Ultimate Bedtime Yoga Routine for Restful Sleep Every Night

Yoga and its Role in Promoting Better Sleep

"Practising yoga is like a gentle hug someone gives you when you are worried", says Dr Khusboo Jain, Senior Yoga Coach at Nirva.

Dr. Jain gives a sureshot thumbs-up when it comes to talking about the benefits of practising yoga for a better sleep. Here are some of the several reasons why you must not miss her advice.

1. Boosts Sleep Hormones

When you practise mindfulness during your yoga practice, it can boost melatonin levels. This signals the body that it is time to sleep. Mindfulness is indeed a reset button for the brain before bedtime. It's an aid to bring relaxation to your sleep.

2. Relaxes Muscle

Muscle stretching and joint flexing during yoga is not just for improving your physical fitness. The muscle workout you experience during yoga practice relieves the stress build-up in your body that will definitely improve your sleep quality and duration.

3. Calms Mind

When you practise deep breathing at bedtime, it calms the body and mind. Purposeful breathing techniques induce relaxation, preparing you for a good, restful sleep. Needless to say, getting a good night's sleep, in turn, keeps your mind calm and improves your work productivity. Sounds like a give-and-take plan, right?

4. Stress-Relief

Undoubtedly, yoga and meditation are stress-relief tools. It pushes your daily chaos to calm your nervous system. You find a sense of peacefulness which improves your sleep patterns.

Now, don't think that you have to be a maestro in practising yoga to reap the sleep benefits. A consistent practice will yield enough improvements in your sleep quality. 

It is rightly said, 'Slow and steady wins the race,' so keep practising and maintain a bedtime yoga routine.

Ready to Create a Sleep-Focused Yoga Routine?

Hop-in with us to start this journey towards a relaxed mind. Having a bedtime yoga routine enhances sleep quality.This routine will help create a serene environment conducive to restful sleep. What are you waiting for? Let's read about building an impactful sleep yoga routine with these simple 15-minute bedtime yoga poses.

1. Stretching

Stretching helps release tension from your body.

a. Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)

• Start by sitting with your legs extended.
• Inhaled to lengthen your spine.
• Now, exhale gently as you fold forward from your hips.
• Allow your upper body to relax over your legs.
• Make sure to avoid overexertion. Keep yourself comfortable.

b. Neck Stretches

• Begin by being in a comfortable seated position.
• Gently tilt your head towards your right shoulder, ear touching the tip of the shoulder.
• Hold in this position for a while and then switch sides to stretch in the opposite direction.
• Then, slowly lower your chin towards your chest.
• These will stretch your neck muscles in all directions.

c. Gentle Twist

• Start by sitting cross-legged, placing your right hand on your left knee and your left hand behind you.
• Slowly twist your torso to the left.
• Now, gently look over your left shoulder.
• Inhale when you lengthen your spine and exhale when you twist.

Next, slowly lower your chin towards your chest and stretch the back of your neck.

2. Lying Postures

Now, it's time to lie down on your bed or on a comfortable surface. These postures are designed for relaxation, so find your calm space.

a. Reclining Butterfly pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)

• First, lie on your back and bring the soles of your feet together.
• Gently allow your knees to open outwards gently.
• For added support, you may place pillows beneath your knees.

b. Supine Spinal Twist (Supta matsyendrasana)

• Start lying on your back and drawing your knees towards your chest.
• Now, slowly lower them to one side.
• Keep your shoulders grounded.
• Extend your arms outwards and turn your head in the opposite direction of your knees.

c. Knees-to-Chest pose (Apanasana)

• For this pose, lie on your back and bring both your knees to your chest.
• Gently roll from side to side. This will massage your lower back and release tension.

d. Corpse Pose (Savasana)

• Start by lying flat on your back with your legs slightly apart.
• Keep your arms by your sides and palms facing up.
• Close your eyes and focus on deep, relaxing breaths.
• Allow your entire body to unwind completely during the process.

3. Breathing Exercises

Complete your routine by integrating these breathing exercises to soothe your mind and induce a sense of calm.

a. Deep Abdominal Breathing

• Either lie down in savasana or relax seated and rest one hand on your abdomen. 
• Inhale deeply through your nose, feeling your abdomen rise and exhale slowly, noticing it fall.
• Continue this deep, slow breathing for 5-10 minutes.

b. Pursed-Lip Breathing

• Continue to lie down comfortably. 
• Pause for a moment and focus on your breath. 
• Inhale gently through your nose for a count of two, then exhale slowly through your mouth, as if blowing through a straw, for a count of four. 
• This simple practice aids in slowing down your breath and encouraging relaxation.

Bedtime Yoga Poses for Relaxation

Try out these exclusive bedtime yoga poses and find out how great they work.

