POSES TO PROMOTE SLEEP

You’ve been at work all day, it’s late and you’ve only just cleared up after dinner. (sound familiar!

You want to get a bit of yoga into your evening but you’re not sure if by exercising at this time of night will keep you awake?

What should you slip into your evening practise to combat insomnia and give yourself a better nights sleep?

 The main point to consider is the way in which you practise. Focus should be on gentle and sustained stretching, making sure you move slowly in between poses rather than rushing. Your breathing should be slow, deep and steady and your movements easy, which will allow your parasympathetic nervous system to kick in. This in turn will provide a calming state of relaxation for both body and mind.

 The poses that follow can be done in any order and you will soon start to feel which poses are the most beneficial and relaxing for you.

 Don’t forget to save Savasana for your final resting pose. You can even do this one in bed.

Sleep Well !!!!

 

Wide Knee Child’s Pose - Balasana

This pose is thought to help you unwind.

A gentle stretch for hips, spine, thighs and ankles. It calms a busy mind, relaxes you and helps sleep.

 

 

  • Begin sitting on your heels with feet together and knees wide apart.
  • Exhale as you bend forward and rest your torso between your thighs.
  • Reach your arms forward and rest your forehead on the floor. You can use a blanket or cushion under your head if you prefer.
  • Hold for 2-3 minutes, while taking slow deep breaths.

 

Legs-up-the-wall pose - (Viparita Karani)

 This pose provides the same restful benefits as when you take a nap. It can relieve the effects of insomnia, as it quietens the mind, reduces fatigue and refreshes the heart and lungs.

 

 

  • Sit with your right side against the wall, then lie back as you swing your legs up against the wall.
  • Get as close to the wall as is comfortable and bend your knees slightly if needed
  • Bring your arms out to the sides, or let them rest on your torso.
  • You can use a cushion behind your head or between your knees for added comfort. Hold for 3-4 minutes.

 This pose should not be performed in the 2nd or 3rd trimesters of pregnancy and be avoided during menstruation.

 

Restorative Bridge Pose - (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

Backbends are known for their restorative value and this pose is considered one of the best to induce sleep and calm the mind. It provides gentle, stretching for the front of the hips, belly, and chest.

 

  • Use a yoga bolster running lengthwise down your spine. Alternatively stack blankets to use instead of a bolster for support.
  • Slide your head off the support so that it rests on the floor, and let the tops of your shoulders sink down, too.
  • Place your feet underneath your bent knees or extend your legs out long.
  • Let your arms rest by your sides palms facing upwards and hold for 3-5minutes.

 

Happy Baby Pose - Ananada Balasana

Gently stretches the inner groins and the spine
Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and fatigue

 

  • Lie on your back.
  • With an exhale, bend your knees into your belly.
  • Inhale, grip the outsides of your feet with your hands (if you have difficulty holding the feet directly with your hands, hold onto a yoga strap or belt looped over each sole.)
  • Open your knees slightly wider than your torso, then bring them up toward your armpits.
  • Position each ankle directly over the knee, so your shins are perpendicular to the floor.
  • Flex through the heels. Gently push your feet up into your hands (or the belts) as you pull your hands down to create a resistance.
  • Hold for 2 to 3 minutes.
  • You may also want to support your head with a folded blanket or cushion.

Avoid this pose if you are pregnant.

 

Reclining Bound Angle Pose -  (Supta Baddha Konasana)

Another great night time yoga pose which gently opens the hips and shoulders. It is thought to encourage the body to rest and digest. It helps to reduce the heart rate and encourages a peaceful nights sleep.

 

  • Lying on your back, bend the knees and bring the bottoms of the feet together.
  • Bring the feet to the floor with the heels close to the hips, the outer-sides of your feet should be resting on the floor
  • Let the knees fall wide apart. You may want to use a cushion to support the weight of each knee. You also may want to perform the pose lying lengthways on a bolster.
  • Relax your shoulders away from your ears and allow your back body to sink more deeply into the mat. Allow your arms to rest by your sides in a natural position with palms facing upwards.
  • Stay in the pose anywhere from one to five minutes, depending on your level of comfort.
  • If your hips and groin are feeling tight, you can take your feet further away from your body; alternately, if you’re feeling more open, you can bring your feet closer toward your body to deepen the stretch.
  • To come out of the pose, take the palms of the hands on the outer thighs to gently fold the legs together, and bring the soles of the feet flat down on the mat. Then, hug your knees into your chest.

 

Corpse Pose - Savasana

Most yoga practises finish with Savasana as it is designed to induce deep relaxation, so perfect just before bed. Savasana has been known to reduce blood pressure and provide a relief for stress.

It allows you to completely rest the body and calms the mind. It can even be practised in bed.

 

  • From a sitting position, extend your legs in front of you and gently lie back so you are lying down. You may want to use a cushion or bolster under your head or under the back of your knees
  • Place your arms in a natural position at your sides with palms facing up. You will have a gap between your arms and body. 
  • Stay in this pose for 5-10 minutes or more. Focus on deep breathing and releasing the tension in your muscles.

 You may wish to use a blanket to keep you warm while resting.

 

 

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