Sleep improved by practicing meditation on breathing

“Everyone should know your meditation technique”

Sally attended only one meditation class, though she paid for three classes. Her friend who referred her to me emailed - 

“Sally said she is so happy with the results from one session with you and how much better she is sleeping that she doesn’t feel she needs to come back. Your meditation technique is so simple and so effective. Everyone should know it.”

“Slept completely through the night, for the first time in years”

A professional from the school district visited me to set up my seminars as part of adult education classes. I gave her my meditation handouts. At the end, in just 5 minutes, I demonstrated the folding mode of counting breaths meditation and made her practice it on one hand. She was open to practicing the technique and enjoying its benefits of better sleep right away! She explained in her email - 

“I have also been using the meditation on breathing technique you shared with me at night. I am falling asleep much more quickly. The other night, I slept completely through the night, for the first time in years!  🙂 Thank you!

"‘Segment mode’ was my medicine"

Mary (name changed) attended my meditation seminar at the Castleton library in March 2014 (Last name deleted). On receiving my e-mail of Annual Update 2015 in January, her memory of sound sleep after the library seminar prompted her to relearn it to get over her chronic insomnia.  It shows once again, “When the student is ready, the teacher appears”.  The potential of ‘meditation on breathing’ tailored to the individual is amazing. 

“C S is a lifesaver and helped me tremendously with both my stress and insomnia. I would fall asleep completely exhausted and would wake up after about 4 hours of sleep to use the bathroom. After that, I would toss and turn for hours, never falling back asleep. The more sleep I lost, the more stressed I would get and even more anxious. All of this led to my depression. A vicious cycle, which even medicine wasn’t helping to alleviate. After taking a brief class of C S at the library, I remembered how great I slept that night, after the meditation class.

I contacted C S and he immediately set me up for an appointment. We worked together on the ‘Tip mode’ of meditation. I practiced that for the week. Still having some difficulty with falling back to sleep the next week, we worked on the ‘Segment mode’ of meditation. This was the cure-all! It has been the medicine I have needed for a long time. This meditation method helps me relax and fall back to sleep without spending hours tossing and turning. 

The more sleep I am getting, the less anxious I am and less stressed. My relationships with both my children and my husband are so much better, too. I am not yelling like I was, nor am I downright miserable either. I am my old self again, thanks to CS’s meditation using the segment mode.

C S takes all of the time in the world to help you and would check on me throughout the week, both by email and phone calls. He has a genuine heart and an even bigger desire to bring peace to our world. May sitting at red lights and meditating on the breathing bring you as much peace as it has brought to me (5). C S, you are one in a million.”

March 2015

"Clears my mind of all thoughts"

Feedback from a woman in her fifties who attended my meditation seminar at the East Greenbush Community Library, followed by 4 classes in 2012.

“I’ve been meaning to let you know how helpful the meditation workshops I took with you were and still are.

I have been using your ‘counting breaths meditation’ to help me sleep for the last 2 years. Whenever I have trouble falling asleep, I begin to become aware of my breathing. Just the relaxed way you taught me. And I count and use the finger touching method - tip mode of counting breaths meditation.

It’s amazing! It clears my mind of all other thoughts. I begin to relax, and after a short while, I fall asleep.

I also find the relaxed meditation on breathing you encouraged me to do before getting out of bed, helps me start the day with a more relaxed attitude, and I am less anxious”.

"My insomnia has improved dramatically"

"In just the three weeks practicing these meditation techniques, I have only woken up once in the middle of the night, and I fall asleep much faster." 

This is a part of his report listing a variety of benefits. His full report

"I finally had a good night’s sleep."

Feedback from a young Engineer who just completed his master's program and was looking for a job. Seeing the great distress, his friend, a patient of my daughter Padma Sripada, asked me to help him.  

