As a new mom, I’m well aware that lack of sleep and stress go hand in hand. Even though Baby Wallace began sleeping through the night at 2 months old, I wasn’t so lucky. Like other countless individuals not getting the sleep they need, I started to realize how not sleeping was taking a toll on my mental and emotional well-being. Sleep experts say we need 7-9 hours of sleep each night. New moms can count on 5-6 hours each night.
Develop a Simple and Easy Bedtime Yoga Routine
Studies have shown that Yoga can actually help you sleep. Practicing in a few specific yoga postures before you go to bed can have a wonderful impact on helping you fall and stay asleep. Yoga for sleep has become increasingly popular as a natural way to help people of all ages and lifestyles get the sleep they need.
An easy bedtime yoga routine is what you need. Invite yourself to soothe your senses before bed by engaging in the following yoga for sleep sequence. These gentle postures, combined with a focus on the breath, will help calm body, mind and soul and will soon have you sleeping easy. Before I began my yoga routine, I dim the lights, place my yoga mat by my bed, turn my phone on silent and take a full dropper of CannaBliss’s THC Free CBD Oil Tincture.
Easy Bedtime Yoga Routine
1. Reclining Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)
Begin laying down, in this simple, yet classic yoga restorative pose. The pose can be modified to meet all of your hip-related needs by using pillows as props underneath your knees.
Close your eyes, relax your shoulders and begin to focus on your breath. Instead of pushing your knees down, imagine they are weightless. As you do this, continue settling your groin into the floor, allowing your whole body to get comfortable. Inhale and exhale slowly and gently. Focus on your breath for three rounds of 10 breath counts.
2. Legs Up The Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)
If your bed is next to a wall, this is a great way to ease into a wonderful night’s sleep. I know it looks a little intimidating at first glance, but this pose is an incredibly relaxing inversion that counteracts the tension collected in your body from sitting and standing (but mostly sitting) all day.
Begin by sitting with your left side closely against the wall, turn your body gently to the left, bring your legs up the wall, slowly lower your back to the ground and lie down. Next, scoot your buttocks as closely to the wall as possible, rest arms loosely at your sides, close your eyes and begin to focus on your breath. Stay in this relaxing, rejuvenating pose for a minimum of 25-30 slow, deep breaths.
3. Reclined Spinal Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)
Spinal twists are a great way to decompress and detoxify your body and release all of the stress you may have built up during the day.
Begin lying comfortably on your back. As you breath in, lengthen your tailbone down towards the ground. Keep your knees and feet close together, and press the backs of your shoulder blades down toward the mat. Remain the twist for 10 breaths, then inhale and come back to center. Make sure you repeat on your other side.
4. Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)
Forward bends help soothe a distracted and racing mind, while lengthening your tightened hamstrings and preparing them to lay down comfortably for Mr. Sandman to visit.
A plus to this pose is you can do it in your bed. Just place a pillow on your legs and lay your head right on top.
5. Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana)
From head to knee pose, bring your heels together as close to your pelvis as you can for bound angle pose, or Baddha Konasana. On an exhale, slowly bend forward and grab the big toe of each foot with your hands. If you can’t touch your toes, grab onto your ankles or shins. Allow gravity to pull your knees towards the floor, close your eyes, begin to focus on your breath. Take 10-15 slow, deep breaths, release and repeat.
6. Corpse Pose ( Savasana)
Your final resting pose is corpse pose, or Savasana. Lay down with your back o your mat. Keep legs straight and a few inches apart. Allow your feet to drop open. Arms should be resting gently on your mat just away from the stomach, with palms facing upward. Allow yourself to let your body sink heavily into the mat, close your eyes and begin to focus on your breath moving slowly in and gently out of your body.
Here you can mediate and leave the day behind yourself. Stay in corpse pose for at least 5-10 minutes, push all thoughts aside and only focus on your breath. Give yourself the gift of being in the complete present moment.
This is the final and most important resting pose for sleep. Savasana offers the body and mind time to absorb the practice it just completed. It’s also extremely beneficial for restoring mind, body and soul.
It is one that is difficult to master. To lie perfectly still without focusing on where the mind wanders takes practice. The benefits of corpse pose, however, are unprecedented. It’s excellent for alleviating stress, is known to offer relief from fatigue, help improve focus and concentration, increase self-confidence, relieve muscle tension and more.
After I finish my easy yoga bedtime routine, I hydrate my skin by applying Cannabliss’s hydrating CBD lotion. This lotion keeps my skin smooth throughout the night to help me sleep like a baby.
Natural Studies 