These days, a lot of people have trouble sleeping well. We spend too much time in front of screens and dealing with stress. Our schedules are all over the place, and our thoughts never seem to stop racing. All of this makes it very hard to relax at night. Yoga is a natural way to solve this problem. Before bed, you don’t need to do anything hard or complicated. The opposite is actually better. You really need to move slowly and gently and stretch slowly to sleep.
What you want is to relax your body and calm your nervous system. You should also tell your brain to stop thinking and start resting. The three yoga poses I’m going to show you are great for getting to sleep. They help you breathe more slowly and relax the muscles that are the most tense. They also help you calm down all the thoughts that are racing through your mind. You don’t have to have done yoga before to do these poses. You can do them right before you go to bed in your bedroom.
How yoga can help you sleep better
A nervous system that won’t calm down is often to blame for sleep problems. It’s almost impossible to fall asleep when your body is always on high alert. Gentle yoga can help your body go from being stressed to being relaxed. Slow stretches help to relieve tension that has built up in your hips, lower back, and spine, which is where stress usually builds up. Breathing exercises lower your heart rate and help you get ready for sleep. Doing calming yoga on a regular basis can help you sleep longer, wake up less often at night, and feel more rested in the morning.
Legs on the Wall
Legs Up the Wall is a very useful yoga pose that can help you relax before bed. It is gentle and good for you, and it doesn’t take much physical effort to do. How to do it: While lying on your back, slowly raise your legs up while sitting next to a wall. Get your hips closer to the wall, but stay in a comfortable position. Put your arms at your sides with your palms facing up so they can rest naturally. Take a deep breath and close your eyes. Why it helps you sleep: This pose naturally slows down your heart rate and makes you breathe deeper. It makes you feel less physically tired and gives you a sense of safety and support all over your body. How long to stay: Breathe slowly through your nose for 2 to 5 minutes while in this position. If your lower back feels tight, try moving your hips a little farther away from the wall or bending your knees a little to let the tension go.
Bend Forward While Sitting
The Seated Forward Bend is a relaxing pose that stretches your back and helps you focus on yourself.
How to do it: Sit on the floor and put your legs out in front of you. Take a deep breath and straighten your back. Exhale and slowly bend forward from your hips. If it feels better, you can keep your knees bent a little. Let your neck and head hang loose.
Why it helps you sleep: Bending forward naturally calms your mind. This pose helps your lower back and the backs of your legs relax so you can sleep better.
How long to stay: Breathe slowly and hold the position for one to two minutes.
If you need more comfort, try putting a pillow on your legs or a folded blanket under your hips.
Pose of the Dead
People often do Corpse Pose at the end of yoga classes because it helps them relax deeply and clear their minds. What to do: Lie on your back with your body flat against the ground. Let your feet naturally fall apart and put your arms at your sides. Close your eyes and let your body relax into the bed or floor.
Why it helps you sleep: This position makes your body and mind completely relaxed. It helps you relax by releasing any muscle tension and getting rid of racing thoughts. How long to stay: Stay in this pose for 3 to 7 minutes, or until you feel completely relaxed. A good tip is to pay attention to your breathing and count each breath out from one to ten.
How to do these poses as part of your bedtime routine
You should practise these poses in a quiet, dimly lit room for the best results. Before you start, stay away from bright lights and screens. You can follow this simple order. Quick routine for going to bed: Do Seated Forward Bend first, then Legs Up the Wall, and finally Corpse Pose. The whole thing will take about 7 to 10 minutes. Instead of worrying about how far you can stretch, focus on breathing slowly.
Breathing method to help you sleep better
Combining yoga with being aware of your breath When you do yoga and focus on your breathing at the same time, you get better results. One easy way to do this is to breathe in while counting to four and then breathe out while counting to six. When you breathe out for longer than you breathe in, your brain gets a signal to calm down and relax. During your practice, your breathing should always feel easy and natural, not forced or strained.
Easy habits that help you sleep better
Yoga works better when you do it with good evening routines. Eat dinner at least two hours before you plan to go to bed. Avoid caffeine in the evening. To get the best sleep, your bedroom should be dark and cool. Try to go to bed at the same time every night. You can see big changes over time if you do just one easy pose every day.
Who should be careful
If you have high blood pressure, circulation problems, or spinal injuries, don’t hold inverted positions for long periods of time. Pregnant women should change the way they bend forward and talk to a doctor if they aren’t sure. You don’t need to take medicine or follow complicated routines to sleep better. A few minutes of gentle yoga can help your body relax on its own. These three poses are easy to do every night and work well. I can make a full 10- or 15-minute sleep yoga routine that fits your bedtime schedule if you’d like.
