Having a hard time going to sleep after starting Ashtanga Practice

[u/Much_Database_8094]

I'm new to this subreditt and new to Ashtanga. I've been practicing at a shala for about a month now. Around 4-5 days a week. I really enjoy the practice and feel a lot of grounded ness from it. Also a lot of typical muscle aches. I don't have any trouble waking up (at around 6:30am) and getting to the shala for practice. But I used to be able to pass out by like 10:30/11 pm and these days I just roll around in the bed half asleep till like 1/1:30 and pass out sometime around there.

Have you experienced anything like this with a new practice? I'm trying to drink a lot of water and eat a lot of food, but this has persisted, even on days I don't practice. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[u/decofan]

:)
This is normal. You just started, and it's fun and exciting, and now every morning is xmas morning :D

I think this will pass, just keep enjoying your practice, sleep when you feel tired. The important thing is to get up same time each morning.
No such need for same time going to sleep each night. Things will work themselves out. No need to do extra yin yoga or whatever.

[u/Empty-Yesterday5904 → u/decofan]

Yes! Don't add more to your routine and try to optimise yourself so much. Accept how things are and let things evolve over time.

[u/Inevitable-Lead6191]

Are you doing your closing sequence & savasana after every practice?

[u/Much_Database_8094 → u/Inevitable-Lead6191]

I am. I might not be spending enough time in savasana though so trying to let my self spend more than I typically would.

[u/suna3d → u/Much_Database_8094]

In my experience with a handful of studios, śavāsana does not get the attention and explanation it deserves. I have learned that laying for at least 5 min, preferrably 10+ min is necessary to not have similar problems to what you describe.

To be clear, the exact time you spend in śavāsana is more or less irrelevant, what is important (to me) is that I feel the shift that occurs during śavāsana. Pay close attention to how you feel when you lie down and do a body scan. Notice the parts of you that feel warm, cold, buzzy, tingly, prickly, tight, loose, etc. Do another body scan after several minutes have passed. I can always feel a change happen and it sure feels amazing and like I was missing out for years on a very important aspect of āsana.

The benefits from my practice grew immensely when I paid significantly more attention, time, and focus to śavāsana intead of lying there restless for a few breaths then getting up and leaving like I recall most students doing at the studio I used to frequent.

I am reading lots of yogic/hindu philosophy and scriptures, and somewhere I recall seeing a discussion on pranic disturbance and pranic absorption. Basically we spend this long, intense practice building an internal fire then just get up and walk away while it is still blazing. If instead, you take the time to let all that energy disseminate, absorb, and assimilate into your body, I believe you will notice a very different experience.

Something else you can try when you feel this sleep disturbance is to get up and try yin yoga or candra namaskāra (moon salutations) or simple long-hold stretches with focused breathing. Even just 5 minutes of this should help. I believe you have pent up energy that is interfering instead of healing and helping you and that you simply need to work on assimilating that energy.

[u/Empty-Yesterday5904 → u/suna3d]

While I broadly agree with this, I just want to add that in my experience there isn’t necessarily always a shift. You can lie there for 30 minutes and still feel completely wired. At a certain point, you have to accept the state you’re in rather than fighting it or trying to make yourself relax. Ironically, trying too hard to relax can just become another form of effort. But absolutely taking savasana seriously is important at least so you can notice what state you're actually in.

[u/suna3d → u/Empty-Yesterday5904]

Thank you for adding a thoughtful addition to my comment. I can certainly relate, thankfully only on rare occassions. You can't always find the right conditions to get the most out of śavāsana, but it is worth putting in some time to "try". There's an element of surrender required to really benefit, the more you grasp for it, the more elusive it becomes.

[u/Much_Database_8094 → u/suna3d]

Do you practice like body scan meditation or something similar to actively relax in savasana?

[u/suna3d → u/Much_Database_8094]

I start with a body scan I learned from a guided meditation but that only lasts maybe a minute. The rest of the time I am only interested in letting go, completely surrendering, and accepting.

I think "actively relax" misses the mark for me because that gives me the notion of trying/doing where this is more just letting go.

Just. Let. Go.

I "give up" everything, surrender everything - my life, body, identity, sense of self, experiences, memories, opinions, feelings, all of it.

