Do you find it hard to relax in the evening? Then you should try yoga. Why yoga pays off before bedtime, that explains Yoga instructor Christine Fischer.
Some people associate yoga with daredevil contortions that send blood pressure soaring.
But yoga is versatile. Many asanas help you unwind after a busy day and lower stress levels.
By focusing on the present moment, not only does your body relax, but so does your mind.
Regular yoga helps you develop good sleep habits. By practicing yoga before bedtime, you're doing something good for your body and mind. Learn more in this article.
These are the benefits of yoga in the evening
We present to you below seven reasons why you should practice yoga before bed:
Yoga reduces anxiety and worries
Yoga helps relieve stress, worry and anxiety. Incorporating pranayama and meditation into your evening yoga practice can help you relax.
You'll sleep well through the night, no matter how stressful your day was. There are many calming breathing exercises, which have a positive effect on the quality of sleep.
If you wake up at night, you can do one or two pranayamas in bed to help you fall back asleep.
Yoga promotes sleep hygiene
Good sleep hygiene is important for getting a good night's rest. Sleep hygiene means acquiring habits that promote sleep and rest.
Certain postures and breathing techniques signal your body that it's time to prepare for the night. This helps you fall asleep. For best results, go straight to bed after your yoga workout.
Yoga improves blood circulation
Stretching your muscles and breathing evenly improves blood circulation. Your blood pressure and energy levels normalize.
A healthy cycle also strengthens the immune system, detoxifies the body and promotes cell regeneration.
When prana and blood circulate sufficiently in the body, it has a positive influence on health and sleep quality.
Yoga helps to lose weight
You lose weight and improve your well-being by exercising regularly. Yoga boosts your metabolism.
So you burn calories while you sleep. A healthy weight also reduces heartburn and digestive problems and strengthens the heart. This in turn benefits the quality of sleep.
If you are doing more strenuous asanas to lose weight, end the workout with a longer shavasana and meditation. This will bring your circulation back down.
Yoga relieves pain
Gently stretching your muscles before bed will relieve tension and joint problems. Many people experience aches and pains in their bodies after a hard day's work.
This especially affects people who are on their feet a lot or sitting at a desk. This makes it difficult to find sleep. Yoga is very good for loosening tense muscles, reducing pain and improving sleep.
Yoga acts like a sedative
Studies show that regular yoga practice causes the brain to release the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA inhibits the excitability of neurons in the brain. As a result, the muscles relax.
Stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline decrease. This in turn reduces feelings of anxiety and panic. By the way, benzodiazepines, which are contained in tranquilizers, have a similar effect. Thus, yoga helps with this, produce the body's own tranquilizers - completely without side effects.
Yoga helps against sleep disorders
You see, yoga relaxes the body and calms the mind. Regular yoga practice helps you develop habits that promote sleep. Good sleep, in turn, improves your health and quality of life.
If you suffer from pronounced sleep disorders, you will find in this article Tips on how to free yourself from them with the help of yoga.
The best asanas for a healthy sleep
Just as there are yoga exercises that increase energy levels in the morning, there are asanas that relax the body and mind. These are great for an evening workout before bed. Relaxing asanas, such as forward bends, resting postures and exercises that help you breathe deeply, work best. These include, for example.
- Seated forward bend (Paschimottanasana)
- Child pose (Balasana)
- Butterfly in Supine Position (Supta Baddha Konsana)
- Half Shoulder Stand (Viparita Karani)
- Rotation of the spine in supine position (Ashta Karana)
- Dead man's pose (Shavasana)
Combine these asanas with slow, deep breathing. You can also incorporate other asanas into your evening workout schedule. Make sure you minimize activating exercises and do them at the beginning of the workout.
Soft music and essential oils have an additional relaxing effect. Also take the time to meditate before or after your evening practice to calm your mind.
More tips for a relaxed sleep
Avoid distractions and disturbances, for a restful night's sleep
Other factors that negatively affect your sleep are distractions, such as the TV, smartphone or street noises.
Any disturbance prevents you from switching off and relaxing. Therefore, do not take devices such as laptops or smartphones into the bedroom. The blue light from screens keeps you awake. In addition, electromagnetic fields can interfere with sleep.
To minimize the noise level from outside, it is recommended to close the windows at night. If that is not enough, earplugs will help.
The right temperature in the bedroom makes all the difference
No matter how comfortable your bed is and how relaxing the atmosphere in your bedroom is, if you heat the room incorrectly, it will negatively affect your sleep.
The ideal room temperature in the bedroom is between sixteen and eighteen degrees Celsius. If this is too cold for you, you can regulate the heat with suitable pillows, comforters and covers.
But not only the temperature is important, but also the air. Ensure a regular supply of fresh air by ventilating the bedroom twice a day. Fresh air guarantees a good oxygen supply and you can relax better than with stuffy air.
Darkness is important for restful sleep
The right lighting helps you regulate your sleep patterns. Darkness signals to your body that it's time to rest and sleep. That's why you should equip your bedroom windows with dark curtains or blinds, if possible.
When it comes to bedroom lighting, too many light sources are unnecessary. Just before going to bed, you should not be exposed to too bright light. Depending on the size of the bedroom, a ceiling lamp provides basic lighting. A small table or floor lamp on the bedside table provides light for reading or atmospheric light for relaxing. You should do without other light sources.
My conclusion
If you have sleep problems, yoga can be a very good way to counteract them. Whether you're looking for deeper or longer sleep, practicing yoga before bed will benefit you.
The mentioned asanas, meditation and pranayma will help you to relax and unwind. Do the training consistently, because it will take a few weeks until the first successes show. It is best to document your progress in a diary. This way you will clearly see the benefits. Yoga before bedtime is worthwhile all along the line!
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Author: Christine Fischer runs the lovingly furnished Yoga studio "Yoga-Parinama in Neuburg on the Danube. With her you can book online classes on different topics and book yoga classes on site.
Her focus is on pregnancy yoga for expectant mamas and postnatal yoga for new mothers. She also offers Sensitive Yoga for beginners as well as Ashtanga Yoga, Yogaflows with music and soon Arealyoga.
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