Benefits of Yoga Before Bed

It’s been well-established that yoga is extremely beneficial for your body and mind. While many people only tend to practice yoga during the day with a professional yoga instructor, you should also consider a nightly routine.

In fact, let’s take a look at a few reasons why practicing yoga before bed should be added to your daily to-do list:

Reduces Stress and Anxiety

Any kind of relaxation, meditation, or stretching before bed is beneficial, but a short yoga session will definitely do the trick. No matter how stressful your day has been, yoga exercises will help reduce the anxiety and worry that you’ve been subjected to throughout the day. This is a wonderful way to engage your nervous system and not only get a good night’s rest but improve your mental health during the day as well.

Promotes a Bedtime Routine

With so much chaos in our lives, many of us have sporadic bedtime routines. This can disrupt our body’s natural flow, preventing us from getting a good night’s rest. By incorporating a yoga session into your nightly routine, your brain will send your body a signal that it’s time to wind down, helping you to fall asleep easier. The best technique is to transition directly from the yoga session into your bed.

Improves Your Circulation

High blood pressure is a leading cause of poor sleep and sleep deprivation. Yoga effectively improves blood circulation, which will lower your blood pressure and allow you to get more rest. Maintaining good circulation is also a great way to strengthen your immune system, detoxify your body, and improve your overall health.

Encourages Weight Loss

Many people don’t seem to realize that excess weight can cause a person to have difficulty sleeping. Being overweight increases heartburn, digestion issues, and heart problems, all of which can make you restful at night. Yoga does a great job at boosting your metabolism, which will help you burn calories and avoid these types of health issues.

Soothes Soreness and Pain

When your muscles or joints are sore after a hard day’s work, it can be very difficult to relax and get good sleep. The deep stretching involved with gentle yoga poses will help you reduce pain and tension. If you tend to wake up in the middle of the night because you’re experiencing pain, it may also be beneficial to practice a pose or two so you can go back to sleep.

Helps Relieve Insomnia

Sadly, millions of people experience insomnia, some of which suffer so severely that they might go full nights without getting any rest at all. Developing restful habits will not only help you get to sleep more easily, but this will also increase the chances of staying asleep. If you suffer from insomnia, a nightly yoga routine may alleviate or solve the problem entirely.

Best Practices for Yoga Before Bed

As you can see, practicing yoga before bed can be extremely beneficial both physically and mentally. If you’re going to make this a part of your daily routine, it’s important that you do it the right way.

Here are a few guidelines to follow:

  • Be Prepared — The first step to a successful yoga session before bed is to be prepared. Plan your session approximately 30-60 minutes in advance to make sure you’re fully ready when the time comes. Keep a yoga mat and other supplies in a convenient location.
  • Create a Space — Instead of squeezing your yoga mat and supplies into whatever space is convenient at the time, create a dedication space for your activities. Find a quiet, dimly lit space where you won’t be subjected to foot traffic. If you need to add candles, essential oils, or ambient music, go right ahead.
  • Start Off Small — If you’re new to practicing yoga before bed, it’s best that you start off small. Choose some basic yoga poses in the beginning. Our favorite beginning poses include Child’s Pose, Cat-Cow Pose, Downward-Facing Dog, Supine Spinal Twist, and Happy Baby. But, by all means, do what feels right to you.
  • Set a Goal — Yoga is always better when you set a goal for yourself. Whether your goal is to sleep better, solve your insomnia problem, or lose weight, set a realistic goal and try to reach it over a designated period of time. This is help you stay focused and keep you moving forward.

Contact East West Healing Solutions for More Tips on Yoga Before Bed

As the most reputable yoga studio in Palm Harbor and the nearby communities, East West Healing Solutions can teach you how to use yoga before bed to relax, reduce pain, and get a good night’s sleep. If you have any questions, check out our yoga calendar for our class schedule to join today!