Sleep experts will tell you that a nighttime wind-down ritual is just as important as an energizing morning routine. And when it comes to bookending the day, few things say “lights out” like a relaxing yoga practice.
Going through a few yoga postures before bed is extremely effective at inducing slumber, not only by getting you in a more relaxed mindset but by physiologically impacting your autonomic nervous system, explains Lara Benusis, a yoga instructor at Equinox Clubs in California.
If you’re not quite sure what the autonomic nervous system is, here’s a quick lesson: The autonomic nervous system is comprised of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). The SNS, in concert with stress hormones like cortisol, increases blood pressure, heart rate, and blood sugar levels. In this “fight or flight “ state, you have more blood flow and oxygen rushing to your muscles.
On the other hand, the PNS slows the heart and lowers blood pressure, making you feel more relaxed. And the magic of yoga, quite simply, is that it often puts you in this state. “When we are in yoga positions that require less attention to immediate action or reaction, we evoke the parasympathetic response,” says Benusis.
That said, a quick pre-sleep stretch has more to offer than just a nervous system reboot. Ahead, Equinox yoga instructor Zoe Thompson explains the other benefits of nighttime yoga and the style best suited for those late evening hours.
3 benefits of nighttime yoga
It may help diminish pre-bedtime stress
Raise your hand if your to-do list tendsto pop up in your head late at night. If this sounds like you, Thompson says that moving through a few asanas (poses) may help you banish stress from your precious bedtime. “Practicing yoga at night encourages you to relax, slows the pace of your breath, and helps you to focus on the present,” she says.
It may help you recover from the day’s workout
Since yoga can enahance flexibility and mobility, it’s a great way to get a head start on recovering from the day’s workout, says Thompson. In fact, some research suggests that stretching routines that are varied and creative tend to be the best for recovery. In yoga, two classes are seldom the same (unless you’re practicing, say, Bickram). And thus, a pre-bedtime flow at Equinox or using the Equinox+ app can be a great step towards recovering from the strength training session, run, or HIIT workout you crushed earlier today.
It may help you sleep better, period
One study found that 55 percent of yoga practitioners report having better sleep than their non-yogi counterparts, and evidence suggests that practicing before bed may be especially beneficial for pregnant and menopausal women when it comes to logging a good night's rest.
The best styles of yoga to practice before bed
While we love a sweaty, heart-pumping yoga class, Yoga Strong and Athletic Yoga aren’t the best choices for winding down. Thompson has something more restful in mind. “Yin yoga, Restorative yoga, Gentle yoga, Slow Flow, and meditation classes all encourage pratyahara, a turning inward of the senses, which also provides downtime for the nervous system,” she says.
So make your booking accordingly, and know that even if you’ve never done a downward dog in your life, you can get something out of a pre-sleep yoga class.
A 3-Minute yoga sequence to move through before bed
“All these poses stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system and get out of the sympathetic nervous system, where there is no room for growth and repair,” says Bosnak. “They will help quiet the mind and allow you to enter a state of full and deep relaxation.”
This sequence can be done right in your bed or on the floor. Before you begin, Bosnak recommends creating optimal pre-sleep conditions. “Keep rest-disrupting technology out of the bedroom,” she says. Then hold each of these poses for about three minutes—and prepare for a great night’s sleep.
Supported child’s pose
Begin on your hands and knees. With your knees open as wide as your hips, bring your belly to a bolster (you can also use a pillow) and look to one side. Reach your arms forward in front of you and relax them. Allowing gravity to pull you down into the earth without any force will help calm you down. Inhale deeply, slowly exhale, and begin to let your thoughts slow down.
Seated forward fold
Sit with knees deeply bent and your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Inhale deeply. Exhale and extend your torso forward and over your legs to elongate your spine. Reach your arms out and down to grab the outer edges of your feet. “This forward bend allows you to relax your neck tension and gently stretches your hamstrings, calves, and hips,” Bosnak notes.
Reclined cobbler’s pose
Lie down on a bolster with your entire spine supported. (You can also use a pillow). Letting your arms release beside you, take the soles of the feet together and allow your knees to open wide. “This will stretch your inner thighs, a place where we tend to hold a lot of grief and unresolved stress,” says Bosnak. “The gentle hip opener also helps open the front and the back of the heart and releases tension in the groin.”
Corpse pose
Lie face-up and place a bolster under your knees to support the lower back. (You can also use a pillow.) “This is what we call the ultimate surrender in yoga, where we process everything and let things settle, especially the rational mind,” says Bosnak.