Busy activities make you fail to go to the fitness center to exercise. But don’t worry, because you can do many exercises at home. Kundalini yoga is good for physical and mental health.

Kundalini yoga requires you to perform specific movements while catching your breath and meditating. This yoga movement also aims to make the body and mind more relaxed. You can also do other things while practicing kundalini yoga, such as singing softly or muttering certain words (mantras).
Doing Kundalini yoga is believed to generate energy in the body while increasing self-awareness. That can obtain by performing specific movements that are relatively easy, even for beginners.

What are the movements in kundalini yoga?

If you have never done kundalini yoga in its entirety, you can try the following basic movements.

1. Lotus Pose

The lotus poses in kundalini yoga is a basic sitting pose by opening your hips as wide as possible. Try opening your thighs slowly to avoid tightness or discomfort.

How to do the lotus pose is as follows.

• Sit up straight on the floor but not stiff, legs outstretched.
• Bend your knees outward, and point your legs towards your body as if you were going to cross-legged.
• Place your left foot on your right thigh, then place your right foot on your left thigh.
• Inhale and exhale deeply as you perform the Lotus pose unless instructed otherwise by the instructor.

Do not do this pose if you are experiencing hip problems.

2. Cobra pose

Cobra pose is a movement to activate your kundalini energy. How to do it is as follows.

• Start by lying on your stomach and feet together, and the backs of your feet pressed to the floor.
• Place your palms under your shoulders, making sure your fingers point forward and your elbows are parallel.
• Inhale, lift your head and body, then press your lower body to the floor.
• Straighten your arms, lift your chest and stomach, and lower your shoulders.
• Hold the cobra pose in this kundalini yoga for 30 seconds, and take a deep breath.
• Exhale and return to the starting position.

3. Archer Pose

The archer poses in kundalini yoga are done to increase self-confidence because it describes you as a warrior. The steps you have to do to do this pose are as follows.

• Start by standing straight and feet together.
• Rotate right leg outward about 45 degrees.
• Step back right leg, straighten the leg. Bend your left knee, but make sure it doesn’t go over the heel.
• Extend your arms to shoulder height, bend your hands, clench your palms, and point your thumbs up.
• Turn your upper body to the left, bend your right elbow simultaneously, and pull your right fist toward your right armpit.
• Look forward and take a deep breath while holding this position for 2-3 minutes.
• Do it on the other side with the left leg back and the left arm bent, then hold for another 2-3 minutes while taking a deep breath.

Kundalini yoga is safe for everyone to do. But it would help if you did not do this movement when you have breathing problems, joint pain, physical injury, or are pregnant.

To be on the safe side, you can first consult a doctor and exercise under the supervision of a professional instructor.

Benefits of doing kundalini yoga

Like yoga in general, kundalini yoga is a good exercise for body fitness and peace of mind. Here are the benefits that you can feel by doing kundalini yoga.

1. Relieve stress

Doing yoga at home regularly for at least 20 minutes per day relieves stress. You don’t even need to practice the moves perfectly. The important thing is to do it regularly and seriously.

2. Increase positive thoughts

Research shows that kundalini yoga movements can also increase positive reviews, including yourself. If you often see your body shape is not ideal, try practicing kundalini yoga.

3. Gain spiritual enlightenment

When the energy in the body has been activated through kundalini yoga, you will feel a significant change in your inner aura. You will become more empathetic, charismatic, creative, and at peace with yourself.

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Have you ever suddenly woken up from sleep in the night? Some people might associate it with various mystical things if you talk about this.

One of them mentions that waking up at night signifies that an invisible creature wants to invite you to communicate. For this reason, these celestial beings wake you from sleep because midnight is the time when the portal of another world opens.

No research can prove the truth about this midnight awakening theory, so of course, this leads to the midnight awakening myth.

In addition, there is also a theory that says that drinking alcohol before bed can prevent you from waking up in the middle of the night. In other words, alcohol can make you sleep better.

For this theory, researchers have proven otherwise. According to the Sleep Foundation page, drinking alcohol before bed drastically decreases sleep quality. Indeed, drinking a sip or two of alcohol can make some people relax and sleepy. However, this effect is only temporary at first.

Studies show that alcohol can interfere with sleep stages. In addition, the alcohol content also triggers you to snore. The symptoms may become more severe for those of you who have sleep apnea. As a result, it can wake you several times from sleep.

Causes of waking up in the middle of the night

Generally, waking up at night is related to the stages of sleep, which consist of several phases. People will quickly wake up at the end of a particular sleep phase leading to another sleep phase. You will increasingly desire to wake up when you experience various things. For example, heat makes the body sweat.

