Stop counting sheep! Ease your self into a restful evening with this basic bedtime yoga sequence to assistance slow down your sympathetic nervous method.
Learn About the Parasympathetic vs. Sympathetic Nervous Systems and How Yoga Affects Each
Every day, we are faced with new challenges, previous worries, and future anxieties that can make it tough to fall asleep . . . and to keep asleep. Follow this basic bedtime yoga sequence to slow down the body, the thoughts, and assistance you get a greater night’s sleep.
As a yoga instructor, my largest word of assistance is to take the restorative strategy when carrying out these poses. In other words, absolutely unwind into every single yoga pose and merely focus on your breath.
Try to meditate even though you practice the poses and let your thoughts cease operating for just 25 minutes prior to bed. You will notice a good shift in your sleep, but also in your outlook on life as nicely.
Practice This Restorative Bedtime Yoga Sequence Before You Go to Sleep:
To get pleasure from the added restorative aspect of this bedtime sequence, you will will need:
If you do not have access to these yoga props, you can substitute a thick book and a huge pillow – and we’ll also give suggestions for practicing specific poses without the need of props. In other words – we’ve got you covered. 🙂
Lizard Pose
This yoga pose is a fantastic hip flexor opener. If you are a runner or sit at a desk all day, this pose is best for you (but will really feel superb for absolutely everyone).
How to Practice Lizard Pose:
- Start in Down Dog, or in Table Top position
- Step your appropriate foot to the outdoors of your appropriate hand
- Drop your back knee down to the mat, and bring each arms inside of your front leg
- Allow your head to hang heavy and focus on your deep breathing
- Remain for 3 minutes, and then switch sides
To get the complete restorative advantage, I suggest making use of a yoga block to rest your forearms on, or if that is also substantially of a stretch, you can also spot your palms on the block to bring the floor up to meet you.
Whichever variation you pick out, attempt to unwind in this posture by continuing to breathe deeply and focusing on the breath.
Standing Wide Legged Forward Fold
This posture is not only a fantastic way to stretch your hamstrings prior to bed it can also be incredibly calming with your head resting on a yoga block.
How to Practice Standing Wide Legged Forward Fold:
- Turn to face the extended side of your mat and take a 4-foot step (or as wide as feels comfy for your body)
- Grab a yoga block and rest it on the tallest side. (If you do not have a block, enable your torso to hang freely and grab opposite elbows)
- Bring your forehead to the block and rest your third eye straight on leading
- Hands can either be on the floor, dangling, or resting on your decrease back
- Remain in the pose for 2 minutes, and then gradually rise back to standing
This gentle inversion is incredibly advantageous prior to bed due to the fact your head is under your heart so the blood is rushing to your brain, assisting to clear and calm your thoughts.
Supported Seated Forward Fold
In Sanskrit, this seated forward fold is known as Paschchimottanasana, and paschima indicates “west” due to the fact it stretches the whole back side of your body.
Adding assistance for your head in this pose with a yoga block or a bolster tends to make it restorative. By enabling your upper back to round, you could possibly really feel tension release from inside your shoulder blades.
How to Practice Supported Seated Forward Fold:
- Sit up straight with your legs straight in front of you
- Begin to hinge at your hips as you fold more than your legs
- Don’t be concerned about maintaining your legs straight or your spine flat – enable your back to round and spot a block or bolster (or stack block on leading of bolster!) on your shins to rest your forehead on
- Hold this pose for 2 minutes, and then gradually inhale your spine back to an upright seated position. Option to make fists and gently tap the sides and leading of your legs
Notice the opening you really feel in the upper back and continue breathing into that space behind your heart.
Supported Reclining Hero
This yoga pose can be a tiny intense if you have tight hip flexors and if you have any knee or ankle injuries or cartilage constructed up in your knees and ankle joints.
Due to this, I very suggest carrying out this posture with a block to sit on if you have one particular. If you do not, use a bolster or a pillow.
How to Practice Reclining Hero:
- Start kneeling and spread your knees a bit wider than hip-distance apart
- Slide your block / bolster / or pillow beneath your seat and then decrease your hips down till you are sitting on leading of it
- If this feels intense, you can keep sitting upright. If you really feel it is accessible, you can start to lean back
- If you lean back, you can rest on your palms or forearms (if you are on your forearms you have the selection of dropping your head back)
- Stay right here for 10 deep breaths and then gradually come out
Reaching your back to the floor is not the objective – you can keep propped up on your palms or forearms till you really feel a good, gentle stretch. Remember – these postures are meant to be restorative!
Reclining Hero is a good bedtime yoga pose for opening the front side of your body, letting appreciate pour into your soul appropriate prior to a very good night’s sleep.
Supported Bridge Pose
Bridge Pose is an great bedtime yoga pose due to the fact it assists relieve decrease back discomfort and also assists you really feel calm and balanced as soon as you come out of it.
How to Practice Bridge Pose:
- Lie on your back, bend your knees, and bring your feet close sufficient to your booty that you can touch your ankles
- Arms keep by your side as you start to lift your hips toward the sky
- Slide your block (on the lowest setting) or bolster / pillow straight beneath your tailbone
- Rest your hands either subsequent to you, above your head, or on your stomach – what ever feels organic
- Remain right here for 2 minutes
- When you are prepared to come out, lift your hips to eliminate your prop and then gradually decrease down one particular vertebrae at a time. Hug your knees into your chest for a breath and then release
You really should really feel supported in this posture, not making use of any strength at all. This is a fantastic posture to compliment all the prior poses.
