your breathing (not only in the Tuesday evening classes), inside and outside the studio, watch Gabrielle’s breathing videos. Drinking herbal tea before you go to bed can help too and you may find it useful to put a few drops of lavender oil on your pillow (it helped me many times in the past). Lastly but not least don’t beat yourself up when not able to sleep, I know how distressing it is but it most certainly won’t help you fall asleep.
2.: A lack of sleep will not rob you from the benefits of hot yoga. Benefits come from doing the best you can in those poses and from allowing yourself to have a nice long Savasana at the end of the class. Insomnia will not ‘take these benefits back’ from you but you are right when you say it effects the immun system and your everyday life.
3.: As to taking Tylenol, I understand that it is a pain killer drug! If you would like to keep taking pills that help you fall asleep I would strongly recommend that you find natural, herbal based sleeping tablets!
Hot yoga is very beneficial and is a great form of yoga and you are right when you say, there are many different styles out there that you may find more suitable for your needs and just as enjoyable! Its worth doing your own research on that!
Having said that, I do think that you should try to apply those things to your own practise Gabrielle talks about in her breathing videos!I hope you will find that helpful!
Keep me updated and do let me know if you have any questions or feedback for me!
Namaste,
Andrea
Thank you for the insight and tips. I’ll see how things go with this info.
Hi Douglas
I know that Andrea answered your question but I am now curious to know how everything is going for you.
Please let us know. Maybe you have a further question!
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂 -
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