Preserving the quality of your sleep health is absolutely essential to maintain the quality of your sleep. There can be a number of reasons that can contribute towards disrupting your night sleep such as poor diet, lack of enough physical activity, stress build up, an old or worn-out mattress, etc. Thankfully, there also exist certain simple yoga poses for sleep that work by ramping up your physical activity and increasing your ability to deal with stress.
Countless researches in the past have pointed towards the benefit that practitioners of yoga receive in terms of sleep quality. People all over the globe are now readily turning towards learning and practicing yoga to uplift their overall health through benefits such as improved heart health, better mood, proper regulation of body hormones, etc. Let us therefore quickly glance at the 9 yoga poses that will help you sleep better.
Chapter Overview
#1 Half-Spinal Twist (Ardha Uttanasana)
The half-spinal twist is a variant of the standing forward bend pose. This is a particularly good pose for stretching every single part of your body including your torso, quadriceps, spine, hips, etc. This helps the body let go of any stress buildup in the body. People who are prone to facing pain in the back should definitely try this pose to relieve back pain. This pose works when you place the upper part of your body parallel to the floor by bending your spine and placing your hands flat.
#2 Leg Raised Up the Walls (Viparita Karani )
This is one of the easiest to perform bedtime yoga poses that help you sleep better by soothing your nerves and regulating the blood circulation. After a day of intense work out or athletic activity, a session of this yoga pose helps relieve any form of body pain. Beginners can try holding the legs up for at least 5 minutes so that they can be kept stretched long enough to relieve the pressure off the legs. While laying down flat on your mat, keep your hands relaxed by your side and place your legs straight up the walls, preferably an empty one.
#3 Corpse Pose (shavasana)
If there is one thing that we can all safely agree upon is that the corpse pose is the easiest of all the yoga poses to help sleep that we will be discussing. All you have to do is lie straight on your yoga mat and inhale and exhale rhythmically to sooth your whole body. Every part of your body such as the shoulders, hands, thighs, and legs need to be kept at a completely relaxed position. This pose helps in preventing blood pressure spikes and cases of anxiety. The equivalent of this pose in sleeping position is the one where you lie on your back which. To understand how sleeping on your back can help your sleep health, go through InsideBedroom’s blog on the ways sleep positions can affect your sleep.
#4 Lizard Pose (Utthan Pristhasana)
This yoga pose can mean intense stretching for your thigh and hip muscles. It is the perfect way to both relax and increase the flexibility of your leg muscles including the hamstrings, quads, glutes, and the flexor muscles. Back pain, especially pain in the lower back can be prevented by performing this pose. Your knees need to withstand a certain amount of pressure during the pose alternatively. You can try to bring both your hands together in the front to aid the blood circulation.
#5 Accomplished Pose (Siddhasana)
This bedtime yoga pose is one of the best to relieve and strengthen your shoulders, chest, torso, back, etc. Even the leg muscles of your body receive a good amount of strengthening through this meditative pose. Even if you are planning to skip a day of bedtime yoga, you can practice this pose for a wholesome restful and sleep-inducing experience. Such a restful sleep can do wonders for your skin so that you wake up looking youthful and pretty.
#6 Reclining Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)
The Reclining Bound Angle Pose is particularly good for the abdomen area and heart muscles. Lay straight down on your yoga mat and lift your knees sideways and let the soles of your feet meet with each other. This pose can combat stress and depression, both of which are among the leading causes of sleep deprivation.
#7 Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)
This is an easy and helpful yoga for sleep health improvement as it prevents the body from developing ache in the back or in the neck. The lower back of your body and the pelvic area are stimulated through this bedtime yoga. Place the soles of your feet and your hands straight against your body and lift your hips all the way up by exerting pressure on your feet. The bridge post helps your sleep because of its ability to deal with acid reflux, which is a major sleep disruptor.
#8 Seated Forward Bend Pose (Paschimottanasana)
Perform this yoga pose by keeping a foam pad or a folded yoga mat to slightly elevate your back. Keep your back stretched so that your hands can meet at the soles of your feet. You can use a pillow or a resting foam on the top of your legs to place your head. Not only does this pose help improve the health of your liver and kidneys but also reduces the risk of anxiety and tiredness. When you sleep well you are also becoming better at following your fitness routine.
#9 Child’s Pose (Balasana)
The Child’s Pose is very beneficial for the thighs, quadriceps, hips, and ankles because the way it stretches the whole body. Try kneeling down in the ground and stretch your arms straight ahead. Bend your spine fully so that the muscles on your back and hip area can be fully stretched.
Bottom line:
A bedtime yoga can have a ton of benefits for your sleep health such as counter against insomnia, weight loss, improved beauty sleep, etc. Visit this blog to clear your mind of any preconceived myths about beauty sleep. Practicing yoga regularly everyday can benefit not only your sleep but all of your physical and mental faculties also.