Some poses are especially good at helping improve sleep according to this International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) blog. A survey found yoga improved sleep and reduced stress, which can also lead to better sleep.
Some helpful yoga positions (Asana):
Legs Up the Wall: Lie on the ground on your back and put the back of your legs up a wall (keeping your legs toward straight), so your body is in an L-shaped pose. Body scan and relax into the position by softening any gripping you can feel in the body. Prop head if it helps the neck relax. You also might find benefit in placing the low back on a narrowly folded blanket. This pose can help access the kidney and urinary bladder yin / yang meridian pair which are thought to be associated with fear when not balanced. Fear can impact our sleep.
Lying Supine Butterfly: Lie on the ground on your back. Press the bottoms of your feet against each other and let your knees fall out to the sides. You can put a pillow under your knees if this feels too strenuous. Hands at the belly or above the head. This pose can help access the kidney yin meridian.
Lying Supine Stirrup: Use the wall or ottoman. Widen feet and let knees fall to the side. You can use the hands as props as the elbows rest on the ground mat. This pose can help access the liver yin meridian which are thought to be associated with anger and impatience when not balanced. Anger and impatience can impact our sleep.
Wide Knee Child's pose with Threading Arm Under: One of the targets of this pose is the inner legs. You can pad the knees, have a blanket behind the knees or a bolster at your sit bones. Also, for the arm being threaded under your body, the target is the twist of the spine and pull at the back of the arm/shoulder. Be sure the arm is at an angle so that you do not get numbness. Having a support under the head or chest can help decrease the amount of pressure on the arm from the body. This pose can help access the liver, kidney (inner leg) yin meridians which are thought to be associated with fear when not balanced. Also, this pose can help access the small and large intestine meridians that are associated with sadness, grief and worry. All these can link to the quality of our sleep.
Corpse Pose: Lie on the ground on your back with legs straight, arms by your sides, and palms facing up. Breathe slowly, focusing on your natural inhales and exhales. Use props to help the body feel supported and allow relaxation, like a bolster behind the back, forearms supported, etc.
These poses are a good start and may be easy to do on your own, but all exercise can have risks so only do poses that are safe for what you know about your body. These poses should feel easy where you can feel relaxed in the body and the goal is for the mind to follow. Always be safe and take care of your body based on what you know about your health. A yoga therapist can guide you through a selection of poses to promote your health. Sandra “SAM” Sather is a Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT). She is also an experienced registered yoga instructor (eRYT) with many other certifications and trainings. Join SAM for a private session or a group class like Yin Yoga Therapeutic Stretch and Meditation, or Chakra Meditation and sleep better!
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