Having trouble sleeping? Is your mind feeling anxious or overwhelmed from the day?
Yoga is an incredibly effective way to calm the mind and nervous system, reduce stress, and promote feelings of relaxation within the body. If you can’t sleep, try melting the tension away and shaking off the overwhelm or stagnancy from the day with some simple yoga poses.
1. Child’s Pose (Balasana)
Gently stretches the lower back and hips while promoting deep relaxation and a sense of security.
Open the knees wide with the big toes touching. Gentle fold forward with the arms outstretched and the palms spread wide. Let your hips be heavy, and rounded down towards your toes, while your torso, head, and arms melt towards the ground.
2. Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)
Reverses blood flow, reduces swelling in the legs, and encourages deep relaxation.
Scoot your butt up to the wall, place a pillow under your hips to provide additional comfort if you’d like. Straighten your legs up against the wall, with your toes pointed towards your face. Breathe deeply.
3. Reclining Bound Angle (Supta Baddha Konasana)
Opens the hips and chest while calming the mind.
Lay flat on your back and bend the knees, with your feet flat on the floor. Let the knees fall open, with your feet touching. Put pillows or blocks under each of the knees if comfortable to support the lower back.
4. Seated Forward Fold (Paschimottanasana)
A gentle hamstring stretch that helps release tension in the spine and lower back.
Extend the legs straight in front of you. Lift your arms up to the sky, lengthening your torso as you inhale, and exhale as you keep this length and slowly bend at the hips to bring your body towards your legs. Keep your neck in line with your shoulders, being careful about rounding the spine.
5. Supine Spinal Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)
Relieves tension in the back, massages the digestive organs, and helps quiet the mind.
Straighten one leg and bring one knee to your chest, rolling it in circles before letting the knee cross your body and fall towards the opposite side of your body. Allow every breath to bring that knee towards the ground as you feel a gentle twist in your lower back. Keep your shoulders on the earth and make a “T” with your arms if comfortable.
6. Cat-Cow Stretch (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)
Encourages deep, rhythmic breathing and releases tension in the spine.
Start in tabletop position, with knees directly under the hips and palms directly under the shoulders. Inhale as you push through the palms and round your spine, dropping the head and tucking the pelvis. Exhale as you drop your belly to the earth, arch your shoulders and neck upwards, and imagine curving the front of your heart to face in front of you.
7. Supported Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)
With a pillow or block under the sacrum, this pose soothes the nervous system and gently opens the chest.
Place your arms flat on each side of you, palms facing down. Bend the knees, tuck the pelvis, engage the core, and slowly push through the heels of your feet and lift your hips towards the sky. Place a few pillows or blocks underneath your sacrum to support your hips in this position.
8. Happy Baby (Ananda Balasana)
Releases tension in the lower back and hips while promoting a playful sense of ease.
Lay on your back and bring your knees to your chest, letting your body rock side to side. If it feels comfortable, grab each of your feet and face the soles to the sky. Rock side to side, or play with extending one leg at a time.
9. Crocodile Pose (Makarasana)
Relaxes the lower back, encourages diaphragmatic breathing, and gentle stretches the chest and shoulders.
Lay on your stomach with straight legs behind you and cross your forearms in front of you, bringing your head down to rest on your forearms. Breathe deeply here.
10. Savasana (Corpse Pose) with Body Scan
Lying flat with arms relaxed, this final pose integrates the practice and guides you into deep rest.
Tip: Focus on slow, deep breathing while holding each pose for at least 1-2 minutes. Adding 4-7-8 breathing (inhale for 4, hold for 7, exhale for 8) can further support relaxation.
We offer gentle slow-flow yoga in the cloud forest every Wednesday and Thursday! Immerse yourself in a soothing, tension-melting flow that is guided by intentional breath. Listen to your body, nourish yourself, and leave feeling rejuvenated and refreshed on every level 🌿
