3 Yoga Poses for a Perfect Night's Rest
Having a restorative sleep plays an essential part in how you feel the following day. A poor night’s rest can have a negative impact on your brain function, mood, energy levels, and hormone health.
Before going to bed there are yoga postures that are excellent for helping you not only fall asleep but have a restful sleep the whole night through.
Child’s Pose
This essential yoga posture is the great beginning to this 3 part sequence because it helps you to reconnect with yourself. The posture offers decompression of the lower back, a stretch for the thighs/hips, and relaxation of the neck. Although this posture is gentle it is very effective.
How To: Drop your hips to your heels and allow your forehead to sink into the floor with your hands in front of you, palms face down. Ground down through your shins as your knees spread out to either side and relax your shoulders alongside your neck.
Supported Shoulder Stand
Supported shoulder stand is extremely calming to your parasympathetic nervous system. This cooling effect helps relieve tension and anxiety. With the legs up on the wall and your heart higher than your head this creates increased blood flow and flushes your lymph fluids. This combination creates the ultimate cooling benefits, calming your body and mind!
How To: Stick a pillow or some kind of support under your hips while lying flat on your back and supporting your legs straight up on a wall.
Standing Forward Bend
By coming into this deep forward fold you alleviate tension in your upper body while giving your hamstrings a deep stretch. The blood rushes to your head which flushes the body and rejuvenates the oxygen in your body.
How To: Fold forward deeply and maybe stick a pillow or bolster long ways in between your belly and chest offering some more support. Your hands grab opposite elbows as you let your head hang heavy and knees bent deeply.
For added benefits to all of these postures pair them with cooling inhales through the nose and exhales out the mouth. Mindful breath will calm your mind and body even more, resulting in a beautiful night’s rest!
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