If you have trouble falling or staying asleep at night, try these gentle yoga poses. They can help relax your body, calm your mind, and prepare you for deeper, more restful sleep.
Being awake at night, staring at the ceiling, tossing and turning? Poor sleep is a common problem for many people. Long hours spent in front of a screen, mental stress, irregular routines and physical tension often prevent the body from truly relaxing before bed. When the mind remains active, sleep does not come easily. This is where gentle yoga can help. Slow, calming poses help release muscle tension, slow breathing, and signal to the nervous system that it’s time to rest. These relaxing yoga poses can also reduce stress hormones and improve sleep quality, helping your body naturally relax.
Calming Yoga Poses to Do Before Bed
Here are 10 yoga poses to relax and unwind before bed so you can sleep well:
1. Leg pose against the wall (Viparita karani)
This pose reduces swelling in the legs and calms the nervous system. It also helps relieve fatigue after a long day. How to do it:
- Sit near a wall and lie on your back
- Extend your legs along the wall
- Rest your arms at your sides
- Close your eyes and breathe slowly
- Stay 3 to 5 minutes
2. Cat-cow pose (Marjaryasana-bitilasana)
This gentle flow relaxes the spine and relieves back tension while synchronizing breathing with movement. How to do it:
- Come on all fours
- Inhale, arch your back (cow)
- Exhale, round your spine (cat)
- Move slowly with the breath
- Repeat for 1-2 minutes
3. Malasana (yogic squat)
Malasana releases tension in the hips and lower back and promotes grounding. How to do it:
- Stand with your feet wider than your hips
- Descend into a squat
- Bring your palms together at chest level
- Keep your spine tall
- Hold for 5 to 8 breaths
4. Lying Butterfly Pose (Supta baddha konasana)
This deeply relaxing pose opens the hips and calms the mind. How to do it:
- Lie on your back
- Bring the soles of the feet together
- Let your knees fall outwards
- Place hands on stomach or chest
- Stay 2 to 3 minutes
5. Bound Angle Pose (Baddha konasana)
It helps release tension in the inner thigh and improves blood circulation. How to do it:
- Sit with the soles of your feet together
- Hold your feet
- Sit up straight and breathe
- Lean forward gently if you are comfortable
- Hold for 1-2 minutes
6. Downward Facing Dog (Adho mukha svanasana)
This pose stretches the spine and relieves stiffness without being overly stimulating. How to do it:
- Start on all fours
- Lift hips up
- Press your heels toward the floor
- Relax the neck
- Hold for 5 to 6 breaths
7. Butterfly pose
A seated version that calms the body and reduces agitation. How to do it:
- Sit with your feet together
- Gently kick your knees or stay still
- Keep your spine straight
- Breathe slowly
- Hold for 1-2 minutes
8. Child’s Pose (Balasana)
A comforting pose that reduces stress and soothes the nervous system. How to do it:
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- Kneel and sit on your heels
- Fold forward
- Place your forehead on the ground
- Stretch your arms or relax them
- Stay 1 to 2 minutes
9. Happy Baby Pose (Ananda balasana)
It relieves lower back pain and relaxes the hips. How to do it:
- Lie on your back
- Bend your knees towards your chest
- Hold feet or ankles
- Rock gently from side to side
- Breathe deeply
10. Corpse Pose (Savasana)
This final pose will allow relaxation and allow you to rest at night. How to do it:
- Lie on your back
- Let the arms and legs relax
- Close your eyes
- Focus on slow breathing
- Stay 3 to 5 minutes
These slow poses before bed will calm the nervous system, relax tense muscles and calm thoughts. which makes it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep longer!
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