“A good day starts the night before.”
Tossing and turning. Mind racing. Staring at the ceiling while your body begs for rest.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone — millions struggle with falling or staying asleep.
Here’s the good news: yoga can help.
Not just any yoga — the right type of calming, mindful movement designed to soothe your nervous system, quiet your thoughts, and prepare your body for deep, restful sleep.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- Why yoga helps with sleep
- A gentle nighttime routine to do in bed
- 6 yoga poses that can melt you into sleep naturally
💤 How Yoga Improves Sleep Quality
Yoga helps in ways that sleep pills and caffeine-free teas can’t:
✅ Lowers cortisol (stress hormone)
✅ Activates the parasympathetic nervous system (rest mode)
✅ Relieves body tension that keeps you restless
✅ Clears the mental clutter that delays sleep
✅ Releases emotional tension stored in the body
When you unwind your body, you quiet your mind.
🌜 Your Bedtime Yoga Routine (10–15 Minutes)
All you need is a quiet space, dim lighting, and maybe a cozy blanket.
🧘♀️ 1. Seated Forward Fold (Paschimottanasana)
Purpose: Calms the spine and mind.
How to do it:
- Sit with legs extended
- Inhale, reach arms up
- Exhale, fold forward gently
- Let go of tension in neck and jaw
Hold for: 1–2 minutes
Close your eyes and feel your exhale lengthen.
🧎 2. Child’s Pose (Balasana)
Purpose: Promotes deep emotional and physical rest.
How to do it:
- Kneel, big toes together, knees wide
- Fold forward with arms stretched or tucked
- Rest forehead on mat or pillow
Hold for: 2–3 minutes
This pose feels like a hug from the earth.
🦋 3. Reclined Butterfly (Supta Baddha Konasana)
Purpose: Opens hips and calms anxiety.
How to do it:
- Lie on your back
- Bring soles of feet together, knees drop outward
- Place one hand on belly, one on heart
Hold for: 3–5 minutes
Breathe deeply into your belly.
🌊 4. Legs-Up-the-Wall (Viparita Karani)
Purpose: Soothes tired legs and quiets the nervous system.
How to do it:
- Lie near a wall
- Lift legs straight up against the wall
- Let arms rest by your sides
Hold for: 5 minutes
This is like a deep reset for the body and brain.
🧘♂️ 5. Supine Twist
Purpose: Releases lower back tension and aids digestion.
How to do it:
- Lie on back, hug knees into chest
- Drop both knees to one side
- Look over opposite shoulder
Hold each side: 1–2 minutes
Inhale space. Exhale tension.
🛌 6. Savasana in Bed
Purpose: Final relaxation. Let go fully.
How to do it:
- Lie on your back
- Let legs and arms relax naturally
- Close your eyes. Let your body sink
Optional: Listen to soft ambient music or a yoga nidra meditation
Stay as long as you like… or until you drift off.
You don’t need to “do” anything. Just “be.”
🌿 Bedtime Breathing Technique (Bonus)
After your final pose, try this:
🌬️ 4-7-8 Breathing
- Inhale for 4 seconds
- Hold for 7 seconds
- Exhale slowly for 8 seconds
- Repeat 4 times
This activates your parasympathetic nervous system (the one that makes you drowsy), slows your heart rate, and signals your brain that it’s safe to sleep.
📆 Create a Sleep-Friendly Routine
🕯️ Turn off bright lights an hour before bed
📱 Avoid screens — or wear blue light blockers
💧 Skip caffeine after 2 PM
📿 Add a few drops of lavender oil or light incense
📚 Read a calming book (not your to-do list!)
A bedtime yoga practice tells your body, “It’s time to rest.”
🧘♀️ Final Thoughts:
Forget sleeping pills or endless scrolling.
A soft, slow yoga practice is a natural sleep remedy that works with your body and mind — not against them.
Start small. Just 10 minutes a night can lead to:
✅ Better sleep
✅ Less anxiety
✅ Waking up with more energy
✅ A peaceful nighttime ritual you’ll crave
Sleep isn’t just rest — it’s renewal.
And yoga is the bridge that gets you there.
📍 Sleep Better with Us
🛌 Try our Yoga for Deep Sleep class every Thursday at 8 PM
💤 Includes guided breathwork, gentle poses & aromatherapy
✨ First class free — bring your mat and your sleep socks!
“The moon watches over those who surrender.”
