9 Yoga Poses To Beat Insomnia And Anxiety

If you struggle to fall asleep night after night, try these nine gentle and restorative yoga poses to beat insomnia and anxiety.

I had an unhealthy relationship with sleep for most of my early 20’s sleeping only 2-3 hours a night, tired, irritable, and moody throughout the day.

To fix my sleep, I tried several supplements (Melatonin, 5-HTP, Magnesium, etc.) and over the counter medicines, and although some helped me sleep a few nights, I needed a long term solution.

Frustrated, I researched drug-free alternatives and decided to make a few minor changes in my lifestyle.

One of those changes was replacing my nightly glass of wine with a 30-minute yoga routine.

Yoga not only helps relieve stress and tension but also improves sleep immensely.

According to SleepFoundation.org, “when people who have insomnia practice yoga daily, they sleep for longer, fall asleep faster, and return to sleep more quickly if they wake up in the middle of the night.”

Additionally, “This is also true for older people who have insomnia, those who are 60 and older experience better sleep quality, sleep for longer, and feel better during the day when they practice regular yoga.”

Which Yoga Is Best For Sleeping?

It is important for you to note that not all types of yoga are suitable if your goal is to improve your sleep.

Some forms of yoga are intense and energizing (Hot Yoga and Vinyasa Flow) and are best done in the morning or during the day.

While some are therapeutic and relaxing, such as Hatha Yoga and Nidra Yoga, what you need for your bedtime routine is the restorative form of yoga.

Keep in mind that you increase your chances of a good night’s sleep if you practice the poses a few minutes before bedtime.

Other Helpful Tips

Pay attention to your breath as well as the physical pose; your breath will soothe and relax your body.
With each pose, inhale and exhale deeply through the nose with your mouth closed.
Practice each yoga pose for at least 3 minutes each or longer if it feels comfortable.

Practicing these 9 Yoga Poses consistently will help relax your body, curb the late-night anxiety, and insomnia, eventually helping you get a full night’s sleep.

Salutation Seal

The salutation seal is a restorative yoga pose that calms the mind and helps reduce stress and anxiety.

When done consistently before bedtime, it will signal to your subconscious mind that it’s time to rest and restore the body.

Instructions

Sit on the floor or mat comfortably.
Inhale and bring your palms together and rest the thumbs lightly on your chest.
Press the hands firmly but evenly against each other.
Make sure the hands are firmly balanced so that neither the left (if you are left-handed) or the right (if you’re right-handed) dominates the other.
Hold the pose, relax, and breathe for 3 to 5 minutes.

Standing Forward Bend

The standing forward bend pose helps relax the body, alleviates tension in your neck, relieves stress, and reduces fatigue by calming your brain nerves.

Instructions

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and inhale deeply.
Exhale and extend your torso forward and over your legs to lengthen your spine.
Hold onto your elbows or let your hands rest on the floor.
Remember not to strain to reach the floor— don’t worry about perfection; simply lengthen your torso and relax your neck and shoulders.
Hold the pose for 3 to 5 minutes.

Fish Pose

Fish Pose helps to reduce fatigue and anxiety by allowing more oxygen to enter the lungs and brain.

Additionally, the pose also slows down the breath making it more conducive for sleep.

Instructions

Begin by lying down on your back.
Bring the upper body up to a 45-degree angle to your elbows with your forearms flat on the mat.
Slide your body backward while keeping your forearms in place.
Inhale and puff up your chest up by rolling your shoulders back and tucking your shoulder blades firmly onto your back.
Press your palms firmly into the mat or on your hips.
Lower the crown (top of the head) while opening your throat until the crown comes to the floor.
Keep your legs engaged and your toes active throughout.
Hold for 3 minutes or as long as you feel comfortable.
Lastly, release your upper body to the mat.

Head To Knee Forward Bend Pose

It is also a restorative pose that is said to help relieve stress and calm your mind.

Instructions

Sit on the floor or mat with both legs outstretched in front of you.
Adjust and make sure your butt is firmly anchored on the floor.
Inhale and raise both arms.
Exhale and bend your torso from the hips (not lower back), resting your torso down to your outstretched legs.
Keep your feet flexed while pressing the back of your thighs down toward the floor.
When you reach your maximum forward bending limit, hold your ankles or foot and relax your head on the outstretched legs.
Hold the pose for 3 minutes.

