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Bedtime Yoga

Food for Thought, Meditation & Yoga, Yoga / by

This is a Bedtime Yoga practice designed to help you fall asleep quicker and easier, and sleep better.

Flow through each pose at your own pace, focusing on breath and quieting the mind. Complete at least 5-10 full breath cycles in each pose for the perfect slow down for your mind and body after a busy day.

You can try holding each pose for several minutes if you’d like for an even more relaxing practice. Just be sure to listen to your body and modify poses as needed for you.

  • SEATED MEDITATION – Begin in a comfortable seated position. Gently closing your eyes and becoming aware of your breath. Breathing in as slowly and deeply as you comfortably can and breathing out completely and easily. Fully aware of your breath. Fully present with your body in this moment. When you’re ready, slowly open your eyes and continue your practice with this same internal awareness, moving through each pose with intention and focus on your breath and your body, on every sensation of this experience.
  • CAT/COW – We’ll begin on hands and knees for Cat/Cow Pose; with a neural spine, wrists under shoulders and knees under hips. On the inhale, arch your spine, let your belly relax and go loose. This is Cow position. As you exhale, round your spine toward the ceiling, pull your belly in, engaging your abs. Tuck your chin toward your chest, relaxing your neck and tuck in your tailbone. This is Cat position. Continue moving between Cow and Cat – Cow on the inhale and Cat on the exhale – for a few breaths, moving at your own pace with your breath.
  • THREAD THE NEEDLE – Come back into table top position. Again, with a neutral spine, knees under hips and wrists under shoulders. On your next inhale, lift your left arm off the mat and exhale as you draw that arm across toward the right side of the body, bringing your left ear down to the mat.You can extend your right arm up, reaching toward the ceiling in this position or keep it next to your face. Or you can even place it behind your back for a deeper stretch. Find the position that feels right for you and stay here for 5-10 calming breaths. Come back up to table top position and repeat this on the other side.
  • CHILD’S POSE – Start on your knees. Sit back on your heels. Exhale as you walk your hands out in front of you. Bring your torso down so that you can rest your forehead on the mat. If this is too big of a stretch for you, try placing a block or a pillow between your buttocks and ankles. Take 10-15 breaths here. This pose should completely relax you.
  • SEATED FORWARD FOLD – Sit with your legs out in front of you, toes flexed up towards the ceiling. Lengthen your spine, draw your belly in and gently hinge from your hips and fold forward with a flat back as far as you can over your thighs. Reach your arms forward to touch your thighs, your shins or your toes if possible. Take 10-15 deep breaths here.
  • SUPPORTED BRIDGE – Come out of Seated Forward Fold and lie gently on your back, feet flat on the floor with your knees pointing up. Place your hands at your sides and let your finger tips gently graze your heels. Put a block or pillow underneath your hip points and stay in Supported Bridge Pose for 10-15 breaths. Take the block out from under you and lower your hips back down to the mat.
  • RECLINING TWIST  – Still lying on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, bring your arms out to your sides in a T. Scoot your hips a little to the right and allow your knees to gently fall over to the left. You may need a block or pillow to support your knees here so they’re not just hanging. Feel the stretch along the right side of your body. You can also turn your head to the right for a nice neck stretch. Make sure your shoulders stay grounded. Relax and breath into this stretch. Take 5-10 deep breaths here and then we’ll repeat it on the other side.
  • HAPPY BABY – Still on your back, bring your knees up and spread them wide near your upper body. Reach your hands on the insides of your legs and take hold of your feet. Gently start pulling down on your feet for Happy Baby Pose and rock side to side. Or just stay in place. Hold this pose for 5-10 deep breaths.
  • KNEES TO CHEST – Lying on the back, draw the knees gently in toward the chest. Inhaling, release the knees slightly away from the chest; exhaling, hug them in. This may seem simple, but take it easy on the lower back. Play with rocking side to side or moving the knees around in circles to explore releasing tension in the lower back. Hold this pose for 10-15 deep breaths.
  • LEGS UP WALL – Go to a wall, sit your buttocks as close to the wall as possible, sitting sideways. Gently start lying down and bring your feet up the wall and move your buttocks until they touch the wall. As an inversion pose, Legs up the Wall is great for the circulation, as well as rejuventing and relieving stress, headaches and low back pain. Stay in this restorative posture as long as you’d like. You can end your practice here while listening to the closing meditation or move into our final resting pose – Savasana.
  • SAVASANA – This final pose, Savasana or Corpse Pose, is considered the most important pose of your practice, as it allows your body time to process all the benefits of the poses you’ve just completed. Try to stay in this pose for at least 5 minutes. You can close your eyes here and come back to your breath. Just take a few deep breaths here and give yourself a few moments as my video guides you through a relaxing meditation. You can stay here as long as you’d like. Since this is a Bedtime Yoga Practice and you may already be in your bed, hopefully you’ll fall into a deep, peaceful sleep.  

Sweet dreams!