Reclined Twist
With all the forward folds and backbends hence far, a basic twist will really feel so very good on your decrease back.
How to Practice Reclined Twist:
- Start by lying on your back with each legs straight in front of you, arms by your side
- Bring your appropriate knee into your chest, and hold your left leg straight
- Take your left hand and pull your appropriate knee across your body toward the left side of your mat
- Once your knee hits the floor (or comes to rest on a block or pillow), send your gaze skyward or if it feels ok on your neck, in the opposite path of your bent knee
- Cactus your arms and merely breathe and unwind, enabling your low back to release
- Remain in this pose for 2 minutes, and then gradually come out and switch sides
A twist is a advantageous pose prior to bed due to the fact it detoxifies and rehydrates your spinal column.
Child’s Pose Variation with Fists in Hip Crease
This variation of Child’s Pose is fantastic to do prior to bed, specially if you had a substantial meal for dinner or are experiencing any digestive concerns.
How to Practice This Child’s Pose Variation:
- From Table Top, bring your huge toes to touch and spread your knees a bit wider
- Lower your seat to your heels
- Make fists with each hands and spot them in your hip creases exactly where your thigh connects with your upper body
- Snuggle your fists inside that crease and get started to bend forward, relaxing your forehead towards the mat
- Hold this pose for 2 minutes, focusing on relaxing your whole body
Your fists will insert close to your ascending and descending colons, sparking your digestive method. This could possibly really feel a tiny uncomfortable if you are incredibly complete, but this pose can assistance relieve gas, tension, and be concerned that we hold in our guts.
Child’s Pose
This is a good posture to comply with the prior Child’s Pose variation.
How to Practice Child’s Pose:
- Keep your legs exactly where they are from your Child’s Pose variation above, and gently eliminate your fiss and extend your arms extended on the mat
- Your bum could possibly lift up from your feet, which is fine
- Bring your forehead to the mat and stroll your arms as far forward as you can to genuinely lengthen your spine and stretch your upper back
- Stay for at least 10 deep breaths, or longer if you really feel inclined
This posture could possibly really feel tense on your hips, and if that is the case, just hold it for ten deep breaths (longer if your body tells you to keep). Let your belly hang heavy – no abdominal engagement – and focus on clearing out your thoughts and thoughts for the duration of this restorative resting pose.
Legs Up the Wall Pose
A final bedtime pose prior to going to sleep is Legs Up the Wall – an infamous strain buster and fan preferred. Legs Up the Wall is a best pose for high quality sleep due to the fact the blood rushes down to your big joints and assists settle the thoughts prior to bed.
You can practice this pose against a wall so the back of your legs are resting on the wall (this is excellent) but you can also do this pose in the center of the space. If you opt for the second decision, merely stack your ankles and knees above your hips and you will discover that ‘sweet spot’ exactly where your legs can stay extended with relative ease.
How to Practice Legs Up the Wall:
- Lie on your back and extend your legs skyward like you are attempting to stroll on the ceiling
- Stack your ankles more than knees, knees more than hips
- Allow your arms to rest by your sides
- If you are carrying out this against a wall, you will shimmy your appropriate hip as close to the wall as you can, and then come onto your back and extend your legs skyward with the back of your thighs resting against the wall
- Soak up all the relaxing positive aspects of this pose for 5-10 minutes, then gradually come out the identical way you came in
Notice how nevertheless the thoughts gets in this pose and how at ease you really feel as soon as you finish practicing it.
Easy Seated Pose for Meditation
When meditating soon after the prior poses, attempt to focus on how light your body feels and visualize the breath coming in and out of your nose. If you would like, you can play soft music in the background or light candles to assistance calm your thoughts even additional.
Try to practice this meditation on a block or pillow so it assists elevate your hips more than your knees, leaving a clear line of power to travel up the major power channel along your spine. You can also do this lying down or even in bed if you are prepared to go to sleep appropriate soon after!
How to Practice Your Seated Meditation:
- Find your comfy seated position with your prop
- If you are seated, sit up tall and stack your shoulders above your hips
- If it feels comfy, you can close your eyes otherwise take a soft gaze a foot in front of you
- Breathe deeply and evenly and attempt to hold your thoughts focused on following the inhales and the exhales
- Remain for 10 breaths or 10 minutes – what ever suits your desires in this moment
Meditating prior to bed not only relaxes you, but it also clears out unnecessary worrying and list generating that we might habitually do prior to bed. It’s a fantastic way to solidify the relaxing, calming, and healing positive aspects of this bedtime yoga sequence.
Stop Counting Sheep and Do Bedtime Yoga Instead!
This yoga sequence is developed to calm your thoughts, body, and soul. Each yoga posture is meant to deepen your partnership with your self and assistance you discover a deeper sense of relaxation physically and mentally.
There are no set guidelines: if you do not like the way a pose feels in your body, merely skip them and do the poses that you can. Only you can really feel what your body is telling you, so listen to it.
Remember: these poses are not meant for strength creating. Instead, this restorative strategy is meant to get into your sympathetic nervous method and release tension and anxiousness from our minds.
Enjoy, and sweet dreams, yogis!
Add Breathwork to Your Bedtime Yoga Routine for the Ultimate Good Night’s Rest
Join YA Classes teacher Allie Geer as she guides you by way of a 7-minute class with a kind of Pranayama breathwork particularly for relaxing and preparing the body for high quality sleep.
With Allie Geer
7-minutes Class | All Levels
