Ready for bed, but holding onto aches and stiffness from the day? Or tossing and turning in bed and unable to fall asleep? Taking some time for a yoga stretch can get you to bed faster.
Try these 6 poses to get to sleep tonight. They are all reclined, so you can do them right from bed if you want to.
- Reclined Butterfly – Come to lay all the way down on your back. Bring the soles of the feet together and drop the knees out to the sides. Bring the feet as far or as close as feels right to you in this moment. Let the hands rest on your belly or bring them up overhead. Maybe work on elongating the exhale to be longer than the inhale to activate your parasympathetic nervous system. Hold for about 10 breaths.
2. Twist – Pull the right thigh in to the chest. Extend the left leg out on the mat. Cross the right thigh over the body towards the left side. Straighten the right leg too if you want. Holding on to the leg with the left hand, wherever is accessible. Keep pressing the right shoulder down on the mat.
3. Half Happy Baby – Coming back to center, bring the left foot back to the ground. Hold on to the big right toe or outside of the foot with the right hand. Push the right knee open, while pulling it down. Let the left knee flop out to the side as counterweight. Soften the muscles in the jaw, neck and shoulders.
4. Reclined Pigeon – Cross the right ankle over the left knee. Guide the left thigh into the belly. Hold on to the back of the thigh or front of the shin. Let the upper body be heavy, relaxing on the mat.
Repeat 2 through 4 on the other side.
5. Banana Pose – Shift the hips to the right. Walk the feet to the left and straighten the legs. Move the head and shoulders to the left as well. Reach arms overhead, and clasp opposite elbows. Maybe cross the right ankle over the left one. Emphasize pushing the right hip down. Repeat to the other side.
6. Savasana – Settle in, spread out, get comfortable. Give yourself a few minutes to relax every muscle in the body.
These poses come from a 15 minute evening practice for all levels on my channel. Check it out below to practice along with me.
Kassandra
