Yoga Poses For Better Sleep

You come back home after a long day of work and all you want is to have some good sleep till it's morning again. But no matter how hard you try, you just cannot sleep peacefully. