A tired body and an exhausted mind – both are major distractions for a sound sleep. Yoga helps in alleviating the tiredness, putting you at peace, clams you down, and helps you unwind. The relaxing yoga poses enable better circulation of blood that can improve the quality of sleep. A heavy tummy, intake of alcohol, or even a strenuous workout routine could hamper your sleep. Just rely on yoga and see the difference it bestows…
I have put together a simple, yet effective pre-bedtime yoga routine that will not just ward away sleep issues, but also ensure that you wake up to a great morning….Read on to know what those poses are…
5 Yoga Poses To Help You Sleep At Night
1. Viparita Karani – Legs Up The Wall Pose
This is a fabulous pose to relieve your tired feet and legs. Being a mild inversion, it also improves circulation to the brain, calming down the mind and easing stress and headaches.
How to do:
- Lie down on your back. Keep your back straight, shoulders and neck relaxed.
- Spread your hands at shoulders.
- Inhaling lift the legs, one at a time, and let them rest on the wall.
- Turn the palms to the ceiling.
- Close your eyes and relax in the pose, breathing deeply.
- Stay here till you are completely relaxed.
2. Uttanasana – Standing Forward Bend
Give your paining back a good stretch with this inversion. It invigorates your nervous system, enabling better blood supply. This will strengthen your back, keep spine supple, and ease out all signs of tiredness.
How to do:
- Stand erect on the mat, feet together, hands residing along your body.
- Inhale and bring your arms over your head.
- Exhale and bend forward, allowing your hands to fall forward.
- Keep bending till palms rest on the floor. Keep your navel in, thighs and knee caps pulled in, shoulders and neck relaxed.
- Hold the pose for 10 deep breaths.
3. Marjariasana – Cat Stretch
It gives a good massage to digestive organs, thereby enabling you sleep well. It is also one of the most effective ways to keep your stress levels at bay.
How to do:
- From Uttanasna, stretch your legs backward, one at a time.
- Place your palms firmly on the ground, beneath your shoulders.
- Place your knee down, stretching the toes backward.
- Inhale and lift your chest up and fix the gaze at the ceiling.
- Hold here for 10 deep breaths.
- Exhale and round your spine. Tuck your navel in and fix your gaze on your fingertips.
- Hold here for 10 deep breaths.
- Repeat step 5 through 7 five times.
4. Balasana – Child Pose
An excellent relaxing and stretching pose, it helps in soothing the tensed back muscles too. Your digestion process also gets a boost, thus ensuring that you sleep well at night.
How to do:
- From Cat Pose, sit down on your heels.
- Stretch your hands forward.
- With a deep exhalation, fall forward from the hips, allowing your tummy to rest on the thighs.
- Breathing deeply, hold the pose for about 10 deep breaths.
- Inhale and come back.
Sit in Vajrasana
5. Baddha Konasana – Butterfly Pose – Cobbler Pose
If your job involves standing for long hours or walking, then this one is the best solution. Along with offering a good stretch to your knees, inner thighs, hips, and groins, it calms you down.
How to do:
- From Vajrasana, stretch your legs in front of you
- Let the palms rest on the knees.
- Bend your knee outwards in such a way that the soles of the feet are in touch.
- Inhale and as you exhale, press the knees towards the ground and bend forward.
- Let your chin touch the toes or at least the heels.
- Relax here for 10 deep breaths.
- Inhale, come up, and release.
It is very essential to create a sleep time routine. Sleeping at a standard time is essential for your body to prepare itself for a good night’s sleep. Try the above mentioned yoga pre-bedtime routine and sleep well!