Chinese Exercises for Insomnia

Tai Chi Chuan

To get insomnia relief, thirty minutes before bedtime go through a several sets of gentle Tai Chi exercises, followed by Chi Kung below, meditating on the exercises and practicing diaphragmatic breathing as you do them. "Parting the wild horse's mane" is a good place to start. Prepare for this exercise with the feet spread at shoulder width and the hands at your side. Raise your hands to chest height with the palms upward. Slowly raise them again to shoulder height with palms facing forward. Then bring them down to waist level again, now with the palms turned down.

Next, part the wild horse's mane on the left side. Keep your feet facing forward, twist very slightly to the right and raise the right hand to shoulder height, palm downwards and pointing to your left shoulder. The left hand is at waist level pointing to the right. Now raise the left foot and step to the left, slowly swinging the left arm around and raising it, pointing to the left. The right arm follows but lowers to waist level. Finish this by planting your foot forward on the left with the knee bent, the right hand on your waist, and the left raised and extended at a slight cure with palm upwards. To do the "parting the wild horse's mane on the right side" start from the finish position of the first exercise, but now bring the right foot forward and switch arm positions, ending with a reversal of the left parting movement.

Chi Kung

Normally Chi Kung is done lying flat with several pillows under the head. However, for insomnia, start this exercise lying on the right side. Relax your body and concentrate your mind by performing the "Following the breath" routine. You do this by paying attention to the way inhaled air goes from the nose down into the lung and then ascends with exhalation from the lung up to the nose. Begin repeating in your mind the word "quiet" each time you inhale and "relaxed" with each exhale. Every time you say "relaxed" to yourself, relax one part of the body at the same time. Start with the head and work down from the arms, hands, chest all the way to the feet. When the externals are relaxed, concentrate on the blood, then the nerves, and finally internal organs. Do this exercise about 15 minutes for insomnia relief.

Sources

Brenes, GA, et al., "Insomnia in older adults with generalized anxiety disorder," American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 2009 Jun; 17(6):465-72.
Llanas, AC, et al., "Physical therapy reduces insomnia symptoms in postmenopausal women," Maturitas 2008 Nov 20; 61(3):281.4.
Additional Resource
Zhuo, Dahong, Lade, A.R, and Wong, J. Chinese Exercises and Massage for Health and Longevity. (Vancouver, B.C., Hartley & Marks Publishers, 1998)