Yoga for Restorative Sleep

Quality sleep is one of the most critical components of feeling and living well. Most adults (over 60%!) will experience some kind of sleep disorder at some point in their lifetime. If you have struggled to fall asleep or stay asleep, it can be a frustrating and exhausting (literally) cycle.

One simple way to help your body and mind prepare for restful sleep is through yoga. Some yoga poses (asanas) are known to induce and improve the quality of your sleep. With so many other health benefits to yoga, why not give these poses a try?

To watch a demonstration of these poses, click here.

Wide-Knee Child’s Pose:

This asana activates the nervous system’s relaxation response and stretches your low back, hips, groin and even ankles. In this pose tension caused by daily movement is relieved and you are able to breathe deeply. Deep breathing pulls clean oxygen into your body which then circulates through your body to increase blood circulation and restore energy.

Seated Forward Fold:

This is a terrific stretch for your spine and your neck and can alleviate stress before you go to bed. Place a pillow under your forehead so your neck is able to fully relax and breathe deeply to draw oxygen into your muscles.

Reclined Bound Angle:

This asana also helps lower the heart rate, reduce stress and prepare your body for bed. It can be done with or without support under your spine and knees. It can alleviate muscle tension and calm the nervous system which help curb insomnia. Multiple muscle groups are stretched during this pose which can help our bodies feel more relaxed when it’s time to climb into bed.

Happy Baby:

Like several other poses mentioned here, Happy Baby induces improved sleep by relieving tension in the muscles. It realigns the spine, stretches the inner thighs, groin and hips and lowers stress and anxiety. A mindful breath pattern slows down the heart rate and puts you into a deeply relaxed state where your body is able to rest. Happy Baby should not be done by pregnant women. 

Savasana

Every yoga practice ends in this pose, also known as Corpse Pose. You can practice savasana lying down in your bed as the final pose before sleep. You’ll want to make sure you can lay as flat as possible for 5-15 minutes before changing to your regular sleep position. Savasana stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system (the rest and digest response) while at the same time calming the sympathetic nervous system (your fight, flight or freeze response). Again this pose allows for deep, calming breathing which spurs relaxation of the mind and body. It’s not unusual for yoga practitioners to fall asleep during this pose so try it out for sleeping!