Three easy yoga poses that can help you sleep better A lot of people have trouble sleeping well these days. We spend too much time dealing with stress and looking at screens. Our schedules are all over the place, and our minds never seem to stop racing. All of this makes it very hard to relax at night. Yoga is a natural way to fix this. You don’t have to do anything hard or intense before bed. The opposite works better, though. You really need to do slow stretches and gentle movements to help you sleep.
You want to relax your nervous system and let go of the stress in your body. You should also tell your brain to stop thinking and start resting. These three yoga poses are great for getting a good night’s 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 head. You don’t need 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 a common cause of 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 help you relax and get ready for sleep by slowing down your heart rate. If you do calming yoga regularly, you may sleep longer, wake up less often at night, and feel more rested in the morning.
Legs Up the Wall
Legs Up the Wall is a great 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: Sit next to a wall and slowly lie down on your back, raising your legs as you do so. Get your hips closer to the wall, but stay in a comfortable position. Let your arms hang naturally at your sides with your palms facing up. Take a deep breath and close your eyes. Why it helps you sleep: This pose naturally lowers your heart rate and makes you breathe more deeply. It makes you feel less tired and gives you a sense of safety and support all over your body. How long to stay: Stay in this position for 2 to 5 minutes, breathing slowly through your nose. Helpful tip: If your lower back feels tight, move your hips a little farther away from the wall or bend your knees a little to let the tension go.
Forward Bend 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 stretch your legs out in front of you. Breathe in and make your back straight. Let out a breath and slowly bend forward from your hips. If it feels better, you can keep your knees slightly bent. Let your head and neck hang loose.
Why it helps you sleep: Leaning 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: Hold the pose for 1 to 2 minutes and take slow, deep breaths.
If you need more comfort, put a pillow on your legs or a folded blanket under your hips.
Corpse Position
People often do Corpse Pose at the end of yoga classes. It’s a great way to relax deeply and clear your mind. How to do it: Lie flat on your back with your body flat against the floor. Let your feet naturally fall apart and put your arms at your sides. Close your eyes and let your body relax into the floor or bed.
Why it helps you sleep: In this position, both your body and mind can completely relax. It eases any remaining muscle tension and helps you stop thinking about things that are racing through your mind so you can fall asleep more easily. How long to stay: You should stay in this pose for 3 to 7 minutes, or as long as it takes for you to feel completely relaxed. Tip: Pay attention to your breathing and slowly count from one to ten as you breathe out.
How to do these poses before bed every night
You should practice these poses in a quiet place with low lighting for the best results. Before you start, make sure you don’t look at screens or bright lights. You can follow this simple order. A quick bedtime routine: Begin with Seated Forward Bend, then go to Legs Up the Wall, and finally end with Corpse Pose. It will take about 7 to 10 minutes to do the whole routine. Instead of worrying about how deep you can stretch, focus on breathing slowly.
Breathing exercises to help you sleep better
Combining Yoga with Being Aware of Your Breath When you do yoga and breathe consciously at the same time, your practice is more effective. 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 message that it’s time to relax and calm down. During your practice, make sure your breathing is gentle and easy, not forced or strained.
Easy habits that help you sleep better
Yoga works better when you do it with good evening habits. You should eat dinner at least two hours before you plan to go to bed. Don’t drink caffeine in the late hours. For 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 by doing just one simple pose every day.
Who should be careful
If you have high blood pressure, circulation problems, or spinal injuries, you should take it easy and not stay in inverted positions for long periods of time. If you’re not sure, pregnant women should change how they do forward bends and talk to a professional. You don’t need to take medicine or follow complicated routines to get better sleep. 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 you a full 10- or 15-minute sleep yoga routine that fits your bedtime schedule if you’d like.
