Yoga For Sleep

Yoga For Sleep

Did you know that your quality of life can be improved with better sleep? Better sleep improves memory, makes you more alert, reduces stress and may also aid in weight loss. Doctors recommend adults get 7-9 hours of sleep a night, and not getting an adequate amount of rest can cause low concentration, brain fog and health conditions. The use of cellular devices and other technologies may be keeping your mind and body “awake,” making it hard for you to rest and recover properly for the next day.

Thankfully, there are ways to prepare your body for a great night’s sleep. A popular method is incorporating yoga. Yoga is a workout that can help keep your joints healthy, improve posture, stretch and strengthen muscles. Recent research has demonstrated yoga’s powerful benefits for holistic health. Practicing light yoga, along with a gentle breathing exercise before bed is calming and helps you become acquainted with the body and the way it functions. Implementing this into your night routine will help you feel refreshed and full of energy when you wake.

Here are some of my favorite yoga poses for you to try before going to bed tonight:

Seated Spinal Twist

This pose stretches the low back and the muscles along the spine. If you suffer from low back pain, this pose is great BEFORE bed and when you awake in the morning. This stretch brings oxygen to your muscles that may have been overused due to your sleep position or bad posture.

Savasana

This pose helps you to connect to your breathing. Try “Oceans Breath,” which is a gentle technique used to calm the mind. Start by inhaling through your nose, then exhale through your nose while your mouth is closed (constricting the back of your throat). Your breathing should be slow and steady.

Lets On Wall

This pose aids in bringing the fluids from the lower half of the body back to the center or core; essentially taking pressure off of your ankles, low back and knees.

Child’s Pose (with a small pillow)

What better way to prepare for bed than to rest your body on a pillow? This pose helps to relax your breathing and opens the hips, relieving tension. You should feel this stretch in your arms and low back.

You can try as many poses as you would like, but keeping the number of poses at a minimum may help you stay proactive in practicing them! Your sleep is just as important as drinking water and eating healthy. I hope this helps you to unwind before bed to promote better sleep!

As always my friends, join together and bring healing to one another. What are some ways you prepare for bed? List them in the comment section below.