6 Yoga Poses for a Better Night’s Sleep

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Are you getting enough sleep? If not, you're not alone. Roughly one-third of Americans say they don't get enough sleep each night. The good news is that yoga can help. Find out which yoga poses can help you get the Z's you need to feel refreshed in the morning.

Can yoga help you fall asleep?

Adults need at least 7 hours of sleep per night. But many people fall short of that goal. Between packed schedules, disheartening news cycles, and poor sleep hygiene, it's not easy to get adequate sleep. While yoga can't help you clear your calendar, it can help you release stress and unwind before bed.

The ancient practice of yoga syncs meditative movement with controlled breathing techniques. And the combination may relieve stress and anxiety by activating your parasympathetic nervous system. This relaxation response triggers physical changes -- such as slower breathing and looser muscles -- to counteract the sympathetic nervous system's stress response.

Less stress and more relaxation can lead to better, more restful sleep. So, it's not surprising that calming mind-body practices like yoga may improve sleep quality in multiple populations. This includes people with insomnia or other sleep problems, and older adults.

6 best yoga poses for sleep

Setting up a pre-bedtime routine is a critical part of proper sleep hygiene. It prepares your body for rest, making it easier to fall asleep. Deep breathing, meditating, and practicing yoga postures can be great additions to your nighttime ritual.

The best yoga poses for sleep are passive poses that release tense muscles and slow your breathing and heart rates. Many yoga poses fit the bill, but here are some beginner-friendly options to get you started.

1. Uttanasa (forward fold)

Uttanasa is a basic forward-folding posture that stretches the back body. This version of the pose aims to relieve tension in your back, neck, and shoulders.

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart.

2. Inhale and raise your arms above your head. Then, exhale and fold forward at the hips.

3. Keep a slight bend in your knees, allowing your upper body to relax onto your thighs.

4. Let your arms freely or grasp your elbows with the opposite hand.

5. Hold the pose for 10 to 15 slow deep breaths. Feel free to gently swing side to side if that feels comfortable.

6. Slowly roll your spine up to the starting position to prevent dizziness.

2. Sukhasana (easy pose)

This grounding, meditative posture may relieve tight hips and promote postural awareness. As its name suggests, this can be an effortless posture, allowing you to focus on deep breathing and the present moment.

1. Sit on a yoga mat directly on your sit bones. Or, you can also elevate your hips on folded blankets or flat pillows. Elevating your hips makes it easier to keep a safe, neutral spinal in this posture.

2. Come to a relaxed, cross-legged position. Your right ankle should be on the floor in front of your left ankle. Unlike a regular cross-legged position, your shins do not stack in this pose.

3. Inhale and sit up tall with your shoulders aligned over your hips. Rest your palms lightly on your knees.

4. Press your thighs toward the floor with each breath, keeping your shoulders down away from your ears.

5. Take 10 to 15 long, slow breaths.

3. Supta Baddha Konasana (reclined bound angle pose)

Also called "reclined butterfly," Supta Baddha Konasana is designed to ease muscle tension and calm the nervous system. The restorative pose is also good for focusing on deep breathing.

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.

2. Let your knees fall out to either side and press the soles of your feet together. Your legs should form a diamond shape.

3. Relax your legs and groin muscles. With each breath, your knees will come closer to the floor. You can support your knees with bolsters or pillows if you find it difficult to relax in this position.

4. Place one hand on your belly and one hand on your chest. Focus on taking slow deep breaths, feeling your torso rise and fall with each breath.

5. Relax here for 10 to 15 slow inhales and exhales.

4. Supta Matsyendrasana (supine spinal twist)

Twisting postures help relieve tension in the spinal column, hips, back, neck, and chest. Performing the twist in a supine position allows you to relax into the pose.

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.

2. Open your arms out to a T.

3. Lift your hips an inch off the floor and shift them slightly to the right. Lower your hips back down.

4. Keeping both shoulder blades on the floor, slowly allow both knees to fall to your left side. If you have trouble keeping your shoulders on the floor, support your knees with a bolster or pillows.

5. Hold for 10 slow breaths. Then, return to the starting position.

6. Repeat on the other side.

5. Viparita Karani (legs up the wall pose)

Viparita Karani takes all the pressure off your legs and feet. And it's a good way to unwind after a long day. If you experience restless leg syndrome, doing this pose before bed may give you some relief.

1. Lie on your back perpendicular to a wall. Lift your legs and scoot your bottom as close to the wall as possible.

2. Extend your legs up the wall keeping a slight bend in your legs. If your hamstring flexibility is limited, you can scoot your hips farther away from the wall.

3. Relax your back into the floor, neither arching nor rounding your spine.

4. Place one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly. Feel them rise and fall as you slowly inhale and exhale.

5. Stay here for at least 15 deep breaths, or for long as it feels good to you.

6. Savasana (corpse pose)

There's a reason Savasana closes yoga sessions. The deeply restorative posture gives you time to release physical and mental stress. It may look easy, but the key to Savasana is to relax with intention.

1. Lie on your back with your arms at your sides and slightly away from your body. Your palms should be facing up toward the ceiling.

2. Relax your entire body. There is no need to focus on maintaining the starting position.

3. Breathe naturally.

4. Focus on the present moment, holding the position for 5 to 10 minutes or for as long as you can.

Which yoga is best for sleeping?

You'll want to avoid faster-paced yoga practices -- like Vinyasa or power yoga -- right before bed. These practices raise your heart rate, which can make it harder to fall asleep. Instead, opt for slower yoga styles to encourage restful sleep.

Here are a few to consider:

• Yin yogais a slow-paced meditative style that involves holding passive yoga postures for extended periods. Passive yoga postures are those that allow your muscles to lengthen and relax.

• Restorative yoga uses props such as blocks, straps, and bolsters to support your limbs so you can relax each posture. Poses are held for several minutes or longer.

• Hatha yoga emphasizes physical postures and breathing techniques. Often performed at a slow pace, the gentle practice promotes relaxation while helping you build strength and flexibility.

• Yoga nidrais a deep relaxation method, also known as yogic sleep. It combines guided mental imagery with the most restful yoga pose - corpse pose or Savasana.

But you don't have to choose a specific style of yoga for your bedtime routine. You can combine any yoga postures you find relaxing.

And if you have any health conditions, be sure to check in with your healthcare provider first. They can help you understand which style of yoga, and which poses, are the best fit.

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