Are you feeling tired and just don’t have the energy nor motivation to get up and complete your daily tasks? Don’t worry, we’ve been there too. Waking up and doing the same repetitive routine every day can have a negative effect on your body and can often affect your sleep.
When you don’t get enough sleep, it’s easy to become fatigued and lack the same preppy attitude you did when you first started your nine-to-five job. If you’re feeling this way, try some simple yoga poses to help you get a better night’s rest and improve your energy levels and mood.
3 Calming Yoga Poses to Help You Sleep
Yoga represents the unity between your mind, body, and spirit. When you don’t get enough sleep, you may feel like your body is out of rhythm. Try these yoga poses to help put a pep in your step so you won’t miss a beat.
1. Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Kneel on all fours then press up into a pyramid shape, moving your hands ahead of your shoulders and stretching your spine. For added comfort, place a yoga block, bolster, or rolled-up blanket under your head for support.
Let the added support take the full weight of your head. Hold for a minute or two, then drop down onto all fours and sit back toward the heels. Repeat this movement twice.
How this pose helps you:
- Helps relieve stress in the body.
- Boosts blood circulation, which helps in removing toxins from the body and promotes higher energy levels.
2. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet hip-distance apart. Lift your hips and place your weight on the upper back. Under your lower back, place a bolster or a yoga block (standing sideways or on its shorter side) so that the prop is supporting the lower body.
Extend your arms alongside the body, close the eyes, and relax. Alternately, you can extend your legs. Stay in this position for five to six breaths.
How this pose helps you:
- Reduces stress and anxiety as it requires concentration to hold the pose while mindfully focusing on connecting to your breath.
- Promotes a healthy nervous system as the spine is strengthened to help increase flexibility.
3. Corpse Pose (Savasana)
Turn on some soothing music, then lie down on your back on a comfortable blanket or rug. Open the arms with your palms facing up toward the sky and your legs extended straight out. Roll your shoulder blades back and rock your head side to side to release tension in the neck. Relax into a still position, releasing any stiffness or tension in the body. You can even do this pose in your bed; just add a comforter or blanket.
How this pose helps you:
- This yoga pose helps you completely let go, learn to surrender, and connect with your inner being.
- This yoga pose is known as the kind of therapeutic yoga that promotes respiratory and cardiovascular function, recovery from and treatment of addiction, and reduces stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain. This pose improves sleep patterns and enhances overall well-being and quality of life.
Allowing Yoga to Put You to Sleep
Sleep deprivation is a serious condition that shouldn’t be taken lightly. If you don’t get your recommended seven to eight hours of sleep every day, it can result in serious health conditions. Health complications associated with sleep deprivation are high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, heart failure, or stroke. So, if you feel as if you are not getting enough, it’s worth trying these simple yoga poses to get relief.
Practicing these yoga poses can help relax your body and prep it for sleep. If you’re struggling with lower back pain or high blood pressure, make sure you speak with your doctor about performing these poses and possible modifications you can make.
