Whether you spend each day at a desk or on your feet, your commute is a quick walk or a long drive, you did a 20-minute HIIT workout or an hour of Pilates, your body gets put through its paces on a daily basis.
So, it’s important to give it a little TLC and, let’s not forget, ample hours of zzz’s. Good news: This yoga for sleep routine can help. (BTW, here’s how to get the most out of savasana in class, or, you know, bed…)
Stretching before bed not only relaxes you, it also keeps your muscles flexible so you’re less likely to experience discomfort during everyday activities. And doing it before you tuck in can greatly impact and benefit the shut-eye your body gets throughout the night, which is arguably the best perk of starting a routine that utilizes yoga for sleep.
It allows you to release some of the tension you’ve built up during the day so you can prepare both your body and mind for a good night’s sleep. For the best shuteye, try this night yoga routine.
Sleeping Swan
Targets: neck, shoulders, back, hips, and legs.
How to:
- Sit on the floor with a pillow in front of you.
- Bend left knee, bringing the sole of the left foot to the right inner thigh.
- Lift butt and extend right leg behind you.
- Staying centered, gently hinge forward from hips, placing the head on a pillow.
- Extend arms forward, elbows slightly bent.
- Hold for 8 to 10 breaths.
- Roll back up. Switch legs; repeat.
Standing Forward Fold
Targets: back and neck
How to:
- Stand with feet about six inches apart and from the hips, fold the torso over, reaching towards the ground or bending arms and grabbing opposite elbows above the head.
- Exhale and lengthen down through the crown of your head.
- Hang and hold for 15 seconds, gently swaying from side to side if desired.
Lizard Pose
Targets: hip flexors, hamstrings, and quads
How to:
- Starting in a downward-facing dog, step right foot outside of right hand and bend the knee, coming to a lunge position, right thigh parallel to the floor, toes turned slightly out.
- Come down to rest elbows on the ground.
- Keep neck and spine in line, and press left heel away, keeping hips square.
- Hold for 15 seconds.
- Repeat on the left side.
Up The Wall
Targets: glutes and hamstrings
How to:
- Sit facing the wall and lie on your back.
- Moving buttocks as close to the wall as possible, lift legs and rest the back of legs against the wall, legs perpendicular to the ground.
- Rest with your arms out to sides, palms up.
- Hold for 15 seconds.
Before-Bed Bridge
Targets: hips and legs
How to:
- Lie faceup with knees bent, feet flat on the floor, arms extended by sides, palms up.
- Keeping shoulders down, engage abs and press into heels to lift hips and back to form a diagonal line from shoulders to knees.
- Hold for 8 to 10 breaths; lower.
Seated Forward Fold
Targets: hamstrings and calves
How to:
- Sit on the ground, back straight, legs together and stretched out in front of you.
- Flex feet (keeping them active) and bend forward from hips, reaching for toes (or as far as feels comfortable) with hands.
- Hold for 15 seconds.
Seated Side Bend
Targets: neck, shoulders, back, and obliques
How to:
- Sit on a pillow in a cross-legged position.
- Place left hand on the floor to the side of the hip, left elbow slightly bent.
- Extend right arm by ear.
- Lean to the left, keeping butt on the floor, shoulders down.
- Hold for 8 to 10 breaths.
- Switch sides; repeat.
Happy Baby
Targets: spine, groin, and hips
How to:
- Lie on your back, lift legs and bend knees, feet flexed towards the ceiling.
- Grab the big toe of each foot with the respective hand and further bend knees towards armpits.
- If able, rock left to right, gently massaging the spine.
- Hold for 15 seconds.
Figure Four
Targets: hips, glutes, lower back
How to:
- Lie on your back with legs extended in front of you.
- Lift right leg, bend the knee, and hug leg with arms into the chest for five seconds.
- Raise the left leg straight up towards the ceiling (or as high as you can), bend the right knee outward, and place the right ankle against the left quad.
- Move hand behind the left leg and pull the left leg towards the body.
- Hold for 15 seconds.
Corpse Pose
Targets: mind
How to:
- Climb into bed and lie down, legs slightly apart and stretched out in front of you, arms long by your sides with palms up.
- Close your eyes and bring focus to breathe.
- Hold for 15 seconds or until you fall asleep.
