Rest
REST
... has been elusive this week. This posture, Crocodile Pose, has been my go-to when the 2am panic wake-up rears its head.
Maybe you've always been a light sleeper, like me. Or maybe, like me, the perimenopause has gifted you with this added disruptor to an already-tenuous sleep cycle.
I've worked diligently over the past two years to mitigate & reduce the frequency of these nighttime anxiety episodes ...
✔️ walk away from 70 hour work weeks
✔️ radically change how I exercise
✔️ research how foods affect an anxious digestive system
✔️ experiment with every supplement / herb that applies
✔️ review 40+ years of upbringing, conditioning, habits
✔️ notice signs of overload earlier, & adjust ... AGAIN
✔️ And yes, of course revisit Yoga.
The magic of Crocodile Pose is how it facilitates diaphragmatic breathing ... the type of breathing that signals to the nervous system that "all will be well."
The breath 🫁 is the gateway to the nervous system.
Now, this posture works for me -- with time. Honestly, when the body is really amped, I may be in this posture for 30 minutes before I feel my heart rate settle, my mind slow down, my body temp return to comfortable. Other nights, I'm in Crocodile for 10 minutes and back to sleep.
If you experiment with this posture -- make sure you're supremely comfy & supported. (I have a tutorial on my Vimeo if you'd like to check out link in bio, or vimeo.com/ericaengelyoga)
And if you're experiencing perimenopausal insomnia, you're NOT ALONE. No one told me this when this all started, & I suffered from feeling like I had to figure it out on my own. You're not alone.
I encourage you to take responsibility for your health & your peace. Do your research, ask questions, partner with health pros, don't let anyone dismiss your symptoms.
Be prepared to change & adjust current habits that aren't serving you. <--This is hard.
One yoga posture likely won't solve insomnia. Yoga is a lifelong journey toward self-awareness, not a quick fix.
AND
Yoga offers time-tested practices, lifestyle habits & self-study tools that cultivate self-awareness. And when you are more aware, you have more choices. This is empowering!