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Do you have trouble sleeping at night?
Have a lot on your mind?
Give this sequence a try.
Here is one of my favorite sequence of asanas (postures) to do before heading to bed. After a long day, this can be a great way to relax and wind down. This will help shift your focus inwards whenever you feel, you have too much on your mind.
Holding each pose for 2-3 minutes will allow your body to reap the full benefits. Before going to bed try the following:
1. Viparita-Karani or Legs up the wall.
To get into this pose:
Sit next to the wall with your hip touching the wall and knees bent.
Start to lean onto your hands or forearms, as you swing your legs up the wall.
If your hamstrings are more flexible, you may be able to place your legs comfortably up the wall w
ith your butt touching the wall.
If you are tighter in your hamstrings, you will be further away from the wall. Find a position for you that's comfortable.
Keep your legs relaxed, so you don't feel like you're holding them up.Let your arms release in a way that feels good for you - arms extended by your sides, hands on your belly, or above your head if it feels okay on your shoulders and neck.
Lengthen your neck out, and relax your face. Close your eyes. Relax your jaw.
Let your tongue hang heavy in your mouth.
Breathe!
Benefits of this pose:
Stretches the back of the neck, torso, and legs.
It also helps with blood regulations and alleviates menstrual cramps.
Hold this for 2-3 minutes.
2. Reclined Twist
To get into this Pose:
Lay on your back, draw both knees into your chest. (Option place a pillow or folded blanket behind your neck.)
With your knees together drop them to one side. You may extend your arms out to the side or keep one hand on your knee and extended on your opposite arm. (feel free to play with different arm placements and take a mental not how you feel with each arm position.)
On your last inhale bring your knees in to your chest and return to center.
Exhale and repeat on the other side.
Hold this for 2-3 minutes.
Benefits of this pose:
Lengthens, relaxes, and align the spine.
Helps hydrate the spinal disk.
Massages the abdominal muscles and strengthen them.
Hold this for 2-3 minutes.
3. Baddha Konasana or Bound angle pose.
To get into this pose:
From a seated position, bring the bottoms of the feet together with the knees bent out to the sides, and interlace the fingers around the toes.
Grab two bolsters, pillows, or blocks and place them under the knee/shin.
Inhale and press the hips down and reach the crown of the head up towards the ceiling. Drop the shoulders down and back and press the chest towards the front.
Press the knees down towards the floor to open the hips.
Benefits of this pose:
Helps strengthen and improve flexibility in the hips, groins, and inner thighs.
Helps to soothe discomfort for menstrual cramps.
Also a great way to aid digestion.
Hold this for 2-3 minutes.
4. Supta Baddha Konasana or Reclined bound angle pose.
To get into this pose:
Start in a Baddha Konasana or Bound Angle as shown up above under pose 3.
Lean backward and bring your elbows to the floor. Then, lower your back all the way to the floor.
Gently shift your buttocks from side to side, adjusting your position so your spine lengthens along the floor while maintaining the natural curve of the lower back.
Draw your shoulder blades gently inward and let your arms relax with your palms facing up.
Relax your buttocks and lengthen your tailbone toward your heels.
Close your eyes.
Let your breath occur naturally. Allow your body to feel heavy.
Stay here for 3-5 minutes.
Benefits of this Pose:
Stimulates the organs.
Helps with blood circulation.
Stretches the inner groin.
Helps relieve stress and mild depression.
5. Salamba Savasana or Supported Corpse Pose
To access this pose:
From Supta Baddha Konasana or reclined bound angle as shown in step 4.
Lay on your back.
Extend your legs.
Rest your arms at your sides.
(optional: Place a pillow under your neck.)
Rest your hands will palms facing up.
Hold this for 5-10 minutes.
Benefits:
Reduces stress.
Relaxes your central nervous systems and calms your mind. Reduces headaches, fatigue and insomnia.
Optional: Before you come out of the posture.
Take your left hand to your heart, the right hand to your belly.
Take three rounds of regular, deep breathing in through the nose out through the nose.
To begin the breathing exercise, inhale to the count of four, hold the breath for the count of seven, then exhale to the count of eight. Repeat four times.
Rub your hands together to generate some heat.
Place them over your eyelids.
Take one last deep inhale through the nose and exhale out the mouth.
Here's some ideas for increasing comfort and adding support (you don't have to do them all - but you could try for fun):
A small pillow or bolster under the low back for lumbar support
A small pillow or bolster under each wrist
A small pillow or bolster under the neck and/or a pillow under the head
A small pillow or bolster under the ankles
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Want To learn more about yoga?
Let's connect! You can find me on instagram and see my practice.
About the Author:
Kenya Marsh is the founder of SimplyFitandCurvyYoga and Author of several books including Yoga for Beginners: A Great Way to Start. As a wife, stay-at-home mom of two, and yoga teacher. Kenya knows how challenging and beneficial a steady yoga practice can be. She understands it can be hard to start a new yoga journey alone. She created this website, along with courses, books, and more materials to help provide support to busy yogis elevate their yoga practice.