Yoga for sleep: 6 yoga poses for a restful night

Are you struggling to sleep properly at night? Here are 6 yoga poses to help induce sleep and ward off insomnia.

By: Arushi Bidhuri | | Updated: December 25, 2020 9:43 am

There’s no doubt that yoga is a great exercise that helps you feel better from head to toe. It helps you feel relaxed, strong and gives you mental clarity. But did you know yoga can help you sleep better as well? Also Read - Acne Inversa: Load up on these foods to steer clear of the problem

Yoga For Sleep

Is tossing and turning in bed a normal late-night ritual for you? Stress due to the constant hustle and bustle of life can affect your sleep, affecting your overall health. In some cases, all of this can even lead to insomnia. For the unversed, insomnia is a sleep disorder in which you have trouble falling or staying asleep. But the good news that yoga can help induce sleep so that you can get ample hours of zzz’s at night. Here are some yoga poses to help you have a restful sleep at night. Also Read - Is running enough to lose weight if you don’t go to the gym?

Child’s Pose (Balasana)

Start with your knees on the floor and your buttocks on your feet
Make sure your back is straight and your hands are resting on your knees
Now, exhale and slide down and forward into the child’s pose, using your hands as support. Allow your forehead to touch the ground
Breathe in and out slowly, and hold the pose for a while
Now, come back to the initial position using your hands while inhaling
Do not push yourself too much while doing this pose and avoid putting pressure on your back

Seated Forward Fold

Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you
Draw your toes back, lengthen your spine and push your chest forward
Now, bend your hips and move forward
Move your hands down your feet as far as possible, folding your torso into your legs
Tuck your chin into your chest and hold the position for a few minutes for as long as you can

Lizard Pose

Lie on your stomach on a yoga mat and place your palms near your ears. Point your toes downwards so that your heels are facing the ceiling
Exhale and push off your hands, such that your buttocks are pointing towards the ceiling
As you exhale, step your right foot forwards and place it at the edge of your right hand
Bring both your forearms to the floor inside the right leg
Keep your inner left thigh lifting and resisting. Press the left heels away and keep your hips square. You will a stretch in your upper back while doing this position
Stay in this position for at least five breaths and come back to the initial position
Now do this again by stepping your left foot forward

Legs Up The Wall

Sit on a yoga mat with your left side against the wall. In case you are using a bolster, your lower back should rest on that
Now, gently turn your body to the left and bring your legs up onto the wall
Bring your butt against the wall
Press down through the inner edges of your feet, as you begin to lift your sitting bones higher up the wall to straighten your legs
To go deeper, step back until your heels are touching the baseboard

Bridge

Lie on your back, with bent knees and feet flat on the floor. Keep your arms by your sides with palms facing the floor
Now using your arms strength push your pelvis off the floor, towards the ceiling. Exhale as you do this
Keep your body lifted such that your neck and head are still flat on the floor and the rest of your body is in the air, similar to a bridge
Hold this pose for five steady, consistent breaths

Corpse Pose

Lie down on your back with your eyes closed
Keep your legs comfortable and let your knees relax completely. Place your arms alongside and spread a little apart from your body. Make sure that you leave your palms open
Try and draw attention to the tip of your nose and observe your breath
Keep breathing slowly, deeply and gently and allow your breath to relax you. Make sure you don t fall asleep
After 5-10 minutes whenever you feel relaxed slowly get up and sit in an easy pose

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Published : December 24, 2020 7:38 pm | Updated:December 25, 2020 9:43 am

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