While you hold your breath, carbon dioxide accumulates in the body and induces natural sleep. Regular active exercise during the day and mild exercise at bedtime enhances the quantity and the quality of sleep. Exercise stimulates the elimination of lactic acid from the body which corelates with stress and muscular tension. Regular exercise also produces hormonal changes which are beneficial to the body and to the sleep pattern. Walking, jogging, skipping and swimming are all ideal exercises.
Yoga helps a majority of cases of insomnia.
It tones up the glandular, respiratory and nervous systems. It also gives physical and mental relaxation, acting as a safety valve for one's disturbing problems. The yogasanas effective for insomnia patients are sarvangasana , viparitkarni and shavasana. Application of hot packs to the spine before retiring, hot fomentation to the spine and a hot foot bath at bedtime are all time-tested methods to overcome insomnia. Prolonged neutral immersion baths at bed time, when one's nerves are usually irritable, are also effective measures.