Yin Yoga in Bed for Better Sleep
Is it time to sleep and yet you are lying in bed with your eyes wide open and you are fully awake?
We have all been there and know how frustrating it can be.
Chinese Medicine believes that having trouble sleeping is due to an imbalance between yin and yang energies in the bodies.
Here is a sequence that you can do in its totality or simply pick and choose the poses that are appealing to you.
You can do them in your pjs, in your bed with only the support of your pillows.
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Child Pose
Child pose helps calm the mind, as well as reduce stress and anxiety. The bowing forward and inward provides a sense of safety that supports the body and mind in letting go of tension.
Stack two pillows lengthwise to support your belly and chest.
Bring your big toes to touch and the knees wide.
Fold forward from the hips and rest the upper body onto the props. Check that your forearms and elbows are fully resting on the bed.
Breathe mindfully into the back of the body and allow the outbreath to gradually soften the body.
Turn your head to the opposite direction after a while to balance the neck.
Stay as long as your body feels comfortable in this shape.
2. Dragonfly
OR
Dragonfly targets the Liver meridian through the groin, which is connected to the emotion of anger. A well balanced liver supports the health of all the other organs. Through the lower back, we are targeting the Bladder meridian connected to the element of Water, therefore cooling excess heat in the body and calming the mind.
Sit and widen your legs just enough so that you feel some sensations in the inner legs.
Walk your hands forward and hinge from the hips. It can sometimes help to sit on a folded blanket, or you can roll a small portion of your doona, to help the pelvis tilt forward.
Rest your torso on your stacked pillows to help the body soften and relax.
If you have your head turned to one side, turn to the opposite side half way through the hold so that you balance the neck.
3. Twists
Twists help release tension in the muscles of the abdomen and help reduce feelings of anxiousness.
Rest on your back.
Draw the knees to your chest, as your exhale swing your knees to the right side. Let them find the support of your stacked pillows.
Spread the arms wherever your shoulders are comfortable.
Stay present with each breath and imagine every exhale is taking away stored tension in the body, and heaviness in the heart and mind.
After 3 to 5 minutes, gently set up for the second side. Return to the slow rhythm of your breath and give yourself permission to relax.
4. Reclined Butterfly
A fantastic pose to relieve stress, unwind and restore body and mind.
Sit and stack your pillows behind you. Place your lower back at the base of the pillows.
Bring the soles of your feet together, open the knees to the side forming a diamond shape and recline yourself all the way back.
Open your arms to the side, gently opening the chest and shoulders.
Observe the movement of the breath on your body. A gentle uplift and expansion in the front body on the inhale. Surrendering to the pull of gravity on the exhale.
Spend as much time here as you feel at ease and comfortable.
To exit, gently bring your knees together and walk your feet slightly apart. Roll onto one side in a foetus position.
5. Legs up the wall
Legs up the wall pose relaxes mind and body, calms the nerves and supports circulation in the body. It can help relieve migraine and headache. It helps the body come back to its innate capacity for self-restoration and self-healing. It lowers the heart rate which elicit the relaxation response.
If you have time to do only one pose, do this one. It is a great preparation for bed time, particularly if you struggle with insomnia.
Sit by the bed head with your hips close to it and swing your legs up as you roll onto your back, slowly finding a sort of L-shape position with your body.
Close your eyes, feel your body breathe itself, and relax all efforts.
Stay for a few minutes.
To release, bend your knees and roll to one side until the effects of the inversion subsides.
Enjoy this moment to yourself and a good night sleep!
Let me know in the comments below how this sequence feels for you.