Bedtime yoga: a 10-minute sequence

10 min Beginner 6 poses

Gentle reclining poses to help you fall asleep

A short evening practice to do right before you get into bed. Six beginner poses, and nearly all of them are done lying on your back: no standing poses, backbends or strength work, which tend to wake you up. It suits beginners and anyone worn out by the day.

The task is simple: slow your breathing and let your muscles soften. You can practice on a mat next to your bed. Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose needs a wall. With glaucoma, during your period, or if high blood pressure isn't under control, replace that pose with lying quietly on your back.

  1. Child's Pose Child's Pose 1
  2. Reclining Butterfly Pose Reclining Butterfly Pose 2
  3. Knees-to-Chest Pose Knees-to-Chest Pose 3
  4. Supine Twist Supine Twist 4
  5. Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose 5
  6. Relaxation Pose Relaxation Pose 6

Why this order

Child's Pose is a bridge away from the bustle of the day: your forehead rests on the floor and your exhales grow longer. Then you lie down in Supta Baddha Konasana, where your hips and chest open without effort. Apanasana, with a gentle rocking, relaxes the lower back.

Supine Twist turns the spine to one side and then the other, and in Legs-Up-the-Wall your legs lean against the wall after a long day. Close to three minutes of Savasana in the finale help you carry that state all the way to sleep.

Cautions

  • Pregnancy — widen your knees (Child's Pose)
  • Knee injuries (Child's Pose)
  • Groin discomfort — place supports under your knees (Reclining Butterfly Pose)
  • Pregnancy from the second trimester onward — take your knees wider than your belly or skip the pose (Knees-to-Chest Pose)
  • Disc herniation in the acute phase (Supine Twist)
  • Menstruation (Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose)
  • Glaucoma (Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose)
  • Uncontrolled hypertension (Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose)

This site is for general information and is not medical advice. If you have pain, an injury, a chronic condition, or are pregnant, check with a qualified professional before practicing.