He attended three meditation classes at frequent intervals, as he was to leave Albany shortly. He learned the basic techniques – ‘Waiting for sleep’, ‘Waking up routine’,  ‘Stretching for beginners’, ‘Loosening exercises of Yoga’. After he left Albany, I continued to work with him through periodic phone and email contacts.

“Using the ‘Meditation on breathing’ techniques helped me handle insomnia and anxiety in a better way. For a long time, I always got anxious when I had to deliver my best to achieve success. Unknowingly, I was getting anxious, failed to control my anxiety, and overstressed myself. Due to the chronic high stress level, I lost my daily routine and had poor sleep. I was restless, couldn't focus on anything. I failed to perform even the minor tasks that I could have easily handled during stress-free times. I figured that I had to develop a good sleep routine to help my mind and body. Even after knowing this fact, no matter what I did, I could not sleep for more than an hour or two at night.

I was advised by my friend, to meet Mr. Suryanarayana Chennapragada (C S). He carefully listened to my problem and analyzed my situation with great patience. Later the same day, he walked me through his ‘meditation on breathing’ techniques, one by one. His meditation techniques are “very simple to learn and adapt”. That night, I practiced the techniques lying on the bed. After a week of sleepless nights, I finally had a good night's sleep. During three more sessions, Mr. C.S taught me how to use the breathing meditation in various modes. As per his strong advice, I consulted a Doctor, who prescribed a medication to bring my anxiety under control quickly. I am continuing both medication and breathing practices. My long-term goal is to completely depend on meditation practices, rather than medication.  I totally believe it is possible.  I thank Mr. C S for his “patience and dedication”.

June 2013

Not a sufferer of insomnia anymore!

She read my handouts and attended one class along with her daughter to get to know the technique. She was happy with how it helped with her sleep problems after a short time of practice. 

“As a chronic sufferer of insomnia, I’ve found that the Counting Breaths meditation technique enables me to fall asleep easily, have a better quality of sleep, and get back to sleep if I wake in the night. I’ve not suffered from insomnia since I began using this meditation technique. I would thoroughly recommend it.”

Sarah Firisen

April 2013

Medical student

A young medical student attended three of my meditation classes over a period of two months. His mother asked me to help him, as she was worried about his anxiety and obesity. At the end of the third class, he made a self-assessment of how he practiced and the change in his concerns.  Here is a brief report –

What modes did he practice and when?

Tip mode, segment mode, counting mode and staring mode at night to sleep,  Feeling mode in an emergency during the day and 911 mode when stressed (1). He practiced in the morning and when waiting,  bored and even when working.  He also practiced the loosening exercises from Yoga (gentle stretching movements) 3 times a week, in addition to his daily running (2).

How did he feel in mind and body?

He felt more focused, less stressed and felt rested. He had 8 hours of very good sleep.

What was the change in his concerns?

Stress reduced by 50%
Anxiety reduced by 30%
Sleep problem reduced by 95%

A Rheumatology Specialist

I have benefited from this meditation technique and continue to hope for ongoing experiences. Meditating on the breath using the ‘tip mode’ and ‘counting mode’ has been very beneficial to calm my mind. I have been experiencing insomnia and anxiety ever since I joined my medical college in India. I did not share this problem even with my wife.  After practicing these techniques, my sleep quality has improved phenomenally. I am now able to reduce the impact of the stressors of day-to-day life. “ 

Sleeping for 10 hours without a break!

Remarkable feedback from a client, Daw (name changed), one week after attending my first class. She was an immigrant from Myanmar. She lived in a refugee camp in Thailand before coming to the US. She couldn't speak or understand English and was attending language classes. She was brought to me by a friend who helped her in many ways as a volunteer.

Before

Daw was suffering from severe insomnia for the last 8 years, able to sleep for only 2 to 5 hours. My friend came to know from her previous conversations with Daw that she was awake, thinking about her old life and people in the refugee camp in Thailand before she came to the US, and the struggles of her family here.

What did she learn in the class?

In view of Daw’s language limitation, I demonstrated only the ‘Folding finger mode’ to her, asking her to join me in practicing it on one hand and then the other. Then, I asked her to close her eyes and practice this mode on her own, completing both hands. I was watching. She practiced perfectly. I suggested to her to practice this mode when she lay in bed and wanted to sleep. I also demonstrated the ‘waking up postures phase I’ and suggested trying them in the morning, lying on the bed, eyes closed, when she woke up.

When did she practice it?

Daw practiced it every night and also on waking up in the morning.

How did it help her?

Within a week of practicing the ‘Folding mode’, Daw said that she enjoyed uninterrupted sleep for 10 hours! She was sleeping from 9 pm to 7 am. Unbelievable!

When I asked her about her thoughts and worries, she said with a smile, “No thoughts. No worries.” Her face showed her relief and happiness.

My friend emailed the following report the next day

“I was amazed by the change I saw in Daw yesterday. She   was very talkative with me in the car. Previously, when I visited her, sometimes she was too tired to talk. Some days, she really struggled to function at all. I think if she can continue to have success in sleeping, her life will be hugely improved. Daw said to me after yesterday’s session that she felt she had not thanked you properly. So can I say “Thank you” now, on her behalf? You have really made a difference in her life!”

Periodic updates

I try to get periodic updates from such beginners. In this case, my friend gets to meet or talk with Daw often. On my request, she e-mails her observations to me. I am thankful to her for these updates.

Jan 21 2013:  “I saw Daw briefly on Jan 14 and asked her about her sleeping.  She said, “Good, every night, good.”

Jan 31 2013: “Daw has once again asked me to let you know that she continues with “good sleeping, good eating, everything good!” She looks very well and happy.

Mar 7 2013: “Daw is still doing very well!  She seems to have a very positive attitude about life at the moment, which is great.  She is still sleeping well every night.  I have been encouraging her to teach her 14-year-old daughter the meditation technique as she has to have a lot of dental treatment and is nervous about it – the breathing should help her relax and make the procedures less scary.”

April 2 2013: Daw had a setback with her sleep. In the first class, she was taught only the ‘folding mode’. She came for another class and learned the ‘Segment mode’. After a week, my friend reported that Daw was able to sleep well and did not need another class.  

Oct 30 2013: “Daw is doing very well.  Her domestic problems seem to be settled, and when I see her, she seems to be on top of everything and in a positive frame of mind.  She often speaks of you warmly and is appreciative of the help you gave her at a challenging time.  Honestly, I don’t know if she continues to practice the breathing, but at least she has it as a resource if life gets difficult again.”  

Jan 2013

"I find tremendous improvement in my sleeping pattern"

Received following feedback from a lady who practiced ‘Focusing on breathing’ by visiting this website and with a few tips from me over the phone. I met her along with her husband, by chance, at a party, as we were sitting at the same table. During casual talk with her husband, I told him about my activities. I told about ‘Focusing on breathing’ and this website helping people. He said his wife was suffering from insomnia and may be interested in it. I gave him the name of this web site. He gave me his business card. I called his wife about once a week, to address any questions she may have and suggest some tips. It is very satisfying to receive this remarkable feedback from her.

“I was suffering from insomnia since past few years.

I practiced the ‘Segment mode’ of the breathing technique since past few months, as suggested by Mr. C.S. Rao (Suryanarayana Chennapragada). I have been practicing the technique at bedtime and after waking up in the morning.

I find tremendous improvement in my sleeping pattern. I am able to sleep better and I no longer feel tired.  I feel calm and relaxed the whole day.

I strongly recommend this technique to everyone who has insomnia. I thank Mr C. S. Rao for developing these modes of breathing which will benefit lot of people.”

Jan 2013

Sleep pattern totally improved

Following is a part of an exhaustive report from a client who dramatically came out of a variety of problems. 

Hears everything in sleep

Before: In her sleep she used to hear all sounds around her. She used to wake up twice in the night.

Now: She sleeps undisturbed,till the alarm goes off. She does not hear any sounds. Recently her husband commented with a surprise that she was able to fall asleep even when the the TV was on. 

Hours of sleep

Before: She used to sleep at 10 and wake up at 3 am and was not able to get sleep for at least 30 minutes, due to her racing mind.

Now: She sleeps undisturbed all through the night, till the alarm goes off at 6 am.

How she felt on waking up 

Before: Felt exhausted

Now: Feels great.

Her full report "Nothing or no one can stress me"

A woman who had tracheostomy

Feedback from a woman who attended two of my classes in Jan 11, 2012.

She had undergone tracheostomy. Some time back, due to injury to her throat, she could not breathe through the nose or mouth. A trach tube was inserted into a hole made in her throat to enable her breathe. Recently, her doctor advised that her throat was healed and she did not need the tube. But she was not willing to do it because when she took it off once, she was unable to breathe through the nose or mouth and was choking. Her doctor said that it was only her anxiety that was preventing her from taking off the tube and breathing through the nose. She was referred to me by Teri Hutson-Mulligan, a diabetes educator at Albany Medical Center.

Because of the tube in her throat, she couldn’t speak. In person, she communicates with a white board and dry erase marker or paper and pen. We interact occasionally by e-mail as she is not able to attend the classes being dependent on state transportation. I do the classes free for her, as she is disabled and on Medicaid.

She reported in the first class that she was unable to sleep for 2 to 3 hours every night and helplessly watched TV. Her sister died 5 years ago. The thought she was responsible for her sister’s death was haunting her, though she knew that this was not true. Her first report by email is presented below.

“I am practicing the technique. I specifically remember using the ‘Tip mode’ just before I went into surgery, to help me relax. The next thing I remember – I was waking up and the surgery was over. I have also used the technique at bed time. My sleep habits are a lot better. I sleep almost through the entire night.”

"No more anxiety or headaches and I sleep better!"

Feedback from a client who attended 4 of my classes over last one and half months.

“I had some anxiety issues and sleep problems. I was looking for solutions for these issues not willing to take any medications. So, it was a blessing to come across the countingbreaths.com website and get to meet CS (Suryanarayana Chennapragada).

I used to have headaches almost everyday, due to my anxiety. The more I worried about my headaches, the more intense they became.

I had sleep problems as well. Once I got into bed, it used to take me about 3 hours to fall sleep. Thanks to the breathing techniques,  those problems were fading away gradually. I use the ‘segment mode’ of the technique to fall sleep. Now it only takes me 10-15 minutes to fall asleep!

Every time I feel a little stressed I use ‘counting mode’. It helps me to feel more relaxed. The ‘911 technique’ helped me to cope better with my anxiety issues. Since working with CS and using the techniques he has taught me, I feel I have a better quality of life. I feel great, ano more anxiety, no more headaches and I sleep better!”

May 2012

"I am managing stress very well and enjoying sound sleep"

“I am a software Engineer from India, working In USA with my wife and two young boys. I noticed some negative changes in my thinking in early Feb 2012 due to lot of  stress about my residence status in this country and other personal issues. I was spending restless nights for 5 to 6 weeks without proper sleep. The lack of sleep caused depression. All my activities got disturbed – not interested in  work, not enough money etc., affecting my family and my kids’ studies. Although I used medication for depression, I did not see noticeable change. I went back to India, slowly regained my health and returned to USA.

After returning, I thought of taking some precautionary measures to manage stress. This made me a student of Suryanarayan Chennapragada (C S). The course I had undergone was “Counting Breaths” (1). It helps me focus better on my work and also improves my attitude. Now I am managing stress in my life very well, enjoying sound sleep and living peacefully. Now my physical and mental strength has improved and I am perfectly balanced in my life. Overall, I can say that these techniques consume less time and are valuable.  I thank C S for guiding me in proper direction to overcome my difficulties.

Sept 2012

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