Some wake up in the middle of the night. After all, they want to urinate because they drink too much water before bed. However, you can also wake up because you experience symptoms of illness.

1. Sleep apnea

People who experience this sleep disorder very often sleep snoring. This narrowing of the airways during sleep can make a person’s breath stop for a few seconds. As a result, people with sleep apnea will wake up in shock gasping for breath.

2. Nocturia

Nocturia is the term for frequent urination at night. This condition is usually a typical symptom of diabetes. People with diabetes will often have trouble sleeping at night because they constantly experience the urge to urinate.

3. Stress or mental illness

Stress can make it hard for you to close, but it can also make you wake up in the middle of the night and have difficulty getting back to sleep. In addition to stress, various mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety disorders can also interfere with your restful sleep.

4. Have other health problems

Many symptoms of certain diseases can interfere with sleep; for example, arthritis causes pain in the body, making it difficult to sleep comfortably. It could also be due to coughing, itching skin, or pain in other body parts that interfere with sleep.

If you find getting up at night quite annoying, don’t worry about the midnight awakening myths you hear. You should immediately consult a doctor. Your doctor will help you find out the cause and the treatment.

Tips for not waking up in the middle of the night

While it’s natural, you may prefer to sleep undisturbed. Don’t worry, there are many ways to get a good night’s sleep.

1. Drink water at the right time

Drinking water before bed is indeed beneficial. However, you need to pay attention to the time to drink.

Avoid drinking right before you get into bed to sleep. You’re better off drinking more after dinner or at least an hour before bed. You can also drink a glass of warm milk in addition to water. This type of drink can help you sleep better.

2. Meditation or breathing exercises

To avoid waking up in the middle of the night, you can try to do meditation or breathing exercises before bed. The goal is to make your mind and body more calm and relaxed.

A tangled mind and tense body muscles can disturb you from closing your eyes. It can make you wake up from sleep because you continue to feel anxious and restless.

3. Prepare a comfortable room

Lighting too bright, hot room temperature and dirty room conditions can be a sleep nuisance. So, don’t be surprised if you wake up in the middle of the night feeling itchy, hot, or dazed.

So that you don’t wake up feeling disturbed by these conditions, always clean your bedroom and use the best pillow you are comfortable with. In addition, adjust the lighting and air temperature.

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It is vital to relieve stress by starting breathing exercises for anxiety. That’s because blood cells receive oxygen when you breathe and release carbon dioxide, which is then carried back to the rest of the body and exhaled.

The dangers of anxiety can make you experience an increased heart rate, dizziness, muscle tension, and other physical sensations. That’s because when you’re feeling anxious, a person tends to take quick and shallow breaths from the chest (thoracic breathing), which interferes with oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the body.

Four types of breathing exercises for anxiety

Here are breathing exercises for anxiety that you can try when you’re feeling anxious:

1. Breathe deeply

According to The American Institute of Stress (AIS), taking deep breaths from the belly for 20-30 minutes daily can reduce anxiety and stress. Deep breathing increases the oxygen supply to the brain and stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting calm.

AIS recommends a technique that combines deep breathing and visualization. This technique only takes six seconds:

• First, smile and try to relax your shoulders.

• Imagine there is a hole in the sole. As you take a deep breath, imagine the hot air flowing through the opening, moving slowly up the legs, through the stomach, and filling the lungs.

• As you exhale, imagine the opposite so that you ‘see’ hot air escaping from the same opening in your leg.

2. Extend breath

However, taking too many deep breaths too quickly can cause you to hyperventilate. As a result, the amount of oxygen-rich blood flowing to the brain will decrease. In addition to taking deep breaths, also try to lengthen the breath.

Here are the ways:

• Before taking a deep breath, exhale completely. Push all the air out of the lungs, then let the lungs work to inhale the air.

• Next, try to exhale a little longer than when you inhaled. For example, try to inhale for four seconds, then exhale for six seconds.

• Try doing this for 2-5 minutes.

• Take this breathing exercise in any comfortable position, such as standing, sitting, or lying down.

3. Breathe Mindfully

Another breathing exercise to help relieve anxiety is mindful breathing. This exercise involves focusing your breath and bringing your mind to the present without being reminded of worries about the past or future. Breathing deeply, consciously, and slowly can reduce anxiety.

Here are the ways:

• Try to inhale and exhale normally. Feel the tension in your body that you were not aware of before.

• Take a deep breath through your nose.

• Watch your belly and upper body expand.

