Exhale and stretch your spine long as you fold forward. Sit tall on the edge of a folded blanket with your legs extended. Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend) | 1 minute Remain here for 1 minute or 10-15 breaths. If you prefer, rest your forehead on a block. Lift your left arm, exhale, and slowly fold over your right leg, reaching for your foot or shin. Bring the bottom of your left foot against your inner right thigh and place your right hand by your hip.

Janu Sirsasana (Head-of-the-Knee Pose)Ĭome to a seat on your mat with your legs extended straight in front of you. To come out of the pose, press down through your feet, inhale, and slowly rise to standing. Remain here for 10-15 breaths or 1 minute. If you prefer a more restful pose, rest the top of your head on a block or a stack of books to help release tension in your neck and shoulders. If you prefer a more active stretch for your upper body, take reverse prayer hands behind your back. Exhale and slowly fold forward from your hips, resting your fingertips on the mat beneath your shoulders in Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend. Step your feet wide apart with your toes angled slightly inward.

Stand and turn to face the long side of your mat. Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend) Release your hands to the mat, press down through your feet, inhale, and slowly rise to standing. Exhale and lengthen through your back, allowing your neck and shoulders to relax and your head to lower toward the mat. Loosely hold opposite elbows, keeping a relaxed grip, or let your hands rest alongside your feet. Stand with your feet hip-width apart or a little wider, bring a slight bend to your knees, and hinge at your hips to fold forward in Standing Forward Bend. Walk your left foot to the outer edge of your mat and place your elbows or forearms on a block or the floor. Utthan Pristhasana (Lizard Pose)įrom Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose), bring your left foot forward between your hands and lower your right knee to the floor. Exhale as you push back to Downward-Facing Dog. Release your hands beneath your shoulders, inhale, and push yourself up to hands and knees. Inhale as you lift your chest and arms into Locust Pose. Exhale and press the tops of your feet into the floor. Clasp your hands behind your back or, if you have tight shoulders, bend your elbows and lift your arms toward your ears. If you prefer extra cushioning, place a folded blanket beneath your hips. Lower yourself and come to lying on your belly with your feet about hip-distance apart. Warm-up: Begin in Balasana (Child’s Pose) for 1 minute (10–15 breaths) 1. Practice Tips: Breathe with long, full, deep inhalations and exhalations Props that will help: locks (or stacks of books), blanket, and bolster (or a couple bed pillows stacked on top of one another) RELATED: A Sleep Expert Noticed the 5 Sleep Languages. It is the culmination of the previous poses and is your true precursor to sleep. Whichever poses you select, don’t neglect to take your final resting pose, Savasana. Or you can simply turn to a handful of the poses. The poses that follow can be practiced in their entirety and in the order in which they appear, which will take a little less than 30 minutes. Studies also indicate that practicing yoga for sleep can not only help you fall asleep, but can improve the quality of your sleep. It’s a simple equation of easy movement and relaxed breathing that enables you to find profound release and relaxation-both physical and psychological-which is exactly what research shows, again and again, to facilitate falling asleep. Moving at a measured pace rather than rushing. It’s more the manner in which you approach yoga for sleep that makes a difference.

There’s no single style or sequence of yoga that’s ideal for preparing everyone to rest. That’s exactly when you need yoga for sleep. You want to relax but you find yourself tossing and turning and becoming more frustrated and less in the mood for rest. Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members!

Yin yoga sequence for sleep