In today’s fast-paced world, people barely get time to get quality sleep. As sleep takes a back seat, people tend to feel overwhelmed, restless, and fatigued.
Although there are several sleeping aids and remedies, one of the simplest, most natural, and effective strategies is bedtime yoga. If you incorporate a gentle evening bedtime yoga routine into your schedule, you can improve the quality of your sleep. The better you sleep, the calmer your mind will be, your body will be more relaxed, and you will feel less stressed.
Whether you are struggling with insomnia or you are willing to have a more sound, peaceful sleep, a mindful evening bedtime yoga session can work wonders. Read on to know how you can curl up to a rejuvenating night’s nest more peacefully.
Benefits of Bedtime Yoga Routine
Listed below are some of the benefits of following a bedtime yoga routine:
- Performing bedtime yoga regularly can help manage the symptoms of insomnia. If you perform yoga regularly, your sleep quality will improve, you will fall asleep quickly, and there will be reduced chances of wakefulness at night.
- Bedtime yoga can make you feel relaxed. The mindful breathing that accompanies various yoga poses helps in shifting your focus away from stressful events of everyday life. This, in turn, allows you to sleep better.
- Bedtime yoga helps in increasing mind-body awareness. When you indulge in yoga before bed, it heightens awareness about how your physical sensations and thoughts can impact your ability to relax. This enhanced mindfulness helps improve the quality of your sleep, thereby allowing you to manage your stress more effectively and promoting your overall well-being.
Some Yoga Moves To Practice Before Bedtime
A bedtime yoga routine can help improve your sleep cycle. Know some of the yoga poses that can help you:
Legs-up-the-Wall (Viparita Karani)
To perform this yoga, you will have to place a cushion or bolster under your hips. Sit close to the wall, lie on your back, and extend your legs up the wall.
Your arms should be kept at your sides or over your head, whichever you find more comfortable. Hold this pose for 3-5 minutes and breathe gently.
This yoga helps bring blood back to the heart, improves blood circulation, and promotes relaxation, thereby helping you unwind better.
Butterfly Pose (Baddha Konasana)
To practice this yoga pose, you will have to sit with your legs extended in front of you. After that, bend your knees and draw the heels close to you.
Let your knees drop towards the floor, bed, mat, or whatever surface you are sitting on. Hold the outer edges of the feet with your hand while maintaining a straight position of the spine. Stay in this position for 1-2 minutes and take deep breaths.
This pose helps in stretching out the inner thighs and hips and releases any tension stored in the lower body.
Child’s Pose (Balasana)
To perform Balasana, kneel with your toes together and knees hip-width apart. Lower your torso between your knees and exhale as you do so.
Extend your arms towards the front with your palms facing down. You can also let your arms relax alongside your legs and your palms facing upwards. Breathe deeply and hold your pose for up to 3 minutes.
This yoga helps stretch your lower back and release your tension. This way, you can calm your mind and get a mental wind-down, which can help you sleep better.
Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana)
This is quite similar to the Child’s Pose. To practice this yoga, lie on your back and pull your knees close to your chest. Grab your ankles or your feet from the outside. Pull your legs apart in a way that your knees are towards the floor beside the torso. Hold this position for 1-2 minutes; you can also rock gently from one side to another.
This yoga can help ease tension in your lower back, open up the hips, and also stretch the inner groin. It also encourages playfulness, which is excellent for shaking off adult worries before dozing off at night.
Conclusion
For people who have sleeping concerns and keep tossing and turning throughout the night, bedtime yoga is extremely beneficial. Performing yoga before bedtime helps loosen up your muscle tension and lets you relax. Therefore, remain consistent in your bedtime yoga practice—the results may take up to a few weeks.