If you haven’t already guessed, bedtime yoga is yoga before bed, a calming and healthful practice that you can implement into your bedtime routine. Bedtime yoga is a great way to expel any mental or physical blocks you might’ve picked up throughout your day. 

Bedtime yoga makes hitting the hay all the more peaceful, restful, and easy! If you have trouble sleeping, or feel as if you don’t wake up feeling well-rested, bedtime yoga is a great way to get a fuller, deeper, and more-satisfying night’s sleep. 

If bedtime yoga isn’t enough for you and you’re looking to maximize ways to sleep through the night and wake up feeling rejuvenated, NightCap is perfect for you. Nightcap is my personal favorite way to ensure I get the best night’s sleep possible. 

NightCap is a delicious evening cocktail filled with essential nutrients and healthful ingredients. If you’re tired of waking up tired, NightCap is the right fit for you, especially after an effective session of bedtime yoga!

Who knew that simple stretches and breathing exercises before bed could spark such an improvement in our daily lives? Well, the ancient sages did! Let’s take a look at the health benefits of bedtime yoga to gain a deeper understanding of its significance.

Yoga’s been around for thousands of years for a reason! But why should you practice yoga before bed? Well, because yoga implements stretching and breathing exercises into the mix, it’s a perfect way to check in with and relax your physical body before you give it a night’s rest. 

It’s important to keep in mind that some yoga flows are lighter than others, like bedtime yoga! Think of it as a wind-down evening stretch to expel stress from your limbs before going to sleep. Not only can bedtime yoga improve your physical health, but it can also help you achieve a deeper sleep, assisting you to sleep through the night and wake up feeling refreshed. 

Another great way to get a deeper, quality night’s sleep is by drinking NightCap, my personal favorite evening cocktail. NightCap is chock-full of healthful ingredients that can help you sleep deeply through the night and improve your overall general health. It’s also the perfect refreshment after a fulfilling bedtime yoga session. 

In addition to improving your sleep quality, check out this list of all the many ways bedtime yoga can improve your well-being:

• Alleviates insomnia
• Weight Loss
• Improves sleep quality
• Improves quality of life
• Promotes relaxation
• Boosts immune system
• Alleviates stress
• Increases flexibility
• Promotes mental health
• Promotes a sense of belonging
• Prevents injuries 

The best part about all the above-mentioned health benefits is that you can reap these benefits with simple, entry-level poses. You don’t have to break your back to wind down! 

Doing simple yoga poses consistently before bed for as short as fifteen minutes can make all the difference in your day-to-day physical and mental health. Keep reading to find out which poses are best suited to try out before hitting the hay.

If you’re a beginner like me, this list of poses will become your best friend! The bedtime yoga poses mentioned below are simple, easy, and relaxing poses for those of us who are just starting out. 

You shouldn’t break too much of a sweat, but it all depends on how much intensity you put into your personal flow. 

If you’d rather use your bedtime yoga session to breathe, meditate, and unwind, check out the various poses you can do before you hit the pillow in this list below:

1. Legs up the wall

• Also known as Viparita Karani in Sanskrit
• Sit down facing a wall
• Recline backward so your back is flat on the floor
• Swing your legs up against the wall and inch forward towards the wall until your body is at a ninety-degree angle 
• Your back should be flat on the floor and perpendicular to the wall
• Your legs should be flat and parallel against the wall
• Place your arms in any comfortable position (for example: folded on your stomach or lying flat at your sides)
• Focus on your breathing
• Stay in this position for as long as you want, up to twenty minutes 
• You can close your eyes if you want!
• To release this pose, gently and carefully move away from the wall
• Lie flat on your back for a few moments to recover 
• Draw your knees into your chest and roll on your right side
• Rest for a few moments before coming to an upright position

2. Reclined butterfly

• Sit on the floor with your legs extended
• Bring the soles of your feet together with your knees facing out until your legs are in the shape of a diamond
• If this puts an uncomfortable strain on your knees and thighs, you can use pillows or a bolster to support your knees to achieve maximum comfort!
• Recline back until your back is flat on the floor or on a bolster if you prefer
• Focus on your breathing for ten, deep in-and-out cycles
• To release this pose, roll onto your side before sitting up

3. Mountain pose

• Tadasana in Sanskrit
• Stand erect with feet parallel and shoulder with apart; toes should be facing straight ahead of you
• Spread and lift your toes and the balls of your feet; lay them softly back down; repeat this as many times as you’d like
• Rock your body slowly and gently back and forth while standing in the same position
• Slowly reduce swaying until you are at a stable stand-still; weight should be evenly distributed between both feet
• Image energy coursing from the ground through your feet and body up to your head
• Gently pull your shoulders back, widen your collar bones, and draw your shoulder blades towards each other
• Allow your arms to relax by your sides
• Notice yourself balancing and centering your head; keep your chin parallel to the floor
• Focus on your breath and relax your eyes

4. Child’s pose

• Balasana in Sanskrit
• Come to your hands and knees (on your mat if you have one)
• Spread your knees to the width of the mat while keeping your hands and big toes touching the floor
• Rest your belly between your thighs
• Bring your forehead to the floor
• If this is too difficult, rest your forehead on a pillow or bolster
• Relax your eyes, jaw, and shoulders
• Stretch your arms in front of yourself with your palms facing down OR bring your arms back alongside yourself with palms facing up
• Stay as long as you like and focus on your breath

