Practising yoga before bedtime can release any mental or physical tension you may be feeling and allow you to sleep better. Practising relaxing yoga postures before bed can improve the quality of your sleep. It is especially beneficial for those with mild insomnia or poor sleep quality.
Benefits of bedtime yoga.
1. Improves insomnia
Regular yoga practice can improve insomnia. It allows you to fall asleep more quickly. Apart from yoga, practicing meditation, tai chi, etc. Can also improve sleep.
2. Improve the quality of sleep and quality of life
Practicing bedtime yoga can improve the quality of your sleep and is also good for improving the overall quality of life.
3. Relax your body and mind and reduce stress
Yoga calms your body and activates the rest or relaxation system in your body, which is known as the relaxation response. This also lowers your blood pressure and lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Regular practice helps to reduce stress-related worries such as weight gain, anxiety and insomnia.
Recommended yoga poses
Doing passive, gentle yoga poses can help you relax and sleep better.
Upward leg stretch
Lie on your back and rest your legs against the wall with your hips on or near the wall. Place your hands in a comfortable position, keep breathing evenly and focus on releasing the pressure from your body. Hold the pose for 5 minutes.
Supine bound angle pose
This relaxing and restorative pose calms the nervous system and relieves stress.
Sitting upright with the palms of the feet facing each other. Spread your knees out to the sides. Lie on your back and place your hands in a comfortable position. Hold the pose for 5 minutes. You can also ask a friend to help, as shown in the picture above.
Baby pose
This asana lengthens and stretches the spine while increasing flexibility.
Begin in downward facing dog, lowering the hips towards the heels. Bring your knees together or spread them wide. Relax the chest and let it rest on the thighs. Relax the so tension in the spine. Hold the pose for 5 minutes.
Stretched corpse pose
Lie on a mat or bed. Open your feet slightly wider than hip width. Keep your head, neck and spine in an upright position. Attention spine on the breath, allowing you to relax completely, hold for 5-15 minutes.
Yoga resting technique
Yoga nidra is a guided meditation that improves the quality of sleep, reduces stress and allows you to relax deeply. Lie down, breathe deeply and follow the cues to calm your mind and release all tension.
Choose slower and gentler types of yoga, such as hatha, yin or restorative yoga. Avoid more strenuous practices such as high temperature or vinyasa and focus on calming, restorative and inward facing poses.
Avoid active and energetic poses such as backbends. At the end of the session, breathing exercises may improve sleep.
Practice in a dimly lit room and use an eye mask to hold the pose for longer.
Sleep-aiding music can be chosen or earplugs can be used to isolate noise.
Bedtime yoga is particularly beneficial for those with sleep problems. Whether you need a deeper sleep or to improve your insomnia, bedtime yoga can help you.