1. Lying Postures 

a. Legs Up the Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)

• Raise your legs and keep them against the wall.
• Support your lower back with a pillow. 
• This posture will gently reverse your body's energy movement and promote relaxation. 

b. Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana) 

• Start by lying on your back.
• Gently hold the outer edges of your feet as you lift your legs in the air.
• Make sure that you have a good grip.
• Now, open your knees wider than your torso.
• Allow gentle stretch.
• Gently rock from side to side.

This pose relaxes your body like a baby's.

Let the inner child in you shine and bask in the happiness of these comforting stretches.

c. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha ) 

• Start by lying on your back with your knees bent.
• Keep your feet flat on the ground.
• Elevate your hips towards the ceiling.
• You can keep a side pillow for extra support.

d. Universal Spinal Twist ( Shava Udarakarshanasana)

• Start by lying down and extending your arm sideways.
• Now, bend the knee on the same side of the extended arm.
• Now, twist yourself with bent knees to the opposite side of the extended arm.
• Look at your extended arm.
• Follow the same steps in the opposite direction.

2. Sitting Pose

a. Child's Pose (Balasana )

• Use a pillow to place between your thighs and calves.
• Bend forward and extend your arms in front or alongside your body.
• Rest your forehead on your pillow.

b. Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)

• Sit and keep your legs stretched in front of you.
• Keep a pillow on your lap.
• Lean forward and rest your upper body on the pillow.

This gentle stretch will relax you.

c. Head-to-Knee Forward Bend (Janu Sirsasana)

• While sitting comfortably, extend one leg and bend the other one so that the sole touches the inner thigh of the opposite leg.
• Now, keep a pillow on the extended knee.
• Bend forward gently and touch your forehead on the pillow above your knee.
• Hold your toes and knees for support.

You will experience a soothing stretch while doing this.

d. Extended Puppy Pose (Uttana Shishosana)

• Start by getting down on all fours.
• Then, slowly stretch your arms forward while gently lowering your chest.
• Keep your hips and knees at the same level.
• Rest your forehead on the floor or on a pillow.

This pose is just like reliving those carefree toddler moments.

If you have disturbed sleep, you must try incorporating these relaxing yoga poses for sleep.

Nighttime Yoga Routine Tips

Along with practising bedtime yoga, it's best if you have a nighttime relaxation routine. This is because other factors also contribute to a peaceful slumber. 

Follow these tips to unwind and prepare for a peaceful night's sleep with a gentle nighttime yoga routine.

1. Create a Calming Environment 

Make sure that your room's environment and surroundings are giving you a sense of calmness. Your sleep area must be away from the chaos. For this, 

• Dim the Lights: Keeping the lights dim helps produce the sleep hormone melatonin. 
• Reduce Noise: Add earplugs or a white noise machine to shield yourself from disruptive sounds that may disturb your rest.
• Keep Room Temperature Comfortable: Make sure that the temperature is optimum for sleeping, and always a slightly cooler room helps.
• Tech-Free Zone: This may sound a little difficult, but it's worth it. Turn off screens an hour before bed. Blue light from screens can interfere with your ability to sleep. 

Pro-Tip: After doing all this, still not feeling sleepy? No worries, try to incorporate a hot foot bath for 15 minutes or a foot massage with hot oil.

2. Add Aromatherapy

Add a little happy fragrance! 

Some of the ways of making use of aromatherapy are;

• Essential Oils: Herbal oils such as lavender, chamomile, and sandalwood have calming and sleep-promoting properties. You can use a diffuser in your bedroom or apply a few drops to your pillow. you will feel the magic of the aroma.
• Scented candles: Try using a scented candle. Just be sure that you extinguish it before sleep. Choose scents that will calm you and not stimulate.

3. Practise Mindfulness

• Mindful Breathing: Focus on your breath during yoga. Doing this will tune you into your natural breathing rhythm. This will help you centre your mind to the present moment and diminish the feelings of stress and anxiety.
• Journalling: Gratitude journaling is one of the best practices our experts advise. Writing down the things you are grateful for for a few minutes can shift your mind away from stressors. This will give you diminished feelings of stress and anxiety and a positive outlook before bed.
• Body Scan Meditation: Once you finish your physical stretches, go for Savasana(corpse pose). During this practice, engage in body scan meditation. Begin from your toes and move upwards, gently noticing sensations in each part of your body. This will make your muscles feel more relaxed and help you sleep.

Want everything in one? Learn sleep techniques with Nirva - a one step solution to a holistic sleep care.

“Whenever I feel low or tired, I go to Nirva App and open sleep content or daily videos. After being with them, now I get restful sleep." - Neela , Nirva client

Download Nirva app to enjoy wellness tips from the xperts.

Wrapping Up!

Relaxing your body to the most finest form, will help your mind prepare for sleep. Yoga and meditation helps your mind walk away from the daily chaos.

So what are you waiting for? Start your journey to restful sleep and feel the difference.

Have questions or want to share your experience? We are here to support you in every step towards a healthier tomorrow.