Four Yoga Asanas For A Good Night’s Sleep

Insomnia is one of the problems that most affect the western population. Due to factors such as stress, poor diet, and unhealthy lifestyles, many people find that  it is difficult for them to sleep as much or as deeply as they need. This, in addition to causing discomfort on a daily basis, also has negative consequences for physical and mental health.

In recent times, all kinds of remedies have appeared to solve the problem of insomnia. Thus, we can find from recommendations to take infusions before sleeping, to medications that supposedly solve the lack of sleep in an instant. However, one of the things that has been shown to be the most effective is yoga asanas for good sleep.

What is a yoga asana?

Asanas are yoga postures designed to produce very beneficial effects on the body and mind. This discipline has been practiced for thousands of years in eastern countries and is gaining popularity in Europe in recent times. In theory, it mixes the benefits of meditation with those of physical exercise; and therefore, it can be a very powerful ally against insomnia.

Yoga postures are characterized by requiring a lot of stillness and slow and tired movements. For this reason, and because it is necessary to focus the attention fully on the body, it is a very relaxing exercise. However, each asana has certain effects on the body and not all are equally effective for the same. Therefore, below we will talk about the best yoga asanas to sleep well.

Best yoga asanas for good sleep

According to experts, the best yoga poses to combat insomnia are as follows:

• Variation of the easy pose or  sukhasana.
• Standing forward bend or  uttanasana .

• Legs on the wall or viparita karani.
• Alternate breathing or nadi shodhana.

Let’s see each one of them.

1- Variation of the easy pose

As its name suggests, the  sukhasana  is one of the most accessible asanas for beginners. If you have never practiced this discipline but want to combat your insomnia, it  is highly recommended that you start practicing this posture.

The operation is very simple: you just have to sit cross-legged (in the position that we all associate with yoga), and lean your trunk forward. The idea is that you extend your arms and back as far as you can; if you are very flexible, you should be able to touch the ground with your forehead.

This posture is very useful because it relaxes the tension of the whole body and opens the hips,  creating a feeling of well-being  that helps you fall asleep quickly.

2- Standing forward flexion

The second of the yoga asanas for good sleep is also very simple to perform. Begin standing, spreading your legs at the hips and keeping them extended. In this position, lean forward and try to touch the ground with the palms of your hands. If you are especially flexible, your challenge may be to fully support your forearms.

This pose not only helps with insomnia, but can also combat other problems such as stress or headaches. In addition, it will also help improve your flexibility and muscle tone in your legs.

3- Legs on the wall

This beginner-friendly yoga asana requires the help of a wall to perform. However, its benefits are very interesting: thanks to an inverted posture, the blood can circulate more easily. This relieves symptoms of stress and helps you fall asleep when it lasts for at least five minutes.

The karani viparita is very easy to perform. You just have to lie down with your back fully supported on the floor, so that your hips and legs are straight on the wall. To better maintain balance, you can extend your arms at the sides of your body.

4- Alternate breathing

The last of the yoga asanas for good sleep uses one of the most effective breathing exercises to combat insomnia. It is about alternate breathing, consisting of taking air through one hole in the nose while covering the other. Then, it is released on the contrary, and the cycle is repeated changing the side on which each thing is done.

This breathing exercise can be done while sitting in a comfortable position, or even lying down. Either way, if you do it correctly you will notice how your body relaxes very quickly.

Yoga has many useful techniques to combat all kinds of mental and physical problems. These yoga asanas for good sleep are especially effective in ending insomnia, so they will be very useful if you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep long enough.