If you’re looking to improve your sleep quality, become more energized and focused throughout the day, and maximize your overall health, you’ve come to the right place! Practicing yoga is a great way to enhance both your physical and mental health. Yoga can also help you feel more connected to the world around you.
After reading this article, you’ll know all the best poses to practice before bed as well as the benefits of bedtime yoga. But first, let’s discuss what exactly yoga is, yoga’s history, and how yoga made its mark on the Western world.
Before we delve into bedtime yoga, let’s first sharpen our understanding of yoga in general. Yoga is a physical and mental practice that originated in India over 5,000 years ago. Yoga incorporates strength, flexibility, and breathing exercises to improve your overall health.
But how did we come to know this ancient tradition? I’m glad you asked! The term “yoga” was first used in the Rig Veda, a sacred compilation of Hindu texts written in Sanskrit. Yoga then spread to surrounding countries in a variety of ways thanks to globalization.
Before yoga spread across the globe, it was developed and refined into a multifaceted practice by Rishis, or sages. The Rishis meticulously documented their findings and beliefs in another ancient text known as the Upanishads.
There are six major schools of philosophy in Hinduism, and yoga is one of them! Yoga has been around for ages, and it’s safe to say that it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. Yoga is a spiritual, sacred, and healthful practice with loads of benefits.
But wait, what the heck is bedtime yoga, and why should we practice it?
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:
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.
The EarlyBird Morning Cocktail
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:
The EarlyBird Morning Cocktail
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.
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.
Now that you’re a bedtime yoga expert, you're ready to reap the various health benefits of implementing it into your nightly routine. Don't forget to top it off with NightCap to get the best sleep of your life!