• Exhale in whatever way is most comfortable.

• Please do it for a few minutes and watch the rise and fall of the stomach.

• Choose a word to focus on or sound out as you breathe. It sounds like “om,” a short prayer, or positive words like “relax” or “peace.” Voice the word you have chosen every time you inhale or exhale.

• Imagine your Breathtaking negative thoughts and energy out of your body.

• When your thoughts are distracted, gently return attention to your breathing and words.

4. Diaphragmatic Breathing

Breathing from the diaphragm (the muscle just below the lungs) aims to reduce the work of living by slowing the breathing rate, decreasing the need for oxygen, and using less force and energy to breathe.

If you later feel anxious, do these diaphragmatic breathing exercises:

• Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose. Keep your shoulders relaxed. The stomach should expand, and the chest should rise slightly.

• Exhale slowly through your mouth. As you exhale, purse your lips slightly, but keep your jaw relaxed. You may hear a soft ‘whoosh’ sound as you exhale.

• Repeat breathing exercises for anxiety. Please do it for a few minutes until you start to feel better.

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Relaxation techniques are essential to apply amid life’s turmoil that leads to stress. One popular relaxation technique is progressive muscle relaxation. This technique involves tension and relaxation of muscles to relieve anxiety and stress, which is recommended for insomniacs. Learn how to apply progressive muscle relaxation.

Progressive muscle relaxation is a deep relaxation technique that can control anxiety and other psychological disorders. This technique alternates between tension and relaxation in the body’s main muscles. It was introduced in the 1930s by an American physician named Edmund Jacobson.

Progressive muscle relaxation techniques are believed to be able to overcome various psychological disorders and pains in the body, including:

• Worry

• Stress

• Insomnia sleep disorder

• Chronic pain in certain body parts

Usually, progressive muscle relaxants are administered to patients by doctors in conjunction with other relaxation techniques, such as systematic desensitization (a method commonly used to treat phobias). It can also be applied alone to comfort the body when dealing with anxiety and stress.

However, if you suffer from specific physical ailments, you should consult your doctor before trying progressive muscle relaxation and other relaxation techniques.

Steps to do progressive muscle relaxation

You can do relaxation easily at home. The following are the steps in doing progressive muscle relaxation according to the body area:

1. Forehead

• Contract the muscles in your forehead and hold for 15 seconds. Feel the muscles in your forehead getting tighter and tighter.

• Then, slowly release the tension in the forehead while counting for 30 seconds. Notice the difference in muscle sensation as you begin to try to relax.

• Continue releasing tension until your forehead feels completely relaxed. Breathe slowly and regularly.

2. Jaw

• Tighten the muscles in your jaw by closing them and holding them for 15 seconds.

• Then, slowly release the tension while counting for 30 seconds.

• Notice the relaxed sensation that appears and continue to breathe slowly

3. Neck and shoulders

• Increase the tension in your neck and shoulders by lifting your shoulders toward your ears. Hold for 15 seconds.

• Release the pressure slowly while counting for 30 seconds

• Pay attention to the relaxed sensation that appears

4. Arms and hands

• Slowly bring your fist to your chest and hold it for 15 seconds. Squeeze as tightly as possible.

• Then, slowly release while counting for 30 seconds

• Pay attention to the relaxed sensation that appears

5. Buttocks

• Slowly apply tension in the buttocks for 15 seconds

• Then, remove the pressure slowly for 30 seconds

• Notice the relaxed sensation that appears and continue to breathe slowly

6. Upper leg

• Slowly apply tension in the quadriceps and calves for 15 seconds. Tighten this muscle as hard as you can.

• Then, slowly release the tension for 30 seconds.

• Notice the sensation of relaxation that appears.

7. Lower leg

• Gently apply tension in the lower leg and toes. Tighten the muscles in this area as hard as you can.

• Then, release the tension slowly while counting for 30 seconds

• Notice the relaxed sensation that appears and continue to breathe slowly.

Tips for doing progressive muscle relaxation

For optimal results to deal with stress, recommended in a quiet place and free from distractions. You can apply this technique by lying down or leaning on your side in a chair.

When relaxing muscles in areas such as the jaw, forehead, or legs, you can place your hands on your stomach or the armrests of a chair. Do not forget to apply deep breathing techniques using the diaphragm muscle.

Then, while focusing on relaxing specific muscles, keep other body parts relaxed and calm so that the results of this technique can be optimal.

Progressive muscle relaxation is a relaxation technique that helps relax the body and control the symptoms of certain psychological disorders. If you do it right, it will overcome sleep problems such as insomnia.

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