Yoga for Better Sleep: 6 Poses to Do Before Bed
If your mind won't quiet down at night, your body might be the way in. These six poses take less than 15 minutes and signal to your nervous system that it's safe to rest.
I used to lie in bed running through the day's to-do list, replaying conversations, and staring at the ceiling for what felt like hours.
What changed wasn't a new supplement or a strict sleep schedule. It was ten minutes on the mat before bed.
I know that sounds too simple. But the nervous system responds to the body. When you slow your breath, soften your muscles, and hold gentle shapes on the floor, your brain gets a clear signal: the day is over. It's safe to let go.
This sequence takes 12 to 15 minutes. You can do it in your pyjamas, on a carpet, with no equipment. Do it in low light if you can.
Why yoga helps with sleep
Most of us carry tension we're not even aware of. By the end of the day, your shoulders are up near your ears, your jaw is clenched, and your nervous system is still running on cortisol from a meeting or a difficult moment hours ago.
Restorative yoga postures activate the parasympathetic nervous system, the part responsible for rest and digestion. Forward folds, inversions, and supine shapes all help shift the body out of fight-or-flight mode. Combined with slow breathing, they lower heart rate and prepare the brain for sleep in a way that scrolling through your phone simply cannot.
You don't need to do anything intense. In fact, the less effort the better.
The sequence
1. Easy Seated Pose (Sukhasana)
Sit comfortably cross-legged on the floor or on the edge of a folded blanket. Close your eyes. Spend two to three minutes simply breathing.
Inhale for four counts. Exhale for six. The longer exhale activates the vagus nerve and begins the shift toward calm.
Why it works: Transitions you out of the day. Most of us go straight from screens to bed without any buffer. This is the buffer.
2. Seated Forward Fold (Paschimottanasana)
Extend your legs in front of you. On an inhale, sit tall. On an exhale, hinge forward from the hips and reach toward your feet. Hold wherever you land: shins, ankles, or feet.
Let your head drop. Let gravity do the work. Don't force it.
Hold for 10 slow breaths.
Why it works: Forward folds have a naturally calming, cooling effect on the nervous system. The compression of the abdomen and the release through the back body triggers a settling response.
3. Supine Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)
Lie on your back. Draw your right knee into your chest, then let it fall across your body to the left. Extend your right arm out to the side and look right if that feels okay on your neck.
Hold for 8 to 10 breaths, then switch sides.
Why it works: Releases the lower back and outer hips, two of the most common places people hold stress. The rotation also massages the digestive organs, which can help if a full stomach is keeping you awake.
4. Happy Baby (Ananda Balasana)
Still on your back, bend both knees and bring them toward your armpits. Reach up and hold the outer edges of your feet (or your shins). Gently rock side to side.
There's nothing to do in this pose except be here.
Hold for 10 breaths, or longer if it feels good.
Why it works: Opens the inner groins and hips, decompresses the lower back, and is hard to take too seriously. That lightness matters at the end of the day.
5. Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)
Scoot your hips close to the wall and swing your legs up so they rest vertically. Arms fall out to the sides. Close your eyes.
If a wall isn't available, you can rest your calves on the edge of a bed or sofa.
Stay for 3 to 5 minutes.
Why it works: This gentle inversion reverses the blood pooling that happens in your legs throughout the day, calms the nervous system, and is one of the most effective poses for reducing anxiety before sleep. Many people fall asleep in it.
6. Supported Forward Fold
Sit with your legs extended or in a wide straddle. Stack a pillow or folded blanket on your thighs. Fold forward and rest your forehead on the support. Let your arms hang loose.
If you don't have props, just fold and let your forearms rest on the floor.
Hold for 10 to 15 breaths.
Why it works: The supported version removes any muscular effort from the pose. When the head is below the heart and the forehead has something to rest on, the mind settles in a way that few other shapes can replicate.
Finishing: Savasana
End on your back with your arms slightly away from your body and your eyes closed. You can do this in bed.
Set no timer. Stay as long as you want.
If your mind wanders, that's fine. Gently return to the breath. Notice the weight of your body on the floor. Notice where you feel heavy. Let yourself be supported.
A few things that help
Keep the light low throughout the sequence. Bright overhead light signals daytime to your brain. A lamp or candle works well.
Put your phone in another room before you start. Even face-down on the floor, the proximity matters.
You don't need to do all six poses. On a harder night, Legs Up the Wall and three minutes of slow breathing has been enough to shift things for me.
Consistency matters more than perfection. A short practice every night will do more than an occasional long one.
Want to explore these poses in more detail? Browse the full Yoga for Better Sleep collection, or start from the beginning with the 7-Day Beginner Path.
Written by Claire
Yoga instructor based in Castle Rock, Colorado. Passionate about making yoga accessible to everyone. Learn more about Claire.