These Poses Are Essential For A Good Night’s Sleep!
Sleep is so important to our health, but sometimes is gets overlooked. Without proper sleep, our minds and bodies will have a hard time functioning the next day as the brain draws on more of the nutrients from your body as a result of being overtired. This leaves you feeling fatigued and can give you that “foggy” feeling in your head which makes it hard to focus on the tasks at hand. If you are having trouble sleeping, then you may want to give yoga a try.
Yoga does a lot for your mind and body like improving flexibility, enhancing your focus, and toning your muscles. However, another key benefit of yoga is that it can help you destress and unwind at the end of your day. This unwinding makes it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep as your mind is relaxed and not thinking about what tomorrow will bring.
The following poses will help you take the edge off before getting into bed. These poses are designed to put your mind at ease while relieving the tensions throughout your body.
See the poses below and be sure to pass this along to any of your friends who could use some help falling asleep.
Downward facing dog is an especially great pose for people who have been sitting at a desk all day. “This pose stretches out the back body, particularly the hamstring group, [which are] the muscles at the backs of the thighs,” says Ezrin.
The option to place a block or pillows beneath the head makes this pose even more restorative. As one of yoga’s most well-known poses, downward facing dog is a great stretch for yogis of all levels.
Triangle Pose (with wall support)
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“At the end of the day, the discs between the vertebrae literally deflate,” says Ezrin. “This posture creates blood flow and space in the spine.” This gentle twist is easy enough on the body that you won’t be working too hard before attempting to sleep.
“This standing pose releases the hamstrings, while also allowing for extension in the spine,” says Ezrin. Using a wall will help you hold the pose for a longer period of time, maximizing your stretch.
Supine Bound Angle Pose
image source: yogajournal
Supine Bound Angle Pose helps open the upper back, chest, and shoulders through a mild backbend. Lying on a pillow or bolster will help with increasing openness.
The restorative version of this hip opener requires a yoga belt wrapped around the back of the pelvis, thread through the inner legs and then strung around the feet. Lying on the ground in this pose will help prepare you for sleep to come.
Legs Up the Wall
image source: yogaoutlet
“Legend has it that hospitals in India have people do this pose when they are having a panic attack,” says Ezrin. “It tones and settles the nervous system, while reducing gravitational pressure on the heart and the legs.
Use a bolster or pillows under the lumbar curve to release the low back, and try to let all your thoughts go during this relaxing and restorative pose.
