Disclosure: In this yoga poses for sleep post, I am wearing Cariloha Bamboo Yoga Wear that I received free.
You might claim to be the best sleeper there is, but I am sure even sometimes your sleep can be restless too! The trouble is, everyone suffers from getting good shut eye now and again. Maybe you aren’t sleeping well due to stress and anxiety or maybe you “have always been a poor sleeper”.
While I don’t suffer from sleep deprivation nightly, there are some nights I do have trouble sleeping. Some nights I can’t seem to calm my mind down and other nights I wake up frequently! I found these sleep yoga poses to be very helpful for restless leg, insomnia, and anxiousness before bedtime. After I do them I feel relaxed and calm!
These yoga sleep poses will help with restlessness and make it easier to fall asleep. These simple poses can calm and relax your body from head to toe, so that you can sleep better!
The Best Yoga Poses For Sleep
Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) – This pose is straight forward. While standing straight (with your legs together or shoulder width apart) begin to bend forward from the hips and maintain a straight back. Hang and hold for 15 seconds. This pose will increase blood back to the head and you will feel a hamstring stretch if they are tight too! This yoga pose is a great mental tension release and to improve the quality of your sleep!
Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby) – Lie on your back, lift you legs and grab your feet for this stress-reliving pose. For a stretch, flex your feet towards the ceiling. If comfortable, rock left and right to gently massage your spine. This yoga pose will help alleviate sleep problems and will give you better quality rest!
Siddhasana (Adept’s Pose – Meditation) – With your hands at your knees, sit cross legged with your ankles in alignment, close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Bring your index finger and thumb together and root your bottom to your yoga mat. Continue slow, methodical breathing. This yoga pose will help you unwind after a long day and has a ton of relaxing benefits!
Baddha Konasana (Folded Butterfly) – From a seated position, bring the soles of your feet together. Inhale and sit up tall. Exhale and bend forward. Hold in this position for 15 seconds. This yoga pose will help you calm your mind and fall asleep!
Balasana (Child’s Pose) – This pose might be the most well-known resting pose in yoga. Sit on your heels and lower your body on to your knees while stretching your arms forward. Your forehead should touch the mat and you can massage your forehead left to right which will ease tension at your brow. This yoga pose will release tension in your body and get a good nights sleep!
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose) – For this pose, start by lying on your back with your arms out on the sides of your body and your knees bent about hip-width apart. Raise your bottom off of the mat and hold your belly tight. This yoga pose will open up your heart and stretch your chest muscles which will help you sleep well!
Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend) – Start this pose by sitting straight up with you legs out in front of you. Bend forward from your hips as far as you can go. If you are flexible enough, grab your feet and drop your head to touch your knee. This yoga pose is great for relaxation and stress management!
Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog) – This is maybe the most popular whole-body yoga pose, but did you know it is a great yoga pose for sleep? Keep your arms straight, gently lift your knees from the floor and relax your back. This yoga pose is good for insomnia!
Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose) – Sit on the floor with your back straight. Bring the soles of you feet together like in butterfly pose. Use you hands to hold your feet or ankles. Inhale and exhale to lengthen your spine and to relax your muscles. This yoga pose will help you get a deep sleep tonight!
Marjaryasana (Cat Pose) – Begin in table top position for this pose. Curl your toes and your back by pulling your belly button towards your spine. Press into the floor and keep your head relaxed. This yoga pose will help you sleep soundly!
More Yoga Poses to Help You Sleep
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- Seated Twist
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- Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend
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- Legs Up the Wall
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- Reclining Big Toe
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- Seated Twist
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- Locust Pose
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- Reclined Twist
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- Hero Pose
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- Seated Forward Fold
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- Head to Knee Pose
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- Legs Crossed Forward Bend
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- Lizard Pose
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- Figure Four Pose
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- Corpse Pose
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- Rock A Bye Roll
Resources for High Stress & Anxiety Moments in Life:
Over time, I have discovered a few great resources for very stressful times in life when I don’t sleep well for multiple days or even weeks. I highly recommend keeping these items on hand to help calm, relax and relive stress. I hope they help!
- Yoga Poses Book – I’ts an Ultimate Guide!
- Goodday Chocolates – I eat these regularly and think they REALLY help.
- Sound Machine – Sometimes I think focusing on the noise makes me get out of my head!
And a Few More Great Yoga Poses to Fight Insomnia:
- Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (Sleeping Pigeon)
- Supta Matsyendrasana (Supine Spinal Twist)
- Ardha Matsyendrasana (Seated Spinal Twist)
- Agnistambhasana (Fire Log Pose)
- Ananda Balasana (Half Happy Baby)
- Halasana (Plow Pose)
- Ultrasana (Camel Pose)
- Surya Bhedana (Left Nostril Breathing)
- Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Butterfly)
- Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose)
- Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle)
- Supta Virasana (Reclining Hero)
- Utta Shishosana (Extendend Puppy Pose)
- Bhujangasana (Snake Pose)
- (Marichi Pose or Sage’s Pose)
- Salamba Bhujangasana (Sphinx Pose)
- Sukhasana (The Easy Pose)
- Adhavasana (Relaxed Pose)
- Dradhasana (Firm Pose)
Love My Organic Yoga Clothing?
You can find these bamboo yoga clothing from Cariloha.com. This outfit is a part of their newer organic yoga clothing line. The bamboo fit active wear clothing is comfortable, light weight, stretchy, moisture-wicking, breathable and anti-odor. For all the reasons, this organic clothing makes very nice workout gear! From yoga to hiking, this performance wear is high quality, crazy soft and well made. I love me some bamboo fabric!
About Cariloha
Cariloha is the premier company for bamboo products. Bamboo is a very special fabric due to it’s many impressive qualities. Did you know bamboo is 3 degrees cooler than cotton and wicks moisture away from your body? This makes it a great fabric choice for their women’s bamboo active wear to the luxurious bamboo bed sheets and towels.