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Yoga is a natural way to help you get a good night's sleep. Exercises like deep breathing, long stretches, and relaxing poses will also help you improve the quality of sleep.
Getting enough sleep is essential for your brain, health, and mood. Lack of it can also cause many diseases and disorders, such as heart disease, stroke, dementia, and obesity.
Yoga stretches and lengthens your muscles, allowing you to relieve pent-up tension. It also relaxes your nervous system and helps to calm you down. This can help you rest better at night and wake up feeling invigorated and energized.
Before Going to Bed, Try These Yoga Poses
1) Alternate Nostril Breathing
One of the benefits of this yoga is that it balances your prana, and gives your body a sense of calm and steadiness. With this yoga, you start noticing your breathing in a new way. Alternate Nostril Breathing brings your attention to the present moment. It also removes any distractions from your mind that might be causing you to feel anxious or restless.
Here's how you can do it:
- Raise your preferred hand and fold the index and middle fingers into your palm.
- Put your thumb on the nostril closest to you and put pressure on it to close it off.
- Use another nostril to breathe in.
- Close off the open nostril with the other two fingers, lift the thumb off the first nostril, and let out a breath.
- Take a breath in through the same open nostril, then close it with your thumb and let out air through the other side.
- Do this technique at least 10 times, switching sides on the exhales. Each time you breathe in and out, do it deeply.
2) Child's Pose (Balasana)
This yoga pose stretches the muscles in your posterior chain, from your lower back to your shoulders and arms. It is an excellent yoga asana to relax, and performing it before bed every night will help you feel rested in the morning.
To do Balasana:
- Fold your legs so you're sitting on your knees with the tops of your feet under you.
- Your head should touch the ground when you bow forward.
- Spreading your knees out will let your upper body go deeper.
- If this position gets uncomfortable, consider putting a pillow between your hips and calves. Another pillow can be put under your head.
- Try to find a place that makes you feel good.
- You can stretch your arms out in front of you with your palms facing down. You can also rest them next to your body with your palms facing up.
Stay here and take deep breaths for a few minutes. Pay attention to your breath, both when you inhale and when you exhale. Try to keep your mind from wandering by being aware of the length and quality of each breath. When you breathe in, direct your breath to your middle and upper back. When you breathe out, direct your breath to your lower back and hips.
3) Supine Spinal Twist
Long hours of sitting and/or standing can cause your back muscles to be under tension. The supine spinal twist can help relieve your back muscles and obliques.
To do this yoga pose:
- Pull your knees up to your chest and lie on your back.
- Try to keep your shoulders on the ground as you slowly move both knees to the left side.
- The right side is where you should be looking.
- Put one pillow between the knees and one pillow under the left knee to feel more comfortable.
- Stop here, take a breath, and pay attention to your hips and lower back. Stay here for 10 to 15 breaths, then switch sides.
4) Reclined Bound Angle Pose
This yoga asana can help with any kind of mild depression, anxiety, or stress. The tension in the muscles is relieved and makes it easier to fall asleep. This yoga pose helps in relaxing the stressed nervous system.
To do the reclined bound angle pose:
- Lay down on your back, put your feet on the ground, and bend your knees.
- Put your knees apart and touch the bottoms of your feet.
- Put a pillow under each knee for extra support.
- Close your eyes and let your shoulders and jaw loosen up.
- Bring one hand to your heart and the other to your belly. Then think about breathing in from your belly up and out from your chest down.
- Keep your breath long and smooth, like the way waves on the beach come and go. Hold this position for 10 to 15 breaths.
5) Viparita Karani
This yoga pose is a supported inversion that helps bring blood back to the heart. Put a pillow under your hips to give yourself a little lift.
To do this yoga asana:
- Move your hips as close to the wall as you can, then lie down and stretch your legs up the wall.
- You might have to play with the distance between your hips and the wall before you feel comfortable in the pose.
- Find a distance that feels good and that you can hold for a few minutes.
- Bring your arms next to your body and let your shoulders move away from your ears and down to the floor or bed.
- Drop your eyes to your thighs and start to concentrate on taking deep breaths. Spend at least five minutes here.
- Take the pillow off your hips and roll to one side to get out.
Good sleep is an important part of life. A relaxing night's rest will leave you refreshed and energetic in the morning, and ready to take life as it comes.
