Yoga for sleep: 5 poses to help you relax and unwind
For many of us, a good night’s sleep feels like an elusive luxury. After a long day of meetings, deadlines, and endless to-do lists, it can be difficult to switch off the mental chatter and truly relax. Maybe you find yourself lying in bed, replaying conversations from the day or worrying about tomorrow’s tasks, and despite trying your hardest, your mind just won’t shut off.
Enter the solution… Yoga!
Yoga can be a powerful tool to help quiet the mind, release tension from the body, and prepare you for a restful night. Let’s explore how incorporating a few gentle poses into your nighttime routine can make drifting off to sleep easier than ever.
Why yoga helps with sleep (it’s science!)
To understand why yoga helps with sleep, we need to get geeky for a second. Yoga isn’t just about bending yourself into a pretzel—it’s a practice that profoundly influences your nervous system. The magic lies in how it shifts us from our stressed-out "fight-or-flight" mode (thanks, sympathetic nervous system) to a blissful "rest-and-digest" state (shoutout to the parasympathetic nervous system).
Breathing exercises (pranayama), gentle movements, and mindful meditation signal to your body that it’s safe, activating a relaxation response that lowers cortisol levels, slows heart rate, and prepares the body for deep sleep. And unlike that glass of wine you think is helping, yoga actually improves sleep quality instead of just knocking you out.
The philosophy behind yoga and sleep: more than just a nap
Yoga has a fascinating way of categorising our human experience, particularly when it comes to sleep. Enter the Gunas and the Koshas—two philosophical frameworks that help explain why some nights we sleep like a baby and others we wiggle around like a caffeinated squirrel.
The Gunas: the forces of nature at play
The Gunas—Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas—are the energetic forces that influence every aspect of our lives, including our sleep.
Tamas (inertia & darkness): too much of this, and you’ll sleep like a rock but wake up groggy and disoriented.
Rajas (activity & movement): this is the energy that makes your brain replay that embarrassing text you sent at 2 AM.
Sattva (balance & clarity): the ideal state, where sleep is restorative, peaceful, and deep.
By practicing yoga, we shift from restless Rajas or lethargic Tamas into Sattva, ensuring our nights are restful and our mornings are energised.
The Koshas: layers of being (and why you can’t sleep)
Yoga philosophy describes us as multilayered, known as Koshas ‘sheaths’. Think of them as Russian dolls of consciousness, peeling each layer back to find another deeper inside:
Annamaya Kosha (physical layer) – the aches and pains that keep you tossing and turning? That’s this layer calling for some yoga stretches.
Pranamaya Kosha (energy layer) – ever feel wired even when you’re exhausted? You can link that to disrupted prana (life force). Breathwork (pranayama means energy control) smooths this out.
Manomaya Kosha (mental layer) – the overthinking layer. Meditation helps quiet the mind so it stops treating bedtime like a TED Talk.
Vijnanamaya Kosha (wisdom layer) – this layer discerns what actually matters. Learning to let go of the day’s chaos leads to peace and being able to tune into your ‘gut feelings’
Anandamaya Kosha (bliss layer) – the ultimate goal: pure, undisturbed rest that leaves you feeling like you just got back from a tropical vacation.
By tending to each of these layers through yoga, we move towards a state of total relaxation and effortless sleep - yoga moves you through the koshas naturally by design.
The practical magic: must try yoga techniques for restful nights
Now that we’ve covered the why, let’s get into the how. If you’re ready to turn your bed into a sleep sanctuary, try these yoga-based practices:
1. Pranayama: breathing
Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing): balances the nervous system and clears mental clutter.
Bhramari (bee breath): the gentle humming sound soothes the brain like a lullaby.
Want to learn how these work? Let me guide you with some free breathing and meditation videos: click here
2. Yoga Nidra: yogic sleep
Yoga Nidra is like a guided power nap for the soul. This practice systematically relaxes the body while keeping the mind alert, leading to deep restoration. Studies show it can improve sleep quality, reduce anxiety, and even mimic the effects of four hours of sleep in just 30 minutes.
Making it stick: consistency is where the real magic lays!
Yoga isn’t a one-and-done solution—it’s a lifestyle shift. If you’re serious about transforming your sleep, here’s how to integrate it into your nightly routine:
Consistency is key – set aside 10-15 minutes each night for gentle yoga and breathwork (or more!)
Dim the lights – exposure to artificial light suppresses melatonin. Keep your space dim and cozy. Perfect for yoga. The less distractions the better.
Unplug – that dopamine hit from scrolling through social media? Not helping…its keeps your mind elsewhere.
Create a ritual – scented candles (soy, hand poured), soft music, and intentional movement can signal to your brain that it’s time to wind down. At our core we are natural beings and our body has intelligence that we can tap into from consistent repetition.
Now…what you started reading this blog for: Five sleep-boosting yoga poses
(all are beginner friendly and are highly effective for those with experience too)
1. Child’s Pose (Balasana)
Picture yourself curled up on a soft surface, forehead resting on the mat, arms stretched out in front of you. This comforting pose gently stretches your lower back, hips, and shoulders—common areas where stress accumulates. As you breathe deeply, imagine the tension from the day melting away.
How to do it: kneel on the floor, touch your big toes together, and sit back towards your heels. Extend your arms forward and lower your chest and head towards the mat. Rest your forehead on the ground or block/pillow and take slow, deep breaths that extend to your whole body, especially the tight areas. Hold for 1-3 minutes.
2. Reclining Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)
This deeply relaxing posture helps open the hips and allows your body to fully surrender. Imagine lying back, feeling your muscles relax as you let go of any lingering stress from the day.
How to do it: lay on your back, bring the soles of your feet together, and let your knees fall open to the sides (into a diamond shape). You can place pillows or blocks under your knees for support. Rest your hands on your abdomen/lower ribs or by your sides and breathe deeply for 2-3 minutes.
3. Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)
After a long day of standing, sitting, or running around, this pose is like a reset button for your body. It helps reduce swelling in the legs, improves circulation, and calms the nervous system—perfect for unwinding before bed.
How to do it: sit next to a wall and lie down on your back. Swing your legs up against the wall, keeping your lower back relaxed on the floor (or you can put a pillow, bolster or blocks under your lower back). Rest your arms by your sides, close your eyes, and breathe deeply for 3-5 minutes.
4. Cat-Cow Pose (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)
If you carry tension in your spine after a long day at a desk, this gentle flow will help loosen up the back and release stiffness.
How to do it: start on your hands and knees. As you inhale, tilt your tailbone upwards, arch your back, lift your head, open your chest (Cow Pose). As you exhale, tuck your tailbone, draw your belly button in, round your back, tuck your chin to your chest (Cat Pose). Flow between these two movements for about 1-2 minutes, syncing breath with movement and starting each flow through the spine from your tailbone.
5. Corpse Pose (Savasana)
The final pose is all about total relaxation. Imagine lying on a cloud, completely weightless, allowing every muscle in your body to soften. This is the perfect way to transition into sleep.
How to do it: Lie flat on your back with your legs extended and arms relaxed by your sides. Close your eyes, focus on your breath, and allow yourself to completely let go. Stay here for 5-10 minutes, or until you feel fully relaxed.
Yoga isn’t just about flexibility or physical movement—it’s a way to reconnect your body and mind. By taking a few moments each night to practice these poses, you can create a calming bedtime routine that leads to deeper, more restorative sleep.
So tonight, instead of reaching for your phone or scrolling through emails one last time, roll out your mat, put your phone on airplane mode, take a deep breath, and allow yourself to unwind.