Sleep is a key factor in achieving overall good health. If you aren’t well rested, chances are you’ll have a much harder time making healthy food choices and attending fitness and yoga classes regularly. At our yoga studio in Mississauga, we offer classes such as warm candlelight yoga as an opportunity to wind down and get your mind and body ready for sleep. If you struggle with falling asleep at night or wrestle with insomnia, incorporating certain yoga poses into your nightly bedtime routine can not only help you fall asleep, but help you achieve a high quality, restorative sleep too.
Practicing relaxing yoga at bedtime gets you in touch with your breath and signals your body that it’s time to enter sleep mode. Yoga stretches out your muscles making you feel calmer and focuses your mind on your body’s movements, both of which help to release the stress and pressures of the day. Stress is one of the biggest causes when it comes to sleep issues, so the peaceful power of yoga may be exactly what you need to get your body ready to receive sleep.
Since you probably can’t attend a calming yoga class at our Mississauga studio every night, we suggest you build your own routine to use at home. Ideally, your bedtime yoga routine should be approximately 10 minutes long. Remember, because you are working on bringing your body into a relaxed state, be sure to hold each position gently and without strain or pain.
Not sure what poses to add to your bedtime routine yoga sequence? Pick your favourites from our list below and build them into your routine in a way that works for you. You can even complete the poses in bed, if that’s what feels comfortable.
Bedtime Routine Yoga Poses
Child’s Pose (Bal asana)
Child’s Pose stretches your lower back, hips and thighs in addition to relaxing your shoulders and neck. Most people find this pose very relaxing and many feel comfortable staying in it for several minutes at a time. Instructions on how to do the Child’s Pose.
Legs-Up-The-Wall-Pose (Viparita Karani)
This pose really promotes relaxation before sleep. With your legs up against the wall and above your heart, blood returns to the core which can help you feel sleepy. This pose can be done with or without props. Instructions on how to do this pose.
Happy Baby Pose
The name alone gives you a good indication as to why this pose is a good one to include before bed. Happy baby pose gently stretches the inner groin and the spine while also calming the brain and relieving stress and fatigue. Instructions on how to do Happy Baby Pose.
Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)
Bending forward elongates the spine and relaxes your neck and shoulders. This pose allows you to relax your neck tension while also gently stretching your hamstrings, calves, and hips. Instructions on how to do Uttanasana.
Corpse Pose (Savasana)
This pose will help relax the mind and the body and should be the last pose in your bedtime yoga sequence. In our Mississauga yoga studio, we typically end classes with Savasana and encourage people to let their stress, fatigue and tension fall away and embrace stillness. Instructions on how to do Savasana.
Finding Time For Yoga
It may seem overwhelming at first to commit 10 minutes before bed to a bedtime yoga routine, but helping your body prepare for sleep is important and can make a big difference. In addition to yoga before bed, regular yoga practice also encourages a healthy relationship with sleep. Keep in mind that yoga not only improves sleep for adults, but can help teens and kids sleep better too.
Mind to Body Yoga offers yoga classes in Mississauga for all ages and abilities, in addition to meditation and holistic health workshops and events. You can learn about our Mississauga yoga studio by visiting our website or give us a call at 905-712-YOGA.