3 YOGA POSES FOR INSOMNIA

Insomnia is a common complaint, even for people in otherwise good health, but for those of us who have chronic conditions, lack of sleep can be even more concerning since it can exacerbate our chronic symptoms, which are already bad enough as it is 😓

When we sleep, the body is hard at work repairing damaged tissues and replenishing our energy stores. Getting enough sleep may not be a cure-all, but it can definitely help to improve our quality of life!

I love using yoga to help me wind down and relieve pain before bedtime. It helps me to fall asleep faster and stay asleep. Here are three of my favorite poses to combat insomnia:

SEATED FORWARD BEND 

Forward folds of any kind, including child’s pose are highly beneficial at bedtime. They soothe the nervous system and draw the awareness inward. Adding a bolster or block under the forehead makes this even more relaxing.

 SPINAL TWIST

Gentle twisting can help to release any residual tension that may be lingering from the day. This can be any gentle twist you prefer, but I especially like this stag leg twist variation with a bolster since it is also a bit of a forward fold.

SIDE-LYING POSE

This is an alternative to savasana, which would also be a good pose to do at bedtime. I like that side-lying pose soothes the digestive tract. I occasionally will wake up in the middle of the night with abdominal pain, and this pose can help a lot. Hugging the knees all the way into the chest is also an option.

The full-length restorative yoga class for insomnia is available inside Spoonie Yoga Tribe. Click to try your first week free + get instant access to this practice.