If you’ve ever found yourself lying awake at night, unable to fall asleep, you’re not alone. In today’s fast-paced world, quality sleep is becoming increasingly rare and it’s essential for both physical and mental wellbeing. When we get overstimulated, overworked and overdriven, our nervous system goes over its own limits and in time it loses its capacity for self-regulation. Consequences can vary dramatically, but poor quality sleep is a very common one.
Yoga can be a powerful and natural tool to help improve your sleep.
At Yoga Circle, we see every day how a regular yoga practice can transform not only the body, but the mind and the nervous system. But why? That’s it because yoga works on multiple levels (physical, emotional and neurological).
- It calms the nervous system
Through deep breathing and slow, mindful movement, yoga activates the parasympathetic nervous system. This naturally lowers your stress levels, slows your heart rate, and prepares your body for sleep.
- It releases muscle tension
If you spend long hours sitting, commuting, or dealing with daily stress, tension builds up in your neck, shoulders, hips, and back. Gentle relaxation yoga, stretching, and restorative poses help release this tension, making your body more comfortable when it’s time to go to bed.
- It reduces anxiety and overthinking
A major cause of insomnia is the inability to “switch off”. Mindfulness tools used in yoga help quiet mental noise and create emotional balance, helping your mind settle before bedtime.
- It regulates your breathing
Controlled breathing techniques help slow down your respiratory rate, sending your brain a powerful message that it’s time to relax and rest.
Here’s a simple bedtime yoga routine you can try:
Standing Forward Fold (Uttanasana)
Releases tension in the hamstrings and lower back while soothing the nervous system.
(Malasana is a nice way to transition from standing to sitting, it opens the hips and helps releasing tension from the pelvic region.)
Child’s Pose (Balasana)
Calms the mind, stretches the back, and helps you ground your energy. Variations can be knees apart, arms stretched out in front or resting by the side of the body.
Butterfly Pose
Seated yoga posture where the soles of the feet touch and the knees gently fall outward, resembling a butterfly’s wings. It helps open the hips, stretch the inner thighs and the spine, while promoting relaxation.
Reclined Twist
Helps release tension in the spine and soothe the digestive system before bed.
Savasana with Deep Breathing
End with 5 minutes of mindful breathing. Focus on inhaling peace (through the nose) and exhaling any stress from your day (through the mouth). Always end with some deep rest, which might just lead you straight into sleep.
Ready to improve the quality of your sleep? Try these yoga poses and start to work on it.
Join one of our classes at Yoga Circle and experience how calming your evenings can truly be. Restorative and Yoga Nidra classes are particularly soothing to prepare you for a good evening rest.
