Relaxing Before You Go to Sleep

by Nina
Sometimes I don't know where the boundary is between what "yoga" is and what it is not. I was pondering this today because lately I've found it very effective to fall asleep while listening to music by Marconi Union that was specially designed to relax you and prepare you for sleep. 
And I wanted to share this music with you! Because whether you have trouble falling asleep or trouble staying asleep, consciously relaxing before you sleep is very helpful for improving your sleep (see Yoga for Insomnia, Part 1). Right now, even though I've been practicing extending my exhalations for years to help improve my sleep, I'm enjoying listening to this music for a change of pace.

Now doing a breath practice or reciting a mantra before bed is "yoga." And even listening to a voice guide you in yoga nidra or some form of Savasana is "yoga" as well. But listening to sounds instead of words is, I guess, not.

If you—like I do—pay attention to what's happening around the world with yoga (beer yoga, acro-yoga, etc.), it can be really unclear about where to draw the line between yoga and not yoga. I'm not even sure who's actually qualified to make that judgment.

Anyway, that's my (confused) thought of the day. Meanwhile, enjoy the music. Marconi Unions has a whole album of "Weightless" tracks if you're interested.

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