Effective yoga poses to help you sleep better

Can’t sleep? Yoga can help!

Yoga is accessible to people of all ages and can be practiced at any time of day. Yoga's holistic nature provides a plethora of health benefits regardless of when you start practicing. For increased energy, better sleep and productivity, and mood you must start your day with yoga by today itself.

It will help you gain control over your mind and body, as well as maintain good physical and mental health, by reducing stress and anxiety.

But alongside this what if I told you that doing yoga before bedtime is a relaxing and restorative activity that helps you sleep better and governs your sleep cycles?

Yes, that’s true. There are a variety of yoga asanas and meditations that will help you get a good night's sleep and wake up feeling refreshed eliminating sleep disorders if any. Yoga before bedtime is a great way to let go of everything you're holding onto emotionally or physically before drifting off to a restful night's sleep.

So, if you're having trouble falling asleep, try yoga and meditation to help you sleep better. Let’s dive in and explore some yoga poses to have a night of uninterrupted sleep.

Thunderbolt pose (Vajrasana)

Vajrasana comes with numerous health benefits and you must sit in vajrasana immediately after eating because it is the only pose that can be done on a full stomach.

How to do-

Drop your knees gently to the ground and keep your heels close together without overlapping.
Keep your back straight and your palms facing upward on your knees, and look forward.
Sit in this posture for a few minutes.

Legs up the wall (Viparita Karani)

You might recall doing this as a kid. I remember I used to do this all the time when I was a kid. I didn't realize it was a relaxation pose at the time.

The upside-down relaxation entails extending your legs against a wall; it's that easy, and it really works for relaxation and sleep preparation.

To be very honest, your feet and ankles can become swollen and tired at the end of the day, particularly if your job requires you to be on your feet all day. This simple pose aids in the recirculation of blood flow as well.

This is a classic restorative pose that can be done with or without props and with different leg variations. It's all about empowering the nervous system by facilitating the relaxation response in any case.

How to do-

Take a seat against a wall on your right side.
As you lie on your back, swing your legs up against the wall and place your hips against or close to the wall.
Place your arms in a relaxed stance.
Concentrate on your breath and release tension in your body.
Be in this position for five minutes.

Note - A rolled-up mat or firm cushion may be placed beneath your tailbone to provide additional support.

Wide-Knee Child’s Pose (Balasana)

Child's Pose is believed to help you unwind and release all of your fears from the day when practiced as part of your yoga poses before bed daily.

If your mind is talking or making up things, this pose will help you calm it down, relax, and make you sleep like a baby!

However, if you have a hip or knee injury, proceed with caution.

How to do-

Begin by kneeling on the ground and bringing your big toes together.
Spread your knees hip-width apart or as far apart as the mat's edges.
Take a deep breath out and sink your torso into your thighs.
Relax your hands alongside your torso, palms facing up, and point your arms to the back of the room. By widening your shoulder blades away from each other, you should be able to relieve shoulder tension.
Reach your hands forward, palms down on the mat, for a more active pose.
Keep your forehead pressed against the ground. Gently roll your head to each side. The tension in your forehead will be relieved as a result of this.
Do the inhalation and exhalation through your nose.

Easy pose (sukhasana)

You must be prone to sleep, but what do you do if you wake up too early or late at night? Relax into an easy pose, a meditation pose that helps to slow autonomic rhythms.

This easy pose is exactly that simple. It's ideal for meditation before bedtime to help you relax and fall asleep. This is something I frequently do before going to bed.

It aids in the development of inner peace and encourages you to discover peacefulness.

The key to this pose is to start relaxing with focus and breathing techniques before moving on to your other bedtime yoga poses.

How to do-

Sit with crossing the right shin in front of the left one.
Make sure your spine is straight.
Make sure the hands are facing the ceiling and the limbs are straight down from the elbow.
Eyes closed, concentrating on the rhythm of your breath and the beat of your heart.
Hold this pose for several breaths.
Repeat the pose doing vice-versa.

