Day to Night: Yoga for Better Sleep

by Nina

This morning I was talking with Bonnie Maeda, RN and Shari Ser, PT about the workshop we’re going to be teaching on yoga for sleep disorders at the Berkeley Yoga Room, Saturday, June 16, from 2 to 5 (see here for registration information). When I described my 24-hour approach to practicing yoga for better sleep to them, they were very enthusiastic. So I'm going to share it with you today.

Yes, yoga in general is relaxing, but some poses are more relaxing than others while some poses and practices are actually quite stimulating. So if you’re having trouble sleeping, I recommend you plan out your day regarding which poses you do when. I mean, if you’ve been suffering from insomnia, you wouldn’t drink a double espresso right before bed, would you? Standing poses, backbends and vinyasa flows can be almost as stimulating, so a strong practice including those poses done just before bed can keep you awake (trust me, I've tried it). But those poses help keep you strong and flexible, as well as reducing stress by releasing physical tension from your body, so you wouldn’t want to eliminate those poses entirely from your practice. On the other hand, there are relaxing practices you can do right in bed either before sleep or in the middle of the night that will help you fall asleep more quickly and sleep more deeply.

Buddha in My Garden by Michele Macartney-Filgate

Here's how to plan out your day:

Day Time
Getting exercise is important for improving your sleep. So during the day, walk, run, swim, cycle, or do a strong yoga practice that includes forceful, stimulating poses, including standing poses, backbends, twists, and/or Sun Salutations and vinyasa flows.

Early Evening
After work or in the early evening, if you’re up for practicing, it’s best to do poses and practices that calm your nervous system, such as forward bends, inverted poses, and restorative yoga. Meditation, Relaxation pose with a mental focus, and yoga nidra (yogic sleep) are also good stress reducers. If you want to use a guided relaxation, see the Relaxation Tracks tab on at the top of the blog. From this point on it’s best to avoid the simulating poses and practices.

Before Bed
Turn off the TV early or put your book down, and take some time before you get into bed for conscious relaxation. Switching your nervous system from fight or flight to relaxation mode before getting into bed will help you fall asleep more quickly and sleep more deeply. Supported inverted poses, such as Legs Up the Wall pose, Easy Inverted pose (see here), and Bridge pose with straight legs, will calm your nervous system. Some people also like to meditate or practice seated breath awareness before getting into bed.

In Bed
For people suffering from insomnia, just getting into bed can trigger a new bout of stress. If you find your thoughts are racing and you are worrying about falling asleep, you can practice a body scan (Relaxation pose with a mental focus), where you conscious relax various parts of your body. Or you can work with your breath, either practicing general breath awareness or any form of pranayama that lengthens or emphasizes the exhalation. Practicing conscious relaxation before falling asleep will help you sleep more deeply. See my post Yoga You Can Do In Bed for more information on yoga you can do before falling asleep.

In the Middle of the Night
All of us insomniacs are familiar with the terrible moment in the middle of the night when we realize we’re wide awake and the possibility of returning to sleep feels hopeless. However, the worst thing you can do is lie there worrying about not falling back to sleep. Instead, return to the same practices you do before falling asleep, such as Relaxation pose with a mental focus, breath awareness, or extending the exhalation. Although it takes some discipline to focus on these practices (for some reason, worrying seems so much easier in the middle of the night), many people, including me, find that 10 to 20 minutes of practice allows us to fall back into a deep sleep.

Some practitioners I know do soothing poses in the middle of the night, such as supported forward beds (in bed with pillows) or even Legs Up the Wall pose. You can try this if seems appealing; just make sure you move slowly, stay warm, and keep the lights as low as possible. You could even play a guided relaxation track at this point. Again, see my post Yoga You Can Do In Bed for more information.

Morning
Good morning! I hope you slept better last night. Now, if you feel like gently stimulating your nervous system by moving with your breath, doing a few standing poses, or even doing a full yoga practice, go for it!