In today's fast-paced world, achieving a restful night's sleep can often feel out of reach. The demands of daily life - the long to-do list, deciding what to eat for each meal, finding time for movement, managing social relationships, supporting a family - combined with stress and anxiety, can majorly interfere with our ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. An inability to shut the mind off. This can often lead to the use of distractions to fall asleep such as doom scrolling and watching tv until you can’t keep your eyes open. These methods of distraction don’t actually allow your body & mind to enter into a ‘rest & digest’ state. In other words, you’re not getting the restful sleep you need.
Fortunately, yoga offers a gentle and effective solution to promote relaxation and improve sleep quality. In this blog post, we will explore the ways in which yoga contributes to better sleep and run through five yoga poses that can work wonders for your sleep routine. It's important to note, however, that while yoga can be beneficial, individuals with persistent sleep issues should always consult a healthcare professional for comprehensive guidance and treatment.
Yoga is more than just a physical exercise – it is a systematic practice that allows the body, mind, and breath to find connection. Through controlled breathing, gentle movements, and mindful relaxation, yoga activates the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS), also known as the "rest and digest '' response.
The PSNS is the process of slowing down & rebalancing, particularly after something stimulating - such as a day full of personal demands. You know the PSNS is doing it’s work when your heart rate begins to slow down & tension reduces in your muscles. This is one of the main outcomes of a yoga practice - even just 5 minutes can begin to achieve this state.
Each of the yoga poses outlined below should be accompanied by deep breathing. Focus on expanding inhales & exhales, feeling every part of the breath moving through your belly to your chest.
Child's Pose (Balasana):
While kneeling on the floor, bring your big toes to touch and knees spread wide.
Sit back on your heels, extending your arms forward and lowering your heart-center towards the ground.
Allow your forehead to rest on the mat or a block between your arms.
This pose gently stretches the hips, thighs, and lower back, releasing tension and promoting relaxation.
Standing Forward Fold (Uttanasana):
Stand with feet hip-width apart, or touching, hinge at the hips and allow your upper body to fold forward.
Let your head and neck hang loose, and relax your shoulders. Your arms can hang freely or grab opposite elbows.
With overly tight hamstrings, a bend in the knees is encouraged to keep length through the spine.
This pose encourages a soothing flow of blood to the brain, calms the nervous system, and relieves stress and anxiety.
Reclining Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana):
Lie on your back, bring the soles of your feet together on the mat, allowing your knees to fall outwards creating a diamond shape with your legs.
Your hands can rest at your sides or on top of your thighs.
If this is too intense on the hips, place a yoga block under each thigh.
This pose opens the hips and groin, promoting relaxation and reducing physical discomfort.
Supine Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana):
Laying on your back, tuck one knee in towards your body. Allow the same-side arm to extend out from the shoulder. Place the opposite-side hand on your knee.
On an exhale gently pull your knee to the opposite side.
Make sure to do both sides!
Example - If the right knee is tucked in you want your right arm extended out from the shoulder, and your left hand on your knee. You will twist to the left side. If the knee is overly elevated you can place a block or pillow underneath.
This pose offers a gentle rotation through the thoracic spine & torso that helps to relieve tightness that could be preventing you from entering a relaxed state.
Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani):
Lay on your back with your sit bones facing the wall. Swing your legs up, resting them against the wall.
This pose helps drain excess fluid from the legs and reduces swelling. It also promotes relaxation and improves blood circulation.
Disclaimer: While yoga can be a valuable tool in promoting relaxation and better sleep, it is not a substitute for professional medical advice and treatment. Individuals experiencing chronic sleep issues, underlying medical conditions, or severe stress and anxiety should consult a qualified healthcare provider for proper evaluation and guidance. Yoga poses should be practiced mindfully and within your own comfort level.
