Evening Yoga Routine: The Ideal Practice for a Restful Night’s Sleep

Embracing Peaceful Sleep: A Yoga Sequence for Bedtime Relaxation

Are you finding it hard to settle down for the night? You’re certainly not alone. Millions of people face challenges with insomnia and sleep disruptions. While a variety of factors can contribute to these issues, integrating an evening yoga routine into your nighttime habits can significantly enhance your ability to relax and prepare for a restful night’s sleep.

Yoga serves as an effective and gentle approach to alleviating stress, quieting the mind, and preparing your body for sleep. Here, we’ll delve into a straightforward evening yoga routine with bedtime poses designed to help you relax and drift off into a peaceful slumber.

13 Relaxing Bedtime Yoga Poses for Better Sleep

1. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

Start your practice in Mountain Pose at the front of your yoga mat. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, ensuring your weight is evenly distributed. Engage your core by pulling your navel in and up, which will help support your back and maintain good posture. Open up your collarbones and shoulder blades while lengthening your spine. Stretch the crown of your head upward, bringing your arms down by your sides with your palms facing forward. Take a few deep breaths here, embracing a sense of calm.

2. Forward Fold (Uttanasana)

Transitioning from Mountain Pose, gently bow forward, letting your forehead come to rest on your shins. If your hamstrings feel tight, allow a slight bend in your knees. You may also try the Rag Doll variation, where you clasp opposite elbows and let your head hang heavy, releasing any tension in your neck. Stay in this position for several breaths, allowing your lower back to relax before releasing your hands to the mat.

3. Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Next, move into Downward Facing Dog, forming an inverted “V” shape with your body. Walk your hands forward and press your hips toward the sky, grounding your weight evenly through your hands. Aim to press your chest toward your thighs while maintaining space in your shoulder blades. Let your heels sink toward the floor and straighten your legs, ensuring a straight spine throughout.

4. Cow/Cat Pose (Bitilasana/Marjaryasana)

Get into a tabletop position on your hands and knees. Inhale deeply, dropping your belly and lifting your chest slightly for Cow Pose. As you exhale, round your spine, contracting your belly and tucking your chin toward your chest for Cat Pose. Continue to flow through these two poses, syncing your movement with your breath to enhance relaxation.

5. Child’s Pose (Balasana)

From tabletop, gently sink your hips back towards your heels, widening your knees while keeping your big toes together. Extend your arms forward with palms facing down, feeling the stretch along your back. Embrace the stillness in Child’s Pose, a key part of your evening yoga routine, and take deep, calming breaths.

6. Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)

Transition to a seated position with your legs extended in front of you. Inhale, reaching your arms overhead to lengthen your spine. As you exhale, fold forward over your legs, reaching for your feet, ankles, or shins. Maintain a slight bend in your knees if necessary, and relax your forehead toward your legs, easing any tension in your lower back.

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7. Head to Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana)

While seated, bend your left knee, placing the sole of your left foot against your inner right thigh. Inhale as you raise your arms overhead, then exhale as you fold over your right leg, reaching for your foot. Allow your head to bow down, aiming to bring your forehead toward your knee. Remain in this pose for a few breaths, feeling the stretch in the back of your legs before switching sides.

8. Butterfly Pose (Baddha Konasana)

In a seated position, bend your knees and bring the soles of your feet together, letting your knees fall out to the sides. Grasp your ankles or the inner arches of your feet. Ground your sit bones while sitting tall, lengthening your torso. To enhance this position, place cushions or bolsters beneath your knees for added support.

9. Supine Spinal Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)

Lying on your back, pull your right knee into your chest. As you exhale, guide your knee across your body to the left, twisting your spine gently. Extend your right arm to the side for a deeper stretch in your shoulder. Hold this position for several breaths, allowing your muscles to relax before returning to center and switching to the left side.

10. Reclined Pigeon Pose (Supta Kapotasana)

While on your back, bend your knees with your feet flat on the ground or bed. Cross your right ankle over your left thigh, forming a triangle with your legs. With your left arm on the outside of your right leg, thread your right arm through the opening to grasp your left thigh. Gently draw your legs toward your chest, opening your right knee to the side. Stay in this position for a few breaths, feeling the release in your hips, then switch sides.

11. Happy Baby (Ananda Balasana)

Lying on your back, draw both knees into your chest, bending your legs at a 90-degree angle with your feet pointing toward the ceiling. Hold onto your big toes or ankles and gently pull your knees down towards the floor, ensuring your spine maintains its natural curve. If you notice rounding in your lower back, consider holding your inner thighs instead. Stay in Happy Baby for several breaths, allowing your hip flexors to relax.

12. Waterfall Pose/Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)

Sit next to a wall and slowly roll onto your back, allowing your legs to extend up against the wall. Your body should form an “L” shape. If you feel discomfort in your lower back, move a few inches away from the wall. Keep a slight bend in your knees to avoid locking them. Remain in this pose for several minutes, taking deep breaths and grounding your upper body into the floor or bed. Adding a folded blanket under your shoulders can increase comfort.

13. Corpse Pose (Savasana)

Finally, lie on your back in a comfortable position. Allow your body to feel heavy and completely relaxed. Let go of any remaining tension in your face, jaw, and throat. As your heart rate slows, breathe naturally and embrace this moment of stillness. If you practiced this evening yoga routine on your mat, consider moving to your bed for Savasana, facilitating a smoother transition into sleep.

Finding Restful Sleep Through Yoga

Integrating a short evening yoga routine into your nightly habits promotes better sleep quality and overall well-being. Consistency is crucial—dedicating even a few minutes each night can lead to noticeable improvements in your sleep. So unroll your mat, dim the lights, and allow the soothing energy of yoga to guide you into a peaceful night’s rest.

By nurturing your body and mind with these calming bedtime yoga poses, you’re taking essential steps toward achieving the restorative sleep you deserve. Sweet dreams await you!