Yoga is great for improving your sleep because gets you in touch with the breath, which is something we don’t really think about during the day. But I’m not talking about your average yoga class where you do a lot of moving.

Tonight I’m going to show you some poses that you will hold for a longer amount of time. Yep, you heard that right, no flowing from one pose to another. Basically you’re just gonna sit there for a while to allow your body to fully relax.

When you slow down the breath, and stay in a pose for a longer amount of time you can feel different areas of the body that are tense and holding on from your day and gradually let that go as you sit and breathe through the pose. And stretching in general has a calming effect. Restorative yoga is great for calming the mind and body after a long day and helping you prepare for sleep

Here are some of my favorite yoga poses to do to help me fall asleep, and you can do all of them from the comfort of your own bed.

Ideally you want to do each pose for one to five minutes, holding each position gently without strain or pain for as long as feels comfortable to you. Can’t manage the full sequence? Pick your favorites and build them into your routine as you can.

Reclined Bound Angle

Stack two pillows on top of each other this will (mimic the support of a bolster typically found in a yoga class)
Position yourself sitting with the end of the pillows touching your tailbone.
Bring the souls of your feet together, letting your knees splay out to the sides If that is not comfortable you can place two pillows under each knee for a little more support.
Slowly lower yourself down on the pillows making sure that your head is supported your neck is comfortable.
Close your eyes and place your hands anywhere you feel comfortable, either on your lower abdomen, tops of thighs, or arms out at your sides palms facing up.

Bound Angle Forward Bend

Come to a comfortable seat with the soles of your feet touching, letting your knees splay out to the sides. This is the same set up for reclining bound angle pose but without the pillows
Reaching your arms out in front of you slowly bend forward to whatever level is comfortable to you.
You may want to keep your arms straight, or if your hips are flexible bend your elbows and place your forearms on the bed.
Slowly let your head release feeling the stretch in the back of your neck and upper back. If your back is tight you may not want to bend too deeply, but this is where you listen to your body and do what feels best.
Once you have found a comfortable posture hold for 1-3 minutes, allowing yourself to release more and more tension in the neck as your body becomes more and more relaxed.

*Good to know!* Forward bend postures in general are great for bed time because they promote turning inward, away from the world, and into yourself, a great practice when letting go of the day.

Seated Forward Bend

Begin in a seated position with your legs extended out in front of you.
Stretch your arms up to elongate your spine and slowly bend forward hinging from the hips.
Make sure you try to keep your back flat instead of rounding your spine and bending from your mid back.
If this is too much for a stretch you can slightly bend your knees.
With each inhale, slightly lift and lengthen the torso, and with each exhale, release and fold a little more.
Hold this for 1-3 minutes

Reclined Twist

Lay flat on your back and hug your right knee into your chest
Slowly bring it across your body to rest on your left side using your left hand to guide it and letting your right hip lift up so your hips face the left side if the room.
You can keep the left leg straight or bend it along with the right leg as well.
Keeping your shoulders flat on the bed, turn your head to look over your outstretched right arm.
You will feel a gently twisting of your spine and torso as your hips face left and your head points right.
Hold this pose for 1-2 minutes, or however long feels good for you, and repeat on the other side.

Legs up the wall

The easiest way to get your butt as close to the wall (or your headboard) as possible is to start by sitting with one of your hips touching the wall, then slowly bringing your legs up the wall, almost like the hands of the clock. (watch the video if this seems confusing)
Laying flat on your bed or the floor extend your legs straight up the wall, taking a slight bend in the knee if that’s comfortable.
If your hamstrings are too tight you can try this pose with a pillow or bolster underneath your hips to give them some lift.
If you have props at home you can use a strap around the thighs for extra support or place a sand bag on the soles of the feet for a wonderful grounding sensation.
Hold this pose for up to 5 minutes or longer, going with what feels best for you.

*This is an all time favorite pose for relaxation after a busy day*