Yoga for better sleep: Poses and Routines for a restful night

Are you suffering from sleep deprivation? If yes, then you must try some yoga asanas to alleviate this condition. Many people find it very difficult to sleep, and we often toss and turn while making an attempt to catch up with a night of good sleep. But the good news is a simple yoga session can help us in regulating our sleep patterns. Yoga does not have to be always intensive and a heart-pounding workout. The small adjustments that these poses bring into your body are some of the valuable aspects of practicing yoga either at home or yoga school in Rishikesh.

To get complete relaxation, practice heart-racing hot yoga or Vinyasa yoga at any other time. The best styles of yoga for practicing before sleeping are

• Hatha yoga focuses on some of your basic positions of the body and stretches at a slow pace.
• Restorative yoga includes holding on to some resting poses for long periods of time.
• Yoga Nidra is one of the deeply guided processes called yogic sleep, which is practiced while laying down.

Who needs to practice yoga for better sleep?

Anybody can practice yoga no matter what their age, body, ethnicity, gender, or level of fitness. As per research, yoga keeps the potential to render benefits to people of every age and enhance their sleep. It benefits particularly the following group of people with a night of good sleep:

• Pregnant people practicing yoga get fewer sleep disturbances.
• Old adults with sleep disorders like insomnia or snoring experience enhanced sleep quality when practicing yoga.
• Women during the menopause period if practicing yoga gives them enhanced sleep quality.
• People suffering from restless leg syndrome, which is a sleep disorder, often interferes with their sleep because of leg movements at night. Practicing yoga gives them good quality sleep.

Yoga poses to practice for a better sleep

Vajrasana or Thunderbolt pose

Vajrasana enhances the flow of blood in your body which assists in stabilizing the mind and decreases stress and anxiety. This assists in developing a good sleeping routine. These yoga poses you can practice after eating a meal.

How to do?

Keep your knees down on your mat or the surface of your sofa. Sit down by keeping your pelvis on your heels and both of your heels opposite to each other. Now place your palms on knees that face upward direction or downward direction. Then close your eyes and make sure your backside is straightened.

Dandasana or staff pose

This is a pose that will stretch your hamstring and your calves and assist in restoring your flexibility. Increased flexibility means better posture, which assists you in sleeping well all night.

How to do?

While sitting down, extend your legs in the forward direction. You can slowly keep your palms flat on the floor that is next to your hips. This will assist you in supporting your spine, but you should keep your arms in a straight position. Breathe in and breathe out normally, and try to sit straight and tall by kadıköy escort keeping your spine lengthened. Hold on to this position for about 5 – 10 breaths to keep your legs active.

Udgeeth pranayama

It is a simple but efficient pranayama and meditation method. When you chant Om, it will calm down your mind and bring instability. Moreover, it will relieve anger and depression and help you to sleep deeply.

How to do?

Lie down and extend your arms out. With your palms facing upward, take deep breaths and fill your lungs with some air. While breathing out, create a circle using your lips and chant “Om” for as long as possible.

Baddha Konasana

This pose not only assists in losing some weight but also in sleeping well. It has a stimulating effect on happy hormones that relaxes your whole system and assists in falling asleep fast.

How to do?

Sit down by stretching your legs to your front side, fold your legs and bring your feet’ soles together. Place your feet at a good distance from your groin. Slowly try to bring your knees down when you exhale.

Balasana or Child pose

It is one of the important poses for relaxing your body, and you can do it anytime. It helps in stretching your back, ankles, hips and thighs, thus relieving tensions. You can practice this yoga pose on a regular basis to get proper sleep.

How to do?

Keep your knees on a mat or on the surface of your sofa. Now place your pelvis on heels, and both heels must be positioned next to each other. Breathe in, and when you breathe out, lean a little forward using your upper body. Keep your forehead down and expand your arms.

Tips for practicing yoga for better sleep

So, are you ready to practice yoga for better sleep? Here are a few tips you can consider while practicing:

• Never push yourself more than your comfort level: If you are feeling pain, pinched or some kind of discomfort, then gradually come out from your pose. It’s good to consult a healthcare provider if you have any doubts about some physical activity.
• Make it your evening habit: Try to become committed to practicing bedtime yoga daily to get good sleep. A constant bedtime routine with all good habits makes all the difference when the matter is about sleep quality, and feeling rested the next day.
• Make the environment relaxing: Whether you have thought of doing yoga on your yoga mat through courses like 200 hour yoga teacher training in Rishikesh or you want to try some evening poses while in bed, try to make your surroundings free from all kinds of clutter.

Conclusion

Yoga is a united system of breathing, meditation and exercise that helps improve sleep quality. When practicing some short and basic sequences of yoga poses is one of the best ways to wind off your busy schedule, ease off your tension and keep your body relaxed so that you can sleep peacefully. But before you start any new exercise, it’s best to consult your healthcare provider, especially when you have certain health conditions.