We all feel better after a great night’s sleep… but sometimes it can feel the hardest thing in the world to achieve.
But there’s good news! Practising yoga can improve your sleep 😴
Yoga relaxes the body and the mind: it can help us learn stop and release those intrusive thoughts that keep us awake at night. Movement can also help stretch and tire out the body to reduce the chance of nighttime cramps and restless legs.
One of the best pieces of feedback I get from my classes, is how well people have then slept that night. Do you want to try a class and see how yoga can hep you? Click the link here to book a class!
Below are some suggestions for practices you can add into your bedtime routine to help you get ready for a great night’s sleep 😴
Relaxing the Body – Stretch it Out
We all know that movement can help tire out our bodies, and a dynamic practice such as a vinyasa or ashtanga class can help you feel physically tired. But movement also helps us release endorphins or ‘feel-good’ chemicals. Stretching out just before bed can help us lower stress and reduce anxious thoughts that might trouble us at night.
Try this:Â Legs Up the Wall Pose
Find some wall space, preferably close to your bed so you don’t have to move far to get in after! Sit down close to the wall and shuffle up to it as close as you can. Rolling onto your back, send your legs and feet up towards the ceiling and let them rest against the wall (see the picture). Relax the upper body and get comfortable on the floor. Hold the pose for 5-10 minutes, if possible.
Extra tip: you can always lie on a small cushion to get comfier on the floor, and I recommend using a strap around your ankles so that your legs can relax and the strap will hold them up in place.
This pose helps activate the Parasympathetic Nervous System as having our legs up naturally encourages us to lengthen our breathing. This sends a message to our brains that we are somewhere we are safe to relax. Let your awareness move gently around your body: soften, release, relax, and let go.
Breathwork to Calm the Nervous System
Our nervous system is fantastic at keeping us alert and safe. However, it hasn’t really developed past the time when we were preyed on and, when in danger, our nervous system would kick us into Fight or Flight mode to get us outta there. Unfortunately, these days it can be things like emails that trigger our Fight or Flight mode (or is that just me? I need to stop checking my emails before bed…).
Before bed, we want to tap into our Parasympathetic Nervous System to help us calm down and activate our Rest and Digest state. Breathwork techniques can help with this (as well as switching off our phones before we get ready for bed!).
Try this: Left-nostril breathing (Lunar breath)
Find a comfortable position and bring your left hand to your face. Place your thumb lightly on your cheek, let the first finger rest on the space just between the eyebrows, and the inside of the third finger rests  on the right nostril. Gently close the right nostril with your finger by pressing down and sealing the nostril. Close your eyes if you feel comfortable to do so, and take a few slow deep breaths just through the left nostril. Then gently release the right nostril, let the hand come away from the face, and go back to breathing through both.
Another tip: if you don’t want to touch your face or nose, you can place your hands on your knees, both hands closed in gentle fists, open just the left hand. Visualise the breath flowing through the left palm, and nostril, for a few rounds of breath.
This breath will help to calm and focus your mind, lower the body temperature, and access your Rest and Digest state.
Connection to the Present Moment
Just before bed, we need to let go of the day and not let ourselves get lost in thoughts of the past or the future.
Try this:Â Journaling
Firstly, say goodbye to the day by writing down thoughts from the day. Think about what went really well, how did you feel about it? Think about what maybe didn’t go so well, is there something still lingering from the day? Get it all down on paper and out of your mind. It’s amazing how effective it can be to see any worries from the day written out: it feels as though they are released from your head.
Now write down how you feel right there in that moment. Are you tired? Are you proud of what you have achieved that day? Are you grumpy, achey, glowing, crabby or joyful? There’s no wrong answer. Just give yourself a few moments to acknowledge what is there for you in that moment. Then write down three things from the day that you are grateful for. Big or small. A hug from a loved one, a really nice coffee, a compliment on your cooking.
If something wakes you later in the night, write it down! Keeping a notepad by your bed can be really useful for releasing intrusive thoughts that creep in in the dark.
I hope this helps. You can send me a message through the ‘Get in Touch‘ page if you have any questions or would like further support. Sleep well!
Category: Mindful Movement, Yin Yoga, Yoga to Relax