Ever thought about rolling out your yoga mat right before bed for better sleep in the long run? That’s what a yoga teacher interviewed by wellness media outlet Well+Good suggests. According to yoga instructor Rachel Land, practicing yoga just before hitting the sack can work wonders for your sleep quality.
Land says, “Restorative yoga is all about creating deep mental and physical relaxation by regulating the nervous system. It offers wide-ranging physical and mental benefits, including impacts on heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, digestion, muscle tension at rest, mental state, fatigue, and even pain perception.”
It’s important to note that for this discipline to be effective pre-bedtime and indeed on your sleep, it should be the last thing you do before retiring for the night. This means no phone scrolling, reading, or other entertainment prior to slumber. In other words, you should be doing your downward dog just minutes before joining the sandman.
Why is this so beneficial for the body?
One of the key reasons yoga is so restorative for your sleep is particularly due to focused, intentional breathing, which is vital to balanced well-being.
According to Marlynn Wei, a psychologist and yoga teacher at Harvard Health Publishing, as cited by Psychologies Magazine, “Breathing is just as significant, if not more so, than physical posture.” She instructs, “Inhale deeply through your nose. Keeping your mouth closed, exhale through your nose while constricting the back of your throat as if you were saying ‘ha,’ but with your mouth closed.”
Practicing this discipline upon waking helps to energize and clear your mind for a great start to your day, while doing it just before bedtime also has its own perks. Now, all you need to decide is when you want to incorporate it into your daily routine.
So, are you going for a sun salutation or moon salutation?
