8 Best Yoga Poses for Better Sleep

Many people struggle to unwind at night, making it hard to fall asleep peacefully. Yoga provides a straightforward approach to releasing tension and preparing your body for deeper rest. Gentle poses calm your mind and support a smoother transition toward sleep. These movements also reduce stress by slowing your breath and relaxing tight muscles. 

With a short nightly routine, you can create a comforting ritual that improves sleep quality and emotional balance. Regular practice makes relaxation feel natural over time. In this article, we will explore the best yoga poses for better sleep and stress reduction. Let’s dive in.

How Yoga Helps Improve Sleep and Reduce Stress

Yoga creates a calming shift in your body and mind, making it easier to sleep and unwind. Gentle movements help release tension, while slow breathing helps reduce stress. This combination enables you to achieve a deeper rest and a more peaceful nighttime routine. How yoga helps:

• Calms the nervous system to promote deeper relaxation.
• Reduces muscle tension that interferes with sleep.
• Lowers stress levels through slow, steady breathing.
• Helps quiet racing thoughts before bedtime.
• Improves circulation, easing physical discomfort.
• Encourages mindfulness, which supports emotional balance.

Best Time and Way to Practice Bedtime Yoga

The best time to practice bedtime yoga is 15 to 20 minutes before bedtime. Choose a quiet space with soft lighting. Keep your phone away to reduce distractions. Use a mat, blanket, or pillow for support. Start with slow breathing to settle your mind. 

Move gently and avoid intense poses at night. Focus on relaxing your shoulders, back, and hips. Hold each pose with steady, comfortable breaths. Finish your routine with a brief period of stillness to signal to your body that it’s time to rest.

Yoga Poses for Better Sleep

These gentle Yoga poses help release tension, calm your mind, and prepare your body for rest. Each pose is simple, slow, and designed to soothe your nervous system before bedtime.

Child’s Pose (Balasana)

Child’s Pose gently releases tension in your lower back, hips, and shoulders, making it ideal for easing end-of-day stress. The forward fold encourages slow breathing, which helps calm your nervous system. This pose also supports emotional grounding, reduces restlessness, and creates a sense of safety and comfort before sleep. It prepares your body for deeper relaxation.

How to do it:

• Kneel on the floor and bring your big toes together.
• Sit back onto your heels.
• Fold your torso forward and extend your arms.
• Rest your forehead on the mat or pillow.
• Breathe slowly and hold for 1–2 minutes.

Cat–Cow Stretch

Cat–Cow warms the spine through gentle movement, helping release stiffness from sitting or stress. The rhythmic flow between arching and rounding the back encourages better circulation and deeper breathing. This massage-like motion relaxes the core and spinal muscles. It reduces mental tension by connecting breath with movement, preparing your mind and body for calmer rest.

How to do it:

• Start on hands and knees, wrists under shoulders.
• Inhale, drop your belly, and lift your chest (Cow).
• Exhale, round your spine, and tuck your chin (Cat).
• Continue slowly for 1–2 minutes.
• Match each movement to your breath.

Standing or Seated Forward Fold

This fold naturally quiets the mind as your body leans inward. It stretches the back, hamstrings, and neck, reducing the physical tension that disrupts sleep. Forward bends encourage your heart rate to slow down, thereby increasing relaxation. The inward focus helps soften stress and clear mental clutter. It is an effective pose for quickly winding down.

How to do it:

• Stand or sit with a straight spine.
• Hinge forward from your hips.
• Let your head and arms hang freely.
• Bend your knees slightly for comfort.
• Hold for 1–2 minutes with steady breaths.

Supine Spinal Twist

This gentle twist releases tightness in the lower back and hips, areas that store stress throughout the day. It improves spinal mobility and supports digestion, which can enhance nighttime comfort. The calming rotation encourages your body to soften and your breath to deepen. This pose reduces tension along the spine, making rest come more easily.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with knees bent.
• Drop your knees to one side.
• Extend your arms out in a T-shape.
• Turn your head gently to the opposite side.
• Hold for 1–2 minutes, then switch sides.

Reclined Bound Angle Pose

This restorative pose opens the hips and chest while encouraging total-body relaxation. The gentle stretch helps reduce stress held in the inner thighs and lower belly. It supports calm breathing and quiets the nervous system. With props under your knees, it becomes deeply soothing, making it ideal for easing into sleep and calming mental tension.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back.
• Bring the soles of your feet together.
• Let your knees fall outward.
• Support your knees with pillows if needed.
• Rest your hands on your belly and breathe calmly.

Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)

This pose helps reduce stress by promoting circulation and alleviating tension in the legs. The gentle inversion helps soothe the nervous system and slow your heart rate. It helps relieve swelling and fatigue from prolonged periods of standing. The supportive posture encourages deep breathing, making it one of the best poses for preparing your mind and body for rest.

How to do it:

• Sit sideways next to a wall.
• Swing your legs up as you lie back.
• Rest your arms comfortably at your sides.
• Adjust your distance for comfort.
• Hold for 3–5 minutes with slow breaths.

Supported Bridge Pose

Supported Bridge offers a gentle lift that opens your chest and relaxes the front body. Using a block or pillow makes the pose more restorative. It helps ease tightness in the back, hips, and thighs. The mild inversion boosts circulation and supports calm breathing. This pose is excellent for reducing tension and improving nighttime relaxation.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with knees bent.
• Lift your hips gently.
• Place a block or pillow under your lower back.
• Rest your weight on the support.
• Hold for 1–2 minutes with steady breaths.

Savasana (Final Relaxation)

Savasana encourages total stillness, allowing your body to absorb the calming effects of your routine fully. It slows your breathing, reduces stress hormones, and improves mental clarity. This pose quiets racing thoughts and helps release lingering tension. Savasana trains your nervous system to shift into a state of rest, making sleep feel natural and effortless.

How to do it:

• Lie flat on your back.
• Let your arms and legs relax naturally.
• Close your eyes and soften your jaw.
• Breathe slowly and evenly.
• Stay in complete stillness for 2–5 minutes.

A Simple 10-Minute Bedtime Yoga Routine

This short routine helps your body unwind and prepares your mind for restful sleep. Move slowly, breathe gently, and stay relaxed throughout the sequence.

• Child’s Pose — 1 minute
  Settle your breath and release tension in your back and hips.
• Cat–Cow Stretch — 1 minute
  Loosen your spine with smooth, calming movements.
• Forward Fold — 2 minutes
  Allow your upper body to soften and quiet your thoughts.
• Supine Spinal Twist — 2 minutes
  Ease lower-back tightness and relax your abdominal muscles.
• Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose — 3 minutes
  Slow your heart rate and soothe tired legs.
• Savasana — 1 minute
  End in stillness for deep relaxation and mental calm.

Relaxation Tools to Support Your Bedtime Routine

To enhance your nightly wind-down, consider pairing your yoga practice with reliable mindfulness and relaxation tools. Relaxation Republic offers calming essentials designed to help you build a peaceful nighttime environment. 

Our collection features soothing aromatherapy & essential oils, relaxation & sleep aids, and mindfulness tools that promote deeper relaxation. These tools complement your yoga routine by easing mental tension and creating a comforting atmosphere. With the proper support, you can cultivate healthier nightly habits and experience more restful, restorative sleep.

Conclusion

Incorporating these gentle yoga poses into your nightly routine can significantly improve sleep quality and reduce stress. A consistent 10-minute practice helps relax your body and calm your mind. Pairing yoga with mindful tools enhances results, making bedtime more peaceful. Start tonight and experience the restorative benefits of a calm, restful evening.