Yoga and sleep go hand in hand (in my opinion), and it only makes sense that there’d a bunch to help you drift peacefully into dream land.

The great thing about yoga is that so many of its poses pull double duty! You know what’s great for your hips is also great to help you fall fast asleep. What’s great for anxiety is also great for relaxation. What’s great for strengthening your glutes is also great for balance! You see what I mean?! Sometimes we just need someone to remind us of what we already know.

Today, I have a round up of yoga poses that’ll help you sleep. They’re not fancy, they’re not difficult, and they can all be done from bed if you wanted.

1. Seated Yoga Breath.
Sitting comfortably, breathe in deeply through the nose so you feel the belly and ribs expand. Be careful not to let the shoulders lift up towards the ears. Keep your breath lower. Breathe in slowly for a count of 4 and exhale slowly for a count of 8. Take 8-10 breathe at this pace and watch the jitters from the day melt away… 
2. Child’s Pose.
I’m convinced Child’s Pose is one of those poses that cures all. Stressed? Child’s pose. Period cramps? Child’s pose. Sad? Child’s pose. It’s comforting, grounding, and can usually help bring your focus inward and quiet your mind a bit. And to get a good night’s sleep, you definitely need to do just that! You can do this anywhere you’re comfortable, but allow your hips to get heavy and your upper body to fully relax. Imagine getting a bit heavier with each exhale…

3. Supine Twists. 
NOTE: if you’re pregnant, please don’t do these. Instead, take an open seated twist to accommodate the belly. For the rest of you, definitely do these  There’s something incredibly relaxing about opening the chest & getting a gentle twist through the spine. This pose brings my energy down EVERY TIME, so once you climb into bed, lie on your back, bend your knees, and twist yourself in the opposite direction. Focus on the same deep belly breathing we did at the beginning…

4. Reclined Bound Angle.
Another favorite. When our hips or low back feel tight and achy from a long day, it’s no surprise it would be hard to fall asleep. This is a great pose to unravel those areas and release tension overall. Don’t force the shape. Just allow the legs to succumb to gravity with each breath out…

5. Legs Up The Wall
Up the wall, propped up on your headboard– whatever you want to use is fine. It all accomplishes the same goal. This is one of those shapes that always feels amazing. Feeling yourself be fully supported, semi-floating, and already reclined puts you in a state of pre-sleep from here! So allow yourself to stay here for as long as you feel comfortable. Very gently bend the knees to bring yourself out of it and be ready to fall fast asleep…

Over to you: are there any poses or practices you do regularly to help you sleep? What works best for you, personally?