How yoga can help with sleep apnea!

Did you know that some yoga poses to help open up the airways and ease those who have sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is essentially an advanced form of snoring. It’s estimated that those who suffer from sleep apnea lose about a third of sleep every night, and their tossing and turning, loud snoring, and even choking can affect their partner’s night of sleep, as well.

As we know, losing sleep can lead to a plethora of other problems including headaches, high blood pressure, weight gain, and even heart disease.

Yoga Poses for Sleep Apnea

Cat Cow Pose
First up is cat cow. Begin posed on your hands and knees. Your shoulders should be directly above your hands and your hips should be directly over your knees. Make sure you start with a flat back. As you slowly and deeply inhale, arch your spine down to the floor and look up to where the wall meets the ceiling, which will keep your neck in line with your spine.

Locust Pose
Next yoga position is locust. To begin this pose, lie belly down on the floor, arms long along your sides, and palms on the floor. Legs should be long and pointed at the toe. As you inhale deeply, raise your chest and legs up off the floor as much as you can, while keeping your shoulders back and opening your chest. Try to lengthen your spine and keep your neck aligned by imagining watching a marble rolling up and down the floor.
Squeeze your glutes and your legs together. Hold this position for a count of three, then relax. Repeat this move for eight to 10 reps.

Seated Twist
The final move is seated twist. To start, sit in a criss-cross-applesauce position on the floor. Make sure you are comfortable. As you inhale and fill your chest with your breath, straighten out your spine to sit tall, and roll your shoulders back and down.
As you slowly exhale, twist to the right, placing your right hand on the floor behind your hip. Put your left hand on your right thigh to pull you further into your twist. Hold for three seconds.
Inhale as your return back to the center and then repeat to the left side.

For more personalised yoga practices please contact yoga instructor Brigitta on 0450 282 452.

Level C2, 9 Bronte Rd, Bondi Junction