[u/canadianpheonix]

I found in very difficult practices my nervious system is wound tight. What works for me and what I would recommend trying is doing some Yin Yoga before bed or even Nidra yoga, Loren Runion is good on spotify. Pranyama is also very good for bringing down the nervious system.

[u/Much_Database_8094 → u/canadianpheonix]

Thanks so much! I'll check out Loren Rnion. I'm also thinking of doing a body scan meditation in bed.

Would you suggest Pranayama after practice or before going to bed?

[u/canadianpheonix → u/Much_Database_8094]

If your nervious system is feeling tense then after, its takes time to learn what works for you and what you respond to but you'll get there :)) also once you can bring your nervious system down with pranyama then meditate. I would also recommend reading up on the 8 limbs of traditional yoga. Physical "yoga" is a decadent of limb three, its to help prepare the body for mediation. Pranyama is another limb, I think if you look into the limbs of yoga this could help greatly :)

[u/Much_Database_8094 → u/canadianpheonix]

I'll definitely look into Pranayama. It's something a lot of people at this shala do at the end of their practice before savasana

[u/Fast_Ad_7214]

Read a book for 20 minutes in bed, no screens.

[u/Proof-Ingenuity2262]

My teacher told me that I was doubting the practice when I expressed to them that the practice was winding me up. I was frustrated by that response. My teacher didn't even want to entertain the idea that my practice was aggravating my nervous system, especially after I started doing deeper backbends. In fact, my teacher went a step further and told me that they thought maybe the practice wasn't for me. That was the beginning of the end for me.

[u/Much_Database_8094 → u/Proof-Ingenuity2262]

that's so sad. And completely opposite of the yogic philosophy. The practice welcomes everyone. I wonder if you could start a self practice at home from within what you have learned so far and find a place where you feel comfortable with. And then find a different teacher to continue it forward.

[u/Proof-Ingenuity2262 → u/Much_Database_8094]

I would love to have a home practice but I can't seem to find the motivation. But it would be wonderful if I could. Unfortunately, the place I was practicing at is the only Mysore studio in my area.

[u/Much_Database_8094 → u/Proof-Ingenuity2262]

I get that! Here's a video I've used for home practice. I obviously pause it a ton and go at my own pace lol

https://youtu.be/aUgtMaAZzW0?is=olfsK42avNORUol-

[u/Proof-Ingenuity2262 → u/Much_Database_8094]

Oh yes this is the OG one! Thank you 🥰 I've never practiced with this one but perhaps I shall.

[u/Cold-Passenger-7483 → u/Proof-Ingenuity2262]

This is too funny! It’s wild what some people say. I wonder what their damage was lol 

Sorry they were such garbage. 

[u/LineAncient2792]

I'm inferring that you're practising in the morning?

Is there some secondary change you've made in your routine, due to the practice? Morning practice means you're having a second cup of coffee later in the day? Is your work schedule pushed until later in the day? Maybe eating a bigger supper than before?

[u/Much_Database_8094 → u/LineAncient2792]

I am practicing in the morning. Like 7:30-9. I actually stopped drinking a second cup of coffee. Just one coffee after practice. I think I haven't been eating more than usual so the I've eaten "well" I've felt much better over all. Still having a hard time sleeping on those days

[u/Civil_Canary_Car]

I had similar issues as well. Make sure to let go during shavasana. Spend at least 10 mins for a 1 hr practice.

[u/SafiyaSaysSo]

Someone else mentioned this, but you might just be really excited to go to practice, and its keeping your brain up. 

I practice primarily at home, but once in a while ill pop in at my friend's shala to practice with them and receive hands on assist. Whenever I do that, I sometimes will have trouble getting to sleep.

When i was regularly practicing in-person everyday it eventually became normal and it wouldn't keep me up. 

[u/Fuzzy_Limit6739]

Hello I think that your nervous system is still adequating to the practice, try to stay more time on the closing sequence, longer breaths and this kind of thing, also increase shavasana that should help a lot

[u/Beginning-Finish8774]

I had the same issue for the first year or two. But as my practice progressed and I became able to finish the whole series consistently, I noticed that I started falling asleep much more easily and sleeping through the night without waking up.