Bedtime is the nightly vacation from the mental and physical chaos the day brings after a busy day occupied with school, work, children, family, friends, and unfinished to-do lists. Good news! The relaxation, space, and clarity you feel during and after practice does not have to end at the studio—you can bring that serenity to the bed, where it truly belongs. That’s why practicing 5 Bedtime Yoga Asanas for Better Sleep is so effective. Before going to bed, try these gentle poses right on your mattress to improve your mood and quality of rest.
These restorative asanas give you the space to calm the mind, focus on the body, and repeat positive affirmations before drifting into a peaceful sleep. Surrender into each pose for 2 minutes to complete a simple 10-minute bedtime routine.
1. Wide Leg Childs Pose, Balasana
Start with knees wider than hips with toes touching behind you. Bend forward at the waist with arms extended, reaching towards the opposite wall. Lengthen your torso and extend the tailbone back. Rest your forehead and shoulders into the mattress. Close your eyes and begin to deepen your breaths. With each inhale, reach a little further; with each exhale, sink deeper into the pose. Embrace the smell of your sheets and allow your body to release all stored tension. This gentle forward fold is a grounding way to start your Yoga Asanas practice during the 7 Days Yoga Retreat Rishikesh, preparing your body and mind for restful slumber.
2. Legs up the wall, Viparita Karani
Place pillow at the wall and scoot legs completely against the wall with sit bones rooted onto the wall. Straighten legs with heels, ankles, and hips in alignment. Extend arms to the side or rest on your stomach to feel the movement of each breath. Relax shoulder, neck, and head onto the mattress.
Close eyes and feel the difference in your heart rate, chest expansion, and the overall movement of energy in your body. This pose, one of the calming Yoga Asanas, is proven to lower heart rate. It gives your heart a break from actively fighting gravity to circulate blood to your legs and back to your heart. Continue deep breaths and enjoy surrendering into the pose while meditating on the breath.
3. Knees to chest, Apanasana
Start to transition into this relaxing pose by gently bending your knees and bringing them towards your chest. Embrace your legs, smile, and tell yourself how much you love you! Roll shoulders down and away from the ears. Slightly move chin towards the chest to remain alignment in the cervical spine. Take these two minutes to hug your body and repeat positive affirmations in this comforting Yoga Asanas.
I repeat these simple statements with each affirmation corresponding to a chakra energy center:
- I love how safe and grounded I am.
- I love and enjoy my body.
- I love and accept myself.
- I am love.
- I love to speak my truth.
- I love to listen to my intuition.
- I love to honor the Divine within me.
Repeating mantras and affirmations make them a reality because we believe what we tell ourselves. By showering yourself in love, you begin to radiate its essence, and it carries over to everyday life.
4. Happy Baby, Ananda Balasana
Now that you’ve made your spirit happy, transition into happy baby pose. Open legs slightly wider than torso and bend knees toward chest. Grab outside of feet and pull knees down towards armpits. Focus on breath and clearing the mind of mental chatter. Deeper breaths as you feel your body becoming more and more relaxed. Gently maintain resistance while keeping shoulders, neck, and head resting on the mattress. Feel the release in your hips as you continue to relax your mind and body in this calming Yoga Asanas. practiced during your Yoga Retreat in Rishikesh.
5. Corpse Pose, Savasana
Finally! Savasana you can fall asleep in! Position yourself where you comfortably can fall asleep. Pull blankets over your body. Take one last body stretch and extend legs with arms gently resting at sides, palms facing up. Let feet and hands relax and fall naturally limp in this deeply restorative Yoga Asanas.
Final Words with Yoga Asanas
Release muscles in the face and unclench jaw. Do a complete body scan from head to toe breathing into every muscle that feels tense. With every exhale, visualize releasing the tension. Close your eyes, feel all of your muscles loosen, and continue to go deeper into relaxation with every breath and Yoga Asanas. Feel your body get heavier and sink deeper into the mattress as you gently drift off to sleep.
