5 yoga poses to treat insomnia: Focus on deep, slow breathing to improve sleep quality
Yoga for insomnia: Incorporating these yoga poses into your routine can lead to improved sleep over time. Focus on deep, slow breathing throughout the routine, and listen to your body, modifying poses as needed for comfort.
Do you have trouble sleeping? You're not alone. Insomnia can be a challenging issue, but incorporating gentle yoga routines into your evening can potentially improve your sleep quality. A study by Harvard Medical School found that regular yoga practice can enhance sleep efficiency, total sleep time, and the time it takes to fall asleep for individuals with insomnia. Here are five restful yoga routines tailored to help you wind down and prepare for a peaceful night's rest (Image: Canva)
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Forward Fold (Uttanasana): Forward Fold, also known as Uttanasana, is a calming yoga pose that offers numerous benefits for both the body and mind, says Yoga practitioner Harmeet Sadhu. This gentle inversion helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and reducing stress. It's an excellent way to release tension, particularly in the back, hamstrings, and shoulders. How to practice Forward Fold: 1. Begin by standing with your feet hip-distance apart. 2. Inhale deeply as you raise your arms overhead, feeling a gentle stretch. 3. As you exhale, slowly bend forward from the waist, maintaining a straight spine. 4. Reach for opposite elbows or let your arms hang toward the floor. 5. Hold this position for 10-15 deep breaths, allowing yourself to relax into the stretch. 6. To release, slowly rise back to standing on an inhale. (Image: Canva)
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Supine Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana): The Supine Twist is a restorative yoga pose that offers benefits for the body and mind. This gentle twist helps detoxify the body by aiding digestion and improving circulation, says Sadhu. It also releases tension in the back, hips, and spine, making it ideal for relaxation. How to practice Supine Twist: 1. Begin lying on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. 2. Hug your knees into your chest, feeling a gentle stretch in the lower back. 3. Extend arms out to the sides at shoulder height, palms facing down. 4. Exhale as you let your knees fall to one side, keeping both shoulders grounded. 5. Relax into the twist, feeling a gentle stretch along the spine and outer hip. 6. Hold for 5 deep breaths, then repeat on the other side. (Image: Canva)
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Puppy Pose (Uttana Shishosana): Puppy Pose is a gentle yoga posture that provides a deep stretch for the upper back, shoulders, and spine. It effectively relieves stress and tension in the upper body, making it valuable for relaxation. How to practice Puppy Pose: 1. Begin on all fours with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips. 2. Walk hands forward slowly, lowering chest toward the mat. 3. Keep hips over knees as you exhale, lowering buttocks halfway toward heels. 4. Rest forehead on the mat with arms extended and palms pressing down. 5. Feel a gentle stretch along spine, shoulders, and arms. 6. Hold for 5-10 deep breaths, relaxing into the stretch. 7. Release by walking hands back (Image: Canva)
Child's Pose (Balasana): Child's Pose is a deeply comforting yoga posture with benefits for the body and mind. It primarily targets hips, thighs, and ankles, effectively releasing tension and increasing flexibility. Additionally, it has a calming effect on the mind, reducing stress and anxiety. How to practice Child's Pose: 1. Begin on all fours with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips. 2. Bring big toes together, allowing knees to widen. 3. Sit back on heels as you exhale, extending arms forward or alongside torso. 4. Lower chest and forehead toward the mat, resting comfortably. 5. Feel a gentle stretch in hips, thighs, and ankles. 6. Hold for at least 10 deep breaths, relaxing and letting go. 7. Release by rising back up (Image: Canva)
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Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani): This is a gentle, restorative posture with benefits for relaxation and preparing for sleep. This mild inversion promotes relaxation by elevating legs above the heart, calming the nervous system and releasing tension in legs and lower back. How to practice Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose: 1. Sit parallel to a wall with enough space for legs to extend upward. 2. Lie down on back and swing legs up the wall, heels resting against it. 3. Place cushion or folded blanket under lower back for support. 4. Extend arms out to sides, palms facing up. 5. Stay as long as desired, focusing on deep, mindful breathing. 6. Feel gentle stretch in hamstrings and calming effect on body (Image: Canva)
Nivedita is a Delhi-based journalist who writes on health, fashion, lifestyle and entertainment. Views expressed are personal.