5. Corpse pose

• Shavasana in Sanskrit
• Sit on the floor criss-cross-apple-sauce
• Lean back onto your forearms
• Inhale and extend your legs, keeping your feet apart and your toes turned outwards
• Flatten your lower back
• Gently lift your pelvis off the floor, tucking your tailbone in 
• Lower pelvis back down
• Focus on your breath and rest in this pose for 5 minutes
• Bring your knees to your chest and wrap your arms around them
• Rock side to side before coming back up in a seated position

6. Lizard pose

• Begin on all fours in downward dog position, feet hip-width apart, and keep your chin tucked to the chest
• Step right foot forward to the outside of your right hand, coming into a deep lunge position
• Lower left knee to the ground and press into your hips
• Keep your arms and back straight
• Slowly lower onto your forearms, keep your back flat and your head in line with your spine
• Hold for 4 breaths and repeat on the other side

7. Locust pose

• Salabhasana in Sanskrit
• Lie on your stomach, arms down by your side
• Inhale, lifting your arms, legs, head, and chest off the floor (like superman)
• Stay for 5 breaths before coming back down

8. Head of the knee pose

• Sit up straight on your bottom with your legs outstretched in front of you
• Place your right foot flat against the inside of your left thigh
• Inhale, lengthen your spine, and stretch your arms above your head, leaning to one side and then the other (5 breaths each)
• Alternate which leg is bent into the knee and which leg is stretched out
• Focus on your breath
• Stretch legs out in a seated position to come out of the pose

9. Seated forward bend

• Sit upright on your bottom with your legs stretched out in front of you
• Keep your spine straight and bend your head down to your legs
• Walk your hands out alongside your legs; wrap them around your toes if you can reach
• Focus on your breath and stay in the pose for 2 to 3 minutes

10. Reclining bound angle pose

• Sit up straight on your bottom with your feet kissing together
• Lean back onto your forearms and lower your back to the floor
• Rest your arms on the floor beside you with your palms facing the ceiling
• Focus on your breath
• Stay in this position for as long as you’d like
• To release this pose, slowly come back up to a seated position 

11. Reclining hand to big toe pose (requires straps)

• Lie down on your back with your legs extended
• If you’re uncomfortable, try supporting your head with a folded blanket or bolster
• Exhale and bend your left thigh into your chest
• Hug your left thigh to your belly
• Wrap a strap around the ball of your left foot and stretch your leg to the sky
• Hold for 5 breaths before bringing your knee back to your chest and stretching your leg back down flat in front of you
• Alternate legs
• To release this pose, breathe deeply before coming up into a seated position

12. Bridge pose

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart
• Keep your arms by your sides flat on the floor
• Inhale and press your feet hard against the floor to push yourself up, raising your hips to the ceiling 
• Hold for 4 breaths before gently lowering your hips back down to the floor
• Focus on your breathing and repeat this as many times as you’d like

Now that you’re a beginner’s-bedtime-yoga expert, you can add the various poses you learned into your nighttime routine! As we discussed above, bedtime yoga can improve the quality of your sleep, as well as enhance your cognitive functioning and mood throughout the following day. 

Yoga helps improve your sleep quality because as you focus on your breathing during each pose, your body relaxes. In addition, stretching out your limbs helps your muscles, tendons, and ligaments relax. 

If you have trouble sleeping, bedtime yoga is just what you need to check in with your mental and physical self each night, wring the stress out from your body, and enter into a state of total relaxation. 

Moreover, the mindfulness component of yoga helps increase melatonin levels. Sign me up! Lastly, weight loss can have a positive effect on your sleep cycle and can reduce symptoms in certain sleep disorders such as sleep apnea. 

NightCap

If you’re having trouble sleeping but bedtime yoga isn’t up your alley, or if you’re looking for a final bedtime refreshment after a relaxing bedtime yoga session, NightCap is the perfect way for you to end the night! NightCap is made from natural and healthful ingredients that help improve your sleep quality.

A nice glass of NightCap following a bedtime yoga session sounds like the perfect end to an evening to me!

If you have trouble sleeping but are physically unable to complete the poses we went over above, check out these alternative poses for those with injuries or disabilities. 

1. Floor crocodile

• Makarasana in Sanskrit
• Lie flat on your belly with your arms crossed in front of you and your legs stretched out with your toes turned outwards
• Rest your forehead on your arms
• Focus on your breath
• Stay here for as long as you’d like!

2. Standing side stretch

• Stand up straight with your feet parallel and shoulder-width apart
• Place your right hand over your left shoulder from the front, and place the left arm around the right side of your hips from behind
• Inhale and slowly raise your torse, stretching and twisting your body towards the left side while looking behind yourself
• Slowly come back to center and repeat on the other side
• Focus on your breathing and repeat as many times as you’d like

3. Seated side stretch

• Sit up straight on your bottom, criss-cross-apple-sauce
• Keep one arm at your side and extend the other arm over your head
• Slowly bend to the side opposite of the arm you raised and stretch as far as you can 
• Focus on your breath
• Come back to center and alternate sides
• Repeat as many times as you’d like