If you’re struggling to sleep, yoga might help. It’s a gentle way to relax and can help you fall asleep more quickly. Research shows that practicing yoga before bed can improve sleep quality — benefits that can last for months after just a month of practice. The best part is you don’t need special equipment or clothes — just a quiet space. A few bolsters or props can be helpful, though. If you’d like to see some of my favorite props, check out my guest post on Zulily: Yoga Props and Tools To Improve Your Practice.
Few things are more frustrating than lying awake, tossing and turning. That frustration only makes it harder to sleep. Whether your mind won’t shut off, you’re stressed, overtired, or dealing with aches and pains, simple yoga poses before bed can help you fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply.
In this post, I’ll share seven poses that can leave you feeling calm and sleepy.
How yoga before bed helps:
– It calms your mind, making it easier to drift off.
– It releases muscle tension, which is especially helpful if joint or muscle pain keeps you awake.
– One study found people who practiced yoga for 12 weeks reported better sleep quality than those who didn’t.
How to practice after a long day:
If you’re exhausted, start with restorative poses and then move into gentle stretches. This lets your body unwind slowly. Adding calming breathwork or a short meditation can help even more.
Yoga poses that help you sleep:
Seated Forward Fold
This pose eases tension in the back and soothes the mind. For a more restorative version, place a large pillow over your legs to support your body and deepen relaxation.
Seated Side Bend
This stretch relaxes the neck, shoulders, and back. Sit cross-legged on your bed. Inhale, lift your arms overhead; exhale and place your left hand on the bed by your hip while reaching your right arm over your ear toward the left. Lean slightly left with your sit bones on the ground and your left shoulder relaxed. Hold for several breaths, then switch sides.
Reclined Bound Angle (Supta Baddha Konasana)
A favorite of mine, this pose releases tension in the lower back and hips and can help with sciatica pain. Adjust how far you go so you feel comfortable and supported.
Supported Child’s Pose
Great for grounding and reducing stress. From all fours, bring your knees under your hips and your heels close to your sit bones. Place pillows under your chest for support. Exhale and sink your torso toward your thighs. This helps relieve back and shoulder tension from long hours at a computer.
Savasana
Lie on your back and fully relax. Savasana is excellent for drifting into sleep and easing joint or muscle pain that interferes with rest. It’s a calming end to any bedtime practice.
Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)
Simple and effective. Sit close to a wall, lie back, and rest your legs up the wall. Shift until it feels comfortable, let your arms relax by your sides, and take slow, deep breaths. You can add a cushion or rolled blanket under your tailbone for extra support.
Happy Baby
This pose opens the hips and releases the lower back. Lie on your back, lift your legs, bend your knees, and flex your feet toward the ceiling. Hold the outsides of your feet and draw your knees toward your armpits. Stay still or gently rock to massage the lower back and hips. Hold for 5–10 breaths.
Reclined Twists
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet on the floor. Bring your knees to your chest and squeeze gently, then keep them lifted. On an exhale, let your knees fall to the right and, if comfortable, turn your gaze to the left. Take about 10 breaths here. Inhale to return to center and repeat on the other side. This eases the back, hips, and glutes.
Other tips to improve sleep:
If you have trouble switching from work mode to sleep mode, a bedtime routine can help create consistency and improve sleep. I’ve written about simple, actionable routines and even DIY relaxing sleep sprays you can try.
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