You’ve set and follow a bedtime routine, limited screen time before bed, and you’ve even added in a relaxing bubble bath a few nights a week, yet you still have trouble falling and staying asleep. Sleeplessness can be exhausting.
Yoga can be a useful tool to add to your nighttime routine; in fact, certain yoga poses help you fall asleep quicker and sleep better throughout the night.
Legs up the wall, plow pose, supine twist, and corpse pose are four yoga poses that are powerful when it comes to sleep, these foundational yoga poses aim to ease you into dreamland and keep you there for the entire night. Each pose works to relax the whole body by taking the weight from your feet and legs and allowing you to wind down. To maximize the relaxation benefits, try holding each pose for five minutes.
Legs up the Wall
Lay down with your behind about six inches from a wall (or any other vertical surface), swing your legs upward, and rest them vertically on the wall. Lay your hands at your sides. For a less intense stretch to the hamstrings, move your behind a few more inches away from the wall.
Plow Pose
Laying on your back, slowly lift your legs and hips, so your legs swing over your head, and your toes touch the ground behind you. Have your arms at your side with your palms down, or interlace your fingers behind your back.
Supine Twist
Lay down on your back and bring your right knee into your chest and then across to your left side. Extend your right arm out and gaze towards your right, creating a deep, relaxing stretch. After holding for a few minutes, switch legs and repeat it on the other side.
Corpse Pose
Corpse pose is the final pose of a yoga class; you might have heard it called the final relaxation pose. Settling onto your back while lying on the floor, a yoga mat, or even in bed, relax your arms at your sides and extend your legs flat with your heels about hip-width apart. Close your eyes and breathe deeply.
These yoga poses will help quiet your mind while calming your body, allowing you to relax and drift off into a deep sleep.