Issue #29: 5 Yoga Poses to Encourage Sleep
Gentle movement before bed can be a great way to release tension and calm the body and mind
🌿 Forward folds are great for encouraging the body and mind to relax. If you’re feeling antsy, riled up or tense before sleeping, try gentle forward folds, using pillows and blankets to cushion and support.
✒️ "Of all the things a man may do, sleep probably contributes most to keeping him sane. It puts brackets about each day. If you do something foolish or painful today, you get irritated if somebody mentions it, today. If it happened yesterday, though, you can nod or chuckle, as the case may be. You've crossed through nothingness or dream to another island in Time.” - Roger Zelazny
💡 Forward bending helps give relief to stress and anxiety because the forward bending motion aids in the physical release of tension in the back, neck and shoulders which in turn helps reduce stress and anxiety. On top of that it also encourages slower, longer breathing, finding more movement in the back of the body, which also helps calm and balance the nervous system.
🍵 I’m drinking Gunpowder Green tea this morning while listening to a kitten meowing somewhere in the wisteria in front of our house. A mom cat from a nearby cat colony has decided that our garden is the perfect sanctuary to raise her three kittens. We started leaving wet food out for the kittens. Who knows, maybe they’ll adopt us fully.
We’re talking about sleep again this week. I know that for many people (myself included) falling asleep can be tricky, especially when your mind won’t stop racing or your body feels tight and tense. Most of us have had this experience at least once or twice, lying in bed, desperately trying to relax but just can’t seem to wind down.
There are many reasons why deep sleep is so evasive and several things we can do to encourage more restful, restorative sleep. In last week’s issue, Issue #28: 5 Tips To Help Wake Up Feeling Rested, I give an overview of suggestions of various tools we can use to inspire restful sleep. You can read it here:
As mentioned in last week’s issue, one of the simplest ways to help ease yourself into sleep is by using gentle movement before bed. Think of it as a little bedtime routine for your body. Slow, easy stretches, especially ones that involve forward folds, can work wonders to help you relax and get ready for sleep.
Forward folds are a great way to release tension in areas where we tend to hold a lot of stress – the shoulders, back, and neck. Just imagine gently folding over, letting your spine stretch out, and feeling that built-up tightness start to melt away. These movements allow your muscles to relax and create a sense of calm in your body, helping you let go of any tension that might keep you tossing and turning.
But it’s not just about stretching the muscles. Forward folds are also amazing for calming the nervous system. When you fold forward and let your head hang lower than your heart, it sends a signal to your body to switch from stress mode to relaxation mode. This is all thanks to the parasympathetic nervous system, which is in charge of helping us chill out and get ready for rest. So, incorporating a few gentle forward folds into your evening routine can do wonders to help lower your stress and set the stage for a good night's sleep.
By making these gentle movements part of your wind-down time, you're not just stretching out tired muscles — you’re telling your body, "Hey, it's time to relax." With a little practice, these moves can become your go-to secret for falling asleep faster and waking up feeling more refreshed.
5 Yoga Poses for More Restful Sleep
You can do all these poses as a sequence, or you can pick the ones that feel best for you. I like to do the movements in bed to encourage optimal relaxation, but you can always do these on a mat on the floor or even in a chair using a table in front to fold over on. As with any type of movement, it’s important to meet your body where it is at that moment. It’s not about looking a certain way, or doing it “right”, it’s about how it feels in your body at that moment.
Especially with sequences that are designed to encourage relaxation, any movement or stretching we do, we want it to be done in a way that our body feels safe, at ease and can release little by little. If you notice you’re holding your breath, see how it feels to release that breath. If any of the movements feel too much, back off or use more props like pillows and blankets.
1. Easy Pose Forward Fold
Easy pose forward fold is a cross legged pose where you release your body forward with your arms stretched out in front of you. If you notice your knees are lifted very high try sitting on a pillow or folded blanket to lift the hips up. You could also try adding a pillow between the chest and legs. This will also help support your back and encourage more release. Hold for between 2-5 minutes to encourage more release. Be sure to switch the cross of your legs and do it again so you get gentle stretching through both sides equally.
2. Deer Pose with Pillow Support
Place a pillow or a stack of pillows to the side of you and sit up tall with both legs extended out in front of you. Bend your knees to slide your feet in about halfway to your hips, with your knees and feet separated a little wider than hip distance apart. Release both knees to the right while turning your torso to the right, and place your torso and head on the pillow(s). Hold for between 2-5 minutes to encourage more release. Be sure to do the left side as well so you get a gentle stretch and release on both sides.
3. Wide-kneed Supported Child’s Pose
Sit up with your knees underneath you, glutes back towards your heels. Bring a pillow or stack of pillows in front of your knees With your big toes together widen your knees, maybe pulling the pillow(s) in between the thighs. Gently lower your upper body down over the pillows letting one cheek rest on the pillows. Hold for between 2-5 minutes being sure to switch to the other cheek half way through.
4. Seated Forward Fold with Pillow under Knees
Sit up with your legs extended in front of you. Bring a pillow (or folded blanket) under the knees and gently fold forward over the thighs. Bend your knees (using more pillows or blankets) as much as you need to to feel supported in the back of the body. You’re looking for a gentle release to quiet the body and mind, not a painful stretch forward. Hold for between 2-5 minutes.
5. Legs up the Wall
I like to do this with my legs leaning up the headboard of my bed with a pillow under my hips, but you can always do this on the floor next to a wall or put your lower legs on the seat of a chair or even just create a stack of pillows to bring under the lower legs. The idea here is to lift the feet and legs so that they’re higher than the heart. This not only calms and balances the nervous system but it also helps reduce inflammation and swelling in the legs which could have been built up over the day.
[Side note} Don’t you love that dirty golden yellow that all Spanish homes from the 80-90s seemed to boast? I’m not going to be sad when we eventually get around to painting those walls!
Ready to Take Your Sleep Routine to the Next Level?
If you're looking to dive deeper into using movement and relaxation techniques to improve your sleep, be sure to check out the Yoga Therapy for Deep Sleep 6-week series! This series is designed to help you unwind, release tension, and create a nightly routine that promotes restful, rejuvenating sleep. You’ll learn how to use gentle yoga movements and calming practices tailored specifically to support better sleep.
In this program, you’ll explore live and recorded sessions that guide you through mindful movement, breathwork, and other practices specifically designed to help you sleep better. You’ll also gain access to downloadable resources that encourage rest, relaxation, and overall well-being.
The Yoga Therapy for Deep Sleep series equips you with:
Weekly live sessions starting on September 24th to progressively deepen your practice, with replays available for a year. So, whether you’re able to make the sessions live or not, you’ll have access to the support and guidance from the sessions to help you establish a supportive routine that encourages deep sleep.
Gentle yoga, breathwork, meditation and mindfulness tools specifically designed to improve sleep quality.
Downloadable resources to practice and reinforce what you learn at your own pace.
Personalized support from Tess Jewell-Larsen, an experienced Mindfulness coach, Somatic Healer and Yoga Therapist.
Optional 1:1 session for tailored guidance to enhance your sleep journey.
Ready to transform your nights?
There are limited spaces so be sure to head over to Yoga Therapy for Deep Sleep to sign up and start your journey toward better rest!
Kitten Cuteness
Thought you might enjoy this adorable kitten display of one of the kittens from the cat family that has moved into our garden. I’m so impressed with her just hanging out on the top of our gate where I could see her, but still tucked safely into the wisteria so she can easily hide if she needs to. She didn’t stay there long, but it’s fun to see the kittens getting bolder. Now when they see us and they don’t run and hide quite as quickly!
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