Key takeaways

  • Incorporating a relaxing yoga practice into your bedtime routine may improve the quality or duration of your sleep.
  • This may be particularly beneficial for people who sleep lightly, have insomnia, or have limited time to sleep.
  • Try designing your yoga practice based on the amount of time you have available and the main improvements you aim to make.

Practicing yoga before bed may help you release things you’re holding onto mentally or physically.

Although yoga before bed may be helpful, it’s important to try and follow slower, more relaxing yoga routines. More vigorous routines may actually make sleeping more difficult.

This article is Day 10 of Healthline’s 3 Weeks to Better Sleep Challenge. Follow along to discover small, meaningful habits to help you sleep better, feel more rested, and wake ready to thrive each day.

Missed a day? Catch up with Day 9: Foods and Drinks to Have Before Bed, or continue on to Day 11: How to Ease Anxiety at Night.

A note about sex and gender language

The use of binary terms such as “male” and “female” or “men” and “women” in this article reflects the language of the sources we’ve used. Unless otherwise noted, it’s unclear whether the research we reference included participants with expansive gender identities.

A bedtime yoga routine may provide certain benefits.

May help relieve insomnia

Some studies suggest that yoga, particularly when practiced consistently, may help relieve symptoms of insomnia.

In a 2022 study, 30 women ages 60 to 70 years followed a 12-week yoga therapy intervention. The study showed a significant decrease in insomnia severity scores, and even reductions in systolic blood pressure.

Another 2022 study involving 21 people found that following individualized yoga practices for 14 weeks led to improvements in self-reported chronic insomnia symptoms for all participants.

It also led to an improvement in an objective sleep measurement — each participant wore an activity monitor during sleep to record things like total sleep time, time in bed, and nighttime arousals. The researchers analyzed the wearable monitor data and found that there was a decrease in nighttime arousals, meaning the participants may have woken up less frequently.

And lastly, a research review and analysis from 2019 suggests that mind-body therapies like yoga, meditation, and tai chi may help manage insomnia and promote better sleep.

More in-depth studies are needed to expand upon these findings.

May improve sleep quality

A 2020 research review and analysis evaluated 19 studies involving women and found that, in some of the participants, yoga helped improve sleep quality.

However, not all of the included studies came to the same conclusions — some found no improvements in sleep quality in women with breast cancer and perimenopausal or postmenopausal women.

The review also notes that there was a direct correlation between class time and quality of sleep, suggesting that longer yoga sessions may help improve sleep quality more than shorter ones.

May promote relaxation and reduce stress

Yoga may help promote both physical and mental relaxation, which in turn may reduce stress.

It may accomplish this by contributing to certain physiological changes. Regular yoga practice may help reduce blood pressure and lower levels of cortisol, a hormone involved in the body’s stress response.

And though larger, high quality studies are needed to confirm these results, a 2023 research review and analysis suggests that yoga may be able to reduce anxiety symptoms in people with anxiety disorders.

»Dive deeper:More benefits of yoga

There aren’t many drawbacks to doing yoga before bed, as long as you have a comfortable environment to follow your yoga routine and choose poses you can do safely.

If you feel that even gentle poses will stimulate your mind or body enough to keep you awake, then it’s best to avoid them. Instead, focus on meditation, breathing techniques, or tai chi.

Talk with a healthcare professional, such as a primary care doctor, before starting a new yoga practice if you have any injuries or other medical concerns.

Do these passive, gentle yoga poses to get your body and mind ready for sleep.

Legs-Up-the-Wall

You can use a cushion or bolster under your hips. To modify this pose, place the soles of your feet together or open your legs wide.

  1. Sit with your right side against the wall, your knees bent and feet drawn in toward your hips.
  2. Swing your legs up against the wall as you turn to lie flat on your back.
  3. Place your hips against the wall or slightly away.
  4. Rest your arms in a comfortable position.
  5. Follow your breath and focus on releasing tension in your body.
  6. Stay in this pose for up to 5 minutes.

Reclined Butterfly

This calming restorative pose quiets the nervous system and alleviates stress. For extra support, place blocks or cushions under your knees.

  1. From a seated position, press the soles of your feet together.
  2. Open your knees to the sides.
  3. Lie down on your back.
  4. Place your hands in a comfortable position.
  5. Hold this pose for up to 5 minutes.
  6. You can also do this as a stretch with a partner, as seen in the GIF above.

Child’s Pose

This relaxing pose enhances flexibility while lengthening and stretching the spine. For extra support, place a cushion under your forehead, chest, or thighs.

  1. From the tabletop position, sink your hips back toward your heels.
  2. Place your knees close together or out wide.
  3. Relax your chest and allow it to sink into your thighs.
  4. Relax any tension along your spine.
  5. Stay in this pose for up to 5 minutes.

Corpse Pose

Do this restorative pose at the end of your practice. During this time, you can simply relax. Or do guided imagery, meditation, or yoga nidra.

  1. Lie on your mat or in your bed.
  2. Position your feet a little wider than hip-distance apart.
  3. Align your head, neck, and spine.
  4. Focus on your breath as you completely let go of tension in your body.
  5. Allow your body to fall heavy.
  6. Stay in this position for up to 15 minutes.

Yoga nidra

Yoga nidra is a type of guided meditation that may help improve sleep quality, reduce stress, and encourage a deep state of relaxation. The practice involves lying down, breathing deeply, and following guided mental imagery to calm your mind and melt away tension.

There are several ways to get the most out of your bedtime yoga routine.

Set an attainable time, even if it’s only 10 minutes. This way, you’ll have plenty of time to complete your chosen practice, extend the session if time permits, and make it to bed by your designated bedtime.

Choose slower types of yoga, such as hatha, yin, or restorative. Focus on postures that are calming, restorative, and inward-focused.

Try to avoid more intensive yoga practices, such as hot or vinyasa.

It may also help to stay away from active, energizing postures, such as backbends. At the end of your session, try breathing exercises to help you relax further.

From Our Editors

“Taking a moment to breathe deeply can provide instant stress relief. Ujjayi pranayama, or ‘ocean breath,’ a breathing technique commonly practiced in a yoga setting, can help you get out of your head and into your body.

“The breathing pattern involves breathing in and out through your nose, but directing the breath from the space at the back of your throat (where you swallow). This creates a rhythmic, oceanic effect that can help relax the nervous system.”

— Andrea Rice, editor

Explore the benefits of breathwork meditation and how to do it.

Quotes represent individual opinions. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.

You can also try optimizing your sleep environment by choosing a comfortable temperature, clearing the room of electronics, and using candles or an essential oil diffuser to create a relaxing aroma.

Practice in a room with dim lighting and consider using an eye mask for longer holds. If you like listening to music while you practice, choose calmer, slower tunes. You can also use earplugs to block out noises, if you prefer.

Make small, simple changes to your bedtime habits. Design your yoga practice around a few attainable goals based on the amount of time you have available and the main improvements you aim to make.

Decide what gives you the incentive to stick to your routine. This may include keeping track of your progress electronically or in a journal, rewarding yourself, or having an accountability partner.

If you live with others, let them know what to expect from your bedtime routine. Be easy on yourself if you slip from your routine — you can always commit to starting again the following day.

There is no single best yoga practice to do before bed, but it may be better to choose slower, calmer routines, such as hatha or yin yoga. More intensive or more active routines may make it harder to get to sleep.

This can be different between individuals. Some people may find that a relaxing routine before bed fits into their schedules and helps them sleep. Other people may want to start their day with yoga instead. You may need to simply try different approaches for yourself to find what works best for you.

Bedtime yoga may be beneficial for people with sleeping concerns. It may help promote relaxation, improve sleep quality, and reduce insomnia.

Stay consistent in your practice; it may take a few weeks or more before you notice results. Keep a journal so you can see your progress and determine which aspects of your routine bring the most benefit.