A Soothing Nighttime Yoga Practice You Can Do in Bed

"This bedtime yoga practice is a soothing class that's essentially passive, slow, no-effort-required stretches that are meant to help you unwind at the end of the day. My primary question as I was creating this evening class is how easy can we make this class to help you release tension from your body. The poses are a mix of restorative and yin yoga, and although I did these poses on the yoga mat, you can definitely do them in bed. They're meant to be something that you can do to support falling asleep and staying asleep. You can use a bolster or simply grab a lot of pillows or blankets to help make everything more comfortable and accessible."

"There's a lot of time in silence so you can focus on your experience of the pose or simply focus on your breath. This is your opportunity to let go of your day and settle into true relaxation. So let yourself linger here and just stay with your breath in and out through your nose. A Simple Bedtime Yoga Practice (That You Can Do in Bed) I'm using my bolster for these poses but if you don't have one, just grab yourself a couple of pillows or even a couch cushion. It'll help make the poses a lot more comfortable and accessible. You'll linger in each pose for 3 to 5 minutes to establish full body relaxation."

"Reclined Butterfly or Bound Angle Pose Set the bolster or stack of pillows lengthwise along the center of the mat. Sit facing away from it and lean back so your upper back and head are supported. Let your arms go out to the sides or even reach your arms overhead. You're looking for expansion across your chest. Bring the bottoms of your feet together and your knees apart in Reclined Butterfly or Bound Angle. Let the weight of your body sink into the support and rest here for 3 to 5 minutes."

The practice uses passive, slow, no-effort stretches combining restorative and yin yoga to release tension and support falling and staying asleep. Bolsters, pillows, or blankets provide support and comfort and make poses accessible in bed or on a mat. Each pose is held for 3 to 5 minutes to encourage full-body relaxation. Sessions include extended silence to invite inward focus on bodily sensations or breath and emphasize nasal breathing. Gentle transitions and counterposes, such as seated twists, balance the body after supported reclined postures. Props can be improvised from household items to maximize comfort.

Read at Yoga Journal