5 Simple Yoga Poses to Do Before Bed for Better Sleep

Our body needs peaceful and sound sleep for healing and rejuvenating.  If you are finding trouble in falling asleep, it means that your parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) needs to relax. The following yoga poses are a great way to bring back your tired mind and body to a restful and relaxed state. Let’s get started.

5 Simple Yoga Poses to Do Before Bed for Better Sleep

1. Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhan Pranayama)

This breathing technique regulates our breathing pattern such that the body becomes calm and relaxed.

How to Do:

• Sit comfortably in a peaceful place. Place your thumb on the right nostril and breathe in through the left nostril.
• Now close the left nostril using the ring and the small finger and exhale through the right nostril.
• Now inhale through the right nostril and exhale through the left nostril using the same movement of the fingers.
• This is one complete round.

Repetitions: Repeat at least 10-15 rounds.

2. Reclined Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)

• Feel the calm and experience the restful state of the body while performing this exercise.
• Lie on your back and bring the soles of your feet together.
• Bend your knees such that they touch the ground sideways, while the soles are still touching each other.
• Keep one hand on your heart and the other one on the belly while feeling your breathing pattern.
• Feel the belly up while inhaling and chest down to the belly while exhaling.
• Keep the breaths slow and long. Take 15 breathes in this position.

3. Legs Up The Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)

Feel the state of complete relaxation throughout the body with this pose as the blood flows back to the heart.

How to Do:

• Sit close to a wall.
• Place a pillow below your hips in case you feel uncomfortable. Lay down your upper body in front of the wall and stretch your legs against the wall.
• You might have to adjust the alignment until you are comfortable.
• Put your arms alongside the body or extend them out if you wish to.
• Gaze towards the thighs and start breathing slowly and deeply.
• Stay in this position for 15 minutes for complete relaxation.
• To get out of the pose, gently roll on your side and be seated.

4. Supine Spinal Twist Pose (Supta Matsyendrasana)

This twist stretches the quadratus lumborum, the small erector muscles in the lower back. This tones the muscles of the lower back and relieves all tension and pain at that point.

How to Do:

• Lie on your back.
• Starting with one side, say right, bend your right knee and twist your body and taking the knee towards the other side of the body.
• Press the right knee towards the floor for a more intense stretch; hold the stretch for 15 breaths.

Repetitions: Repeat on the other side.

5. Corpse Pose (Savasana)

Experience a state of complete calm while performing this asana. Reconnect with your breath and enjoy the calm.

How to Do:

• Select a peaceful place and lie on your back.
• Role a pillow or towel if the neck hurts.
• Ensure that all the muscles of the body are relaxed.
• Concentrate on your breath, inhale and exhale slowly yet deeply.
• Stay in this corpse position for 15-20 breathes or till you find yourself in a complete state of complete calmness.

With hectic lifestyle schedules, we often compromise on quality sleep. Practice these easy and simple yoga poses regularly to release tension from the body and get restful sleep. You can perform these poses even in your bed right before you go off to sleep.

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