Insomnia, poor sleep or waking up in the middle of the night are becoming a "disease of the times", especially in people with mental illness, who use a lot of electronic devices and are under prolonged pressure. When the brain has not yet stoppedpping, it is very difficult for the body to fall into deep sleep. In that context, gentle yoga before bed is considered a natural solution, with little risk but clear results.
According to Dr. Sat Bir Singh Khalsa, a sleep and yoga therapist at Harvard Medical School (USA), slow yoga poses, combined with deep breathing, can activate the epideropath nervous system, the system responsible for rest and recovery. Before bed practice helps reduce cortisol, the stress hormone, thereby supporting a more natural sleeping process, he said.
Why does evening yoga help you sleep better?
Unlike high-intensity exercises, yoga before bed focuses on stretching, relaxing joints and slowing down breathing. When breathing deeply and steadily, the heart rate decreases, blood pressure is stable, the brain receives a safe signal to "turn off vigilance mode".
Many studies show that maintaining an evening yoga routine of 15 - 20 minutes can improve sleep quality, reduce restlessness and fatigue the next morning. It is important to choose the right posture, prioritize lying, sitting or slightly bending movements, avoid strong stimulating positions.
10 yoga poses to practice before bed
Experts recommend a series of gentle poses below, done slowly, combined with deep breathing:
leg-up positioning (Viparita Karani): Helps blood circulate better, reduces leg weight, and calms the nervous system.
Cat - cow (Marjaryasana Bitilasana): Relax your spine, relieve back tension.
Malasana squats: Open your hips, reduce lower back pressure.
butterfly Lie (Supta Baddha Konasana): Deep relaxation, reduce anxiety.
Limited angle (Baddha Konasana): Improve circulation, relax the inner thighs.
Facial offender (Adho Mukha Svanasana): Stretch all-female but do not over-excit.
Sitting butterfly pose: Reduces restlessness, stabilizes breathing.
Child's pose (Balasana): Soothes the nervous system, reduces mental stress.
Happy baby (Ananda Balasana): Relieves the lower back and hips.
Savasana: The pose ends, helping the body to be completely relaxed.
Dr. Khalsa notes that yoga before bed is not perfect. Just listen to your body, breathe slowly and let yourself rest, the effect has begun, he said.
In a world that is always hasty, good sleep sometimes does not come from medicine, but from a few minutes of silence on the yoga mat, where the body and mind are allowed to stop.