Take note of how the vibration in the air is exquisitely subtle late at night or early in the morning. Allow yourself to be enveloped by silence. If you have any ideas, particularly ones about the day ahead, carefully file them away.

Corpse pose (Savasana)

Another great pose to do before bedtime is the Corpse Pose, and I am sure that you all must have mastered this because it requires you to simply lay down on your bed or mat. You should simply relax during this moment.

How to do_

Lie down on your mat or in bed as you like.
Be extra careful towards the proper alignment of your head, neck, and spine.
As you completely let go of tension in your body, focus your attention on your breath.
Allow your body to sink into a deep slumber.
Hold for up to 15 minutes in this position.

Standing forward bend (Uttanasana)

It's not as difficult to do as it is to say.

The deep stretch that your body feels when in Uttanasana is the reason for the term Intense Forward Bend. It is one of the most appropriate yoga poses, to begin with for beginners. Uttanasana is a perfect way to improve your fitness and give your body more versatility.

How to do-

In Mountain Pose, take a few deep breaths to relax the muscle.
Exhale and lean away from your hips, not your waist.
Continue bending until your hands are in contact with your knees. Take a few deep breaths in and out.
Stretch your hips and bend your knees ever further (without straining the body).
Place your palms against the sides of your feet.
Bring your forehead to the level of your elbows. Close your eyes and let your body relax.
Take a few long and steady breaths. Keep your hands in this place for a few seconds.
Continue to hold the pose while softly stretching the spine.

Lizard pose

This is a posture that is often used as part of a bedtime ritual.

This is one of the poses you can probably do if you just do one pose before bed, just for that little bit of relaxation.

The Lizard Pose strengthens inner thigh muscles, opens and unlocks the stomach, shoulders, and spine, and trains the body for deeper hip openers.

Begin in the Downward-Facing Dog position. Inhale deeply.
Step your right foot to the outside of your right hand while exhaling. Make sure your toes are in line with your fingers by bringing your foot all the way to the front of your mat. Your right knee should be stacked over the ankle and bent at a 90-degree angle. Your toes should be pointing out at a 45-degree angle.
Exhale as you lower your knees to the floor, flattening your forearms on your mat. Place your hands on the floor and spread them out.
Maintain a neutral, calm posture in your head.
To keep your left leg active, exhale and push onto your left heel. This would save your hips from sagging into the concrete.
Take 5 absolute, deep breaths.
Exhale slowly and straighten your arms until your wrists are behind your elbows as you're about to exit the pose.
Take a deep breath and return to Downward Dog.
Hold the starting position for a few breaths.
To ensure that the posture is executed fairly on both feet, repeat the steps starting from the left leg forward.

Reclined spinal twist pose

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor, if possible, with a folded blanket or cushion beneath your head.
With both hands, grasp the back of the right thigh or shin and pull the right knee up against the ribs, if possible, using a strap instead of the hands.
When maintaining this pose, rock softly from side to side.
Gently straighten the left leg as far as is comfortable while keeping the right knee in place.
Roll onto your left side and lower your right knee for a few seconds. If your right knee does not hit the floor, place a cushion or pillow between it and the ground.
Rotate the upper body to the right while keeping the lower body in place, flattening the back against the concrete.
Free the body from the pose and lay on your back on the floor after a few breaths.
Repeat it on the other side as well.

Cow- Stretch Pose

On a mat or rug, get down on your hands and knees, make sure the knees are under the hips and the arms, elbows, and shoulders are all in place.
Bend the neck back toward the floor while inhaling, raising the head to gaze upward.
Relax and straighten the back as you exhale.
People will transition from the Cat Stretch to the Cow Stretch by repeating the two movements for a few minutes.

Thank you for reading it out

I hope you find it useful. For more informative blogs stay tuned.
Have a Shinysleep!