😴 Yoga for Better Sleep: 5 Poses to Drift Off Faster (No Counting Sheep Needed)

We’ve all been there—tucked in, tired, but your brain’s suddenly doing a TED Talk. If your nightly routine includes tossing, turning, and existential dread, we’ve got a better idea: bedtime yoga.

This week, we’re sharing five calming poses to help you power down your body and mind so you can actually fall asleep before your alarm goes off.

Let’s turn that restlessness into restfulness. 🌙🧘‍♀️

🌙 Feature: Yoga > Melatonin (Most Nights)

If your brain’s doing backflips when you’re trying to power down, you’re not alone. But before you reach for the sleep aids, try a slower solution—bedtime yoga.

Gentle, restorative yoga helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system (aka your rest-and-digest mode), lowers cortisol, and physically unwinds tight muscles after a long day.

In just 10–15 minutes, these five poses can turn your bedroom into a sleep sanctuary. Pajamas totally acceptable.

🛏️ 5 Sleepy Poses for Instant Calm

1. Legs-Up-the-Wall (Viparita Karani): Reverses blood flow, calms the heart rate.

2. Child’s Pose (Balasana): Grounds anxiety and soothes the lower back.

3. Reclined Butterfly (Supta Baddha Konasana): Opens hips, slows breathing.

4. Seated Forward Fold (Paschimottanasana): Signals the body to chill.

5. Supine Twist: Melts spinal tension and encourages release—emotional and physical.

Hold each for 2–5 minutes with deep breaths and heavy exhales.

🧘‍♀️ Pose of the Week: Legs-Up-the-Wall (Viparita Karani)

Why it works:
Shifts the nervous system into relaxation mode, reduces swelling in the legs, and feels like a sigh of relief for your body.

How-to:
Scoot your hips up to a wall, swing your legs up, and rest. You can even do it in bed.

🎶 Nighttime Soundtrack

🎧 Track: “Sleep” by Max Richter
So soothing, you might not make it to the end of the track.

💤 Reader Wind-Down

From Mira in Portland:

“I started doing a five-minute bedtime flow and went from scrolling until 2am to actually sleeping before midnight. Life. Changing.”

Thank you for being a part of our journey! 🌿✨ Stay mindful, stay flexible, and keep shining your inner light.

With gratitude,
Light Up Yoga Team 🧘‍♀️💛