Not only can yoga help to improve your strength and flexibility, it can also relax your mind and body to prepare you for a blissful night’s sleep. We spoke to some yoga experts to find out what poses they would recommend to help us get a good night’s rest. Read on for some bedtime yoga inspiration…

Locust Pose

Jonathan of Discount Supplements spoke to us about The Locust Pose. He explained how to do it;

Image from Yoga15

‘Lie face down with either a cushion or pillow supporting your stomach. Keep your eyes to the floor and keep the back of the neck long. Interlace your hands behind your lower back. Then, take a deep breath and stretch your arms, lifting your hands towards the ceiling and pressing the tips of your toes into the ground. Exhale your breath and hold onto that position. Take another breath, lifting your chest and head, with eyes fixed forward and the back of the neck neutral. Holding onto this position, release your breath.

Keeping your breathing in time with the movements of this pose will help to ease your body into a relaxed state, while releasing any muscle tension that may have built up throughout the day.

Image from Fort Lauderdale Daily

Viparita Karani (Legs up against a wall)

Alli Marie Owen of allio.co gave us her tips on relaxing with Viparita Karani pose at the end of the day;

The best yoga pose for sleep is legs up the wall with a cushion under your lower back to elevate your hips. Doing gentle inversions like this helps to clear the mind and return your body to a state of flow.

This pose also helps to drain lymph and lactic acid from the legs which can do wonders for people who spend a lot of time on their feet.

Child’s Pose

Starting on your hands and knees, with knees hip-width apart. Sink your hips back to your heels and rest your forehead on the floor. Stretch your hands forward and exhale, relaxing into the posture. This pose helps to reduce stress and tension, while simultaneously stretching the muscles in the hips and thighs.

Yoga can also help with mindfulness and focus, which are helpful tools when it comes to winding down at the end of the day. Try making yoga part of your bedtime routine and see if it makes a difference to your quality of sleep.

So there you have it, three yoga poses to help get your body ready for bed. Have you ever tried yoga to help you sleep? Do you have a daily yoga routine? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter