Among the various ways to improve sleep quality, yoga stands out for its effectiveness and ease of practice. Certain yoga poses, in particular, can help you fall asleep and improve your sleep. These poses stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for relaxation and lowering the heart rate. They thus facilitate the transition from wakefulness to sleep.
Hortense Laurent, yoga instructor and founder of the Paris studio The Canopy, offers poses to help you prepare for sleep. You can do these poses individually or in the order listed for a complete sequence lasting about 30 minutes.
1st pose: legs against the wall
- The installation, with legs against the wall
Sit sideways along a wall. Then lie down, turning so that you’re facing the wall, and extend your legs up against the wall. Your body should form a more or less right angle, with your back on the floor and your legs against the wall. You can place a blanket or pillow under your pelvis for added comfort and if your legs bend.
Once you're in position, let the weight of your legs settle toward your pelvis and the floor. Relax your legs, the rest of your body, and your face as much as possible. Then, place your hands on your stomach and your elbows on the floor.
- The Suggested Breathing Technique
Breathe deeply and steadily. Inhale through your nose, filling your abdomen so that it lifts your hands. Exhale gently through your nose, relaxing your abdomen, and feel your hands lower toward your spine.
- Duration
Hold the pose for 5 minutes if you're doing the full sequence, or for 10 minutes if you're doing this pose on its own.
- The Benefits of the "Legs Against the Wall" Pose
This pose reverses blood flow, providing physical relief—especially in the legs—and improving blood circulation. It is an ideal pose for hot weather. It also promotes mental calm by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the “rest and digest” response. As a result, it lowers the heart rate and fosters a state of calm and relaxation that prepares the body for sleep.
2nd pose: the child
- Assuming the child's pose
Sit on your knees with your buttocks resting on your heels. Then, lean your upper body toward the floor. Rest your forehead on the floor or on a prop (a dictionary, a yoga block, or a large cushion). Let your arms hang back and bring your elbows out to the sides so they rest on the floor. Relax your shoulders.
If your buttocks lift off your heels, place a thick cushion between your buttocks and your heels. You can also place a blanket in the crook of your knees. Once in the pose, relax your arms, abdomen, neck, and entire face as much as possible.
- The Suggested Breathing Technique
Take a deep breath in through your nose, letting your belly expand against your thighs, and exhale very slowly through your mouth, with the intention of releasing all the tension from the day.
- Duration
Hold the pose for 3 minutes, or 5 minutes if you're doing it on your own.
- The Benefits of the Child's Pose
This pose relieves tension in the thighs, hips, and lower back, releasing pressure on the lumbar region. You can really feel the benefits for your back when you take a deep breath. In addition, Child’s Pose applies gentle pressure to the abdomen, which helps stimulate the digestive system. Digestive problems can disrupt sleep, which is why good digestion is important for restful sleep. This pose also activates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting a state of relaxation and inner calm.
3rd pose: the caterpillar
- Assuming the caterpillar pose
Sit on a cushion to raise your pelvis. Extend your legs forward with your knees together, then lean your upper body forward. Once you’re settled, let your whole body relax toward the floor—especially your legs, feet, arms, shoulders, abdomen, and the back of your neck.
- Possible adjustments
Depending on your body type, props can help you relax more deeply. It’s recommended to place a prop under your forehead to relax your neck. To do this, you can use a large pillow or rest your head and arms on the seat of a chair. If your upper body tends to lean backward, perform this pose with your back against a wall. You can also bend your legs sharply, placing a large pillow under your knees, so that your stomach rests on your thighs.
- The Suggested Breathing Technique
Breathe slowly throughout the pose. Consciously direct your breath to the areas that are particularly sensitive—where you feel a stretch or tension. A key principle of yoga states that “where attention goes, energy follows.” For example, simply thinking about your lower back as you breathe will direct your breath there.
- Duration
Hold the pose for 3 minutes, or 5 minutes if you're doing it on your own.
- The Benefits of the Caterpillar Pose
This pose, performed passively, reduces stress and prepares you for sleep by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, just like the previous poses. It also stretches the entire posterior chain, from the legs, through the back, all the way to the neck. You’ll relax these muscles and tissues, which accumulate a great deal of tension throughout the day, particularly due to sedentary work. It is therefore an excellent pose to help you fall asleep and release tension.
4th Pose: The Butterfly on the Back
- The position with the butterfly on its back
Lie on your back. Then bend your knees upward, with your feet flat on the floor. Spread your knees apart to the sides and press the soles of your feet together. Extend your arms out to the sides wider than your shoulders, or, if it feels comfortable, reach them back toward the back of your head, grasping your elbows with your hands. You can place a pillow under each knee to reduce the feeling of tension in the inner thighs. Finally, relax your entire body, especially your inner thighs, glutes, and shoulders.
- The Suggested Breathing Technique
Breathe in slowly through your nose, expanding your entire chest up to your collarbones. Breathe out through your nose even more slowly, relaxing your ribs.
- Duration
Hold the pose for 5 minutes.
- The Benefits of the Butterfly Pose on Your Back
This pose stretches the inner hips and legs—an area that often doesn’t get much attention during the day. When your arms are extended backward, it also stretches your abdomen and shoulders, aiding digestion. This pose puts you in a state of calm, and you may sometimes feel drowsy.
5th Pose: Easy Twist on the Back
- The back twist position
- The Suggested Breathing Technique
Let your natural, effortless breathing resume its normal rhythm.
- Duration
Hold the pose for 3 minutes, then repeat it on the other side.
- The Benefits of Twisting Exercises for the Back
This pose relieves tension in the back and spine. It can help relieve lower back pain and tension in the shoulders and neck. By gently compressing the abdominal organs, it also stimulates the digestive system and relieves constipation and bloating. Like the previous poses, it helps reduce stress and anxiety.
At the end of the sequence, assume the neutral pose known as “Savasana.” Lie on your back with your feet wider than your hips and your arms wider than your shoulders. Breathe for a few moments and enjoy this time of integration.
This sequence can help you relax at the end of the day, after work, or right before bed. You can even do it in bed to help you wind down! Use your pillow for support during the poses. Be sure to pay attention to how you feel and adjust the poses and how long you hold them based on your needs.