10 Yoga Poses for Better Sleep
Yoga is a great exercise for mental and physical health. These 10 yoga poses are great for better sleep.
There are many benefits to deep, restorative sleep. Sleep should be prioritized, as it is vital for health and wellness. Try out the best 10 yoga poses for better sleep tonight!
What is Yoga
Yoga is a series of movements that are performed which invoke physical, mental, and spiritual benefits. This originated in ancient India and is intended to help control and still the mind. I’ve always referred to it as a moving meditation.
Yoga has many benefits including improved range of motion, a boost in flexibility, increased stability, and better muscle strength. It can also help decrease stress, lower blood pressure, reduce tension, and decrease your risk of injury in everyday activities.
10 Yoga Poses for Better Sleep
Here are 10 yoga poses for better sleep! This is a flowing, low-impact routine that is very beginner-friendly.
Mountain Pose
Mountain pose is a very simple one. In essence, all you need to do is stand with your feet firmly placed on the ground in a comfortable position, either shoulder length apart or pressed together. Press the four corners of your foot into the ground, lengthen the spine, and tilt your chin slightly up. Your arms can extend towards the ground or reach up towards the ceiling. This post can help overall posture and stability. Hold this pose until you feel ready to move into the next one.
Forward Fold
From mountain pose, reach your hands up towards the ceiling if they are not there already. Then, begin to fold forward, slowly lowering your hands towards the ground as you hinge at the hips. Place your hands wherever they feel comfortable, on your thighs, knees, calves, or on the ground. This yoga pose is good for stretching the back and hamstrings. Hold this pose for three breaths.
Downward Dog
Next, bend your knees and place your hands on the ground. Step back until the balls of your feet are planted. Raise the hips towards the sky. The body should be in a v position, or downward facing dog. This position engages the core, arms, shoulders, glutes, and legs, making it an intense but beneficial pose. Hold this for about three breaths, and remember to listen to your body. If this is uncomfortable, you can place your knees down on the ground at any time.
Cat-Cow
From a downward dog position, simply lower your knees to the ground. Next, drop the belly towards the ground and raise your head up towards the ceiling, feeling a deep stretch in the cat part of this pose. Breathe in, breathe out. Now, roll your back up towards the ceiling, dropping your head down and tucking the chin towards the chest. This is the cow portion of the bows. Take a breath or two in this pose and repeat, focusing on moving slowly and feeling the stretch in the back.
Child’s Pose
Now, return to a neutral position on all fours, with your knees underneath the hips and hands planted underneath the shoulders. Simply sit the hips back and stretch the arms forward, allowing the belly to drop onto the top of the thighs. This is a child’s pose, a stretch that engages the full body. Hold this position for a couple of breaths.
Seated Twist
From a child’s pose, set upright in a comfortable seat. Raise the chin slightly, drop the shoulders, and straighten the spine. Now, turn towards the right, turning your head in that same direction. Hold the stretch for a couple of breaths, then repeat it on the other side. This should feel very comfortable for your back, neck, and shoulders.
Happy Baby
Next, we will want to flip over onto the back. From that position, reach your hands towards your feet and tick them up towards the sky. You should be able to perform a rocking motion, like a happy baby. This is a very good stretch for the hamstrings and should feel like a good massage for the back.
Supine Twist
After a bit of rocking, release your feet and stretch out your legs until you are lying flat on the ground. Tuck your right knee up towards your chest, then let it fall to your left side, and turn your body towards the right. This should stretch the back and quads. Hold this for three breaths, then switch sides.
Bridge Pose
A bridge pose is one of the best yoga poses for better sleep as it helps to counteract our posture when we sit. From your position on the ground bend your knees towards the ceiling, planting your feet on the ground. Next, slowly raise your hip, one vertebra at a time, and go into a bridge pose. You should feel this in your hamstrings, quads, glutes, and back. Hold this pose for a couple of breaths. You can lower down slowly, then repeat the pose if that feels good.
Corpse Pose
Still lying on the ground, extend your legs out and drop your hands to the sides, palms facing up. Relax every muscle in the body. This is a pose which helps to reduce tension and unwind. Take as many breaths as you need to, reflecting on your yoga routine and the benefits you have just given yourself.
The Takeaway
These 10 yoga poses for better sleep are a great addition to your nighttime routine. They will not take too long, depending on how fast you go through the yoga routine but can have amazing benefits for your quality of sleep and overall health. Good sleep is vital for wellness, so it is important to take actions that will improve our quality of sleep.
Health comes from within, always. Eat nutrient-dense, healthy meals, exercise when you can, at least 3 times a week, and take care of your mental health. Daily habits become the building blocks for emotional, mental, and physical health. Take care of your gut health too! Learn everything you need to know about gut microbiota today for free here.
