4 yoga poses to do before bed
| 2 min read
Adding a few poses to your pre-bed ritual might be the key to avoiding tossing and turning. A study from Harvard Medical School found that when people who suffer from insomnia did yoga every day before bedtime, they fell asleep faster and slept longer.
So what poses should you do? Here are a few that are believed to reduce stress, relieve physical tension and help you unwind:
- Legs-up-the-wall: This pose gets your relaxation response going, helping to slow down your heart rate and breathing. To do it, lie on the ground with your legs up against a wall for five to 15 minutes (it can feel really comfortable, so make sure not to fall asleep in this pose!).
- Supine spinal twist: Lie flat on the floor (or on your bed), bring knees up to your chest, then lower them to one side (keeping both shoulders on the ground). Hold for a few breaths and repeat on the other side. This helps break up any tension you may have built up in your spine throughout the day.
- Forward bend: Get out any lingering stress in your lower back or hips by sitting in a cross-legged position, bending forward, and stretching your hands out as far in front of you as you can.
- Goddess stretch: Lie on your back, then bring the bottoms of your feet together so that your knees fall to the side, stretching your inner thighs. Too much of a stretch? Place some pillows under your knees.
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Photo credit: kellinahandbasket and pexel