Bound Angle Pose

Bound Angle Pose helps to calm the mind, reduce stress, anxiety, and mild depression, prepping your body for a good night’s sleep.

Instructions

Begin with your spine straight and your legs extended in front of you on the mat.
Bend your knees and draw your heels in towards your pelvis.
Press the soles of your feet together and let your knees drop open to both sides only as far as they will go. Remember, yoga poses should be done gently without strain.
Clutch your big toes with your first two fingers and press the outer edges of your feet firmly together.
Sit up straight and extend through the length of your entire spine.
Lastly, you may gaze softly straight ahead and hold the pose for at least three minutes.

Legs Up the wall

Legs up the wall pose will help circulate your blood flow and ease tension, especially if you spend most of the day standing or spend long hours at the desk.

Instructions

Find a space on your wall and place your mat perpendicular to the wall.
Sit down on the mat and move one side of the body as close to the wall as possible.
Lie back onto the mat, and gently place your legs up the wall.
Relax your arms by your sides.
Hold the pose for 3 minutes, longer if you feel comfortable.

Reclining Butterfly Pose

According to verywellfit, reclining butterfly pose is a restorative and restful pose that relieves tension and discomfort in the hip flexors, especially if you spend a lot of time sitting.

Additionally, Cyndi Lee, author of May I Be Happy: A Memoir of Love, Yoga, and Changing My Mind, says that the pose encourages the body’s “rest and digest” response.

Instructions

Lay down on your back.
Bend your knees while keeping the soles of your feet on the floor.
Open your knees out to either side and bring the soles of your feet together.
Put your arms in a comfortable position.
Relax and remain in this position for five minutes as your body naturally works to deepen your stretch.
Lastly, observe your breath going in and out naturally throughout the pose.
When you feel ready to come out of the pose, take two deep breaths and bring your knees back together as you stretch and sit up.

Child’s Pose

According to Yogaoutlet, the child’s Pose can help you release all your worries of the day and prep your body for a good night’s sleep.

As a matter of fact, in his book A Journey into Yin Yoga, renowned practitioner Travis Eliot says that Child’s Pose is excellent for “activating the nervous system’s relaxation response to help you fall asleep.”

Instructions.

Kneel on the floor and bring your big toes together.
Separate your knees hips-width apart or as wide as the edges of the mat.
Exhale and sink your torso onto your thighs.
Let your hands relax alongside your torso, so your arms are pointed to the back of the room, palms facing up.
If you want a more active pose, reach your hands forward, palms down on the mat.
Keep your forehead on the ground. Roll your head to each side gently.
Take slow and steady breaths, in and out through your nose for 3 minutes.

Corpse Pose

Corpse pose is the traditional final resting pose of yoga practice. The goal of the corpse pose is to create a relaxation response perfect for just before you climb into bed.

Additionally, the pose has been shown to reduce anxiety as well as lower blood pressure.

The pose is simple and can be practiced in bed, as long as you remove the pillows and lay flat on the bed surface.

Eventually, the pose will not only calm any anxiety but will also prep your body to beat insomnia and get some restorative sleep.

Instructions

Lie back on the mat.
Hug your knees in towards your chest tightly and inhale deeply.
Exhale and stretch your legs out away from you while keeping your tailbone grounded on the mat.
Your feet should be hip-width apart and relaxed away from each other, toward the edges of the mat.
Let your lower back soften and relax.
Relax your arms at your sides, palms facing upward.
Make sure your shoulders are also relaxed away from your ears and not hunched.
Stay as long as you need to.

Closing thoughts

The causes of insomnia are vast, so I don’t want this article to miss lead you into thinking yoga is the only cure you’ll need.

Yoga is just the first step in reducing the stress and anxiety that play a role in developing insomnia.

If you are a chronic sufferer of insomnia, you will need to make significant lifestyle changes to overcome it long term.

Some of the changes may include good sleep hygiene methods to correct the negative lifestyle or environmental conditions that contribute to insomnia as I learned from Six steps to sleep programme.

While other changes might have to do with your diet, each individual is different, so keep trying until you find what works for you.

Feel free to discuss any concerns you have in overcoming anxiety and insomnia in the comment section.

Cheers,

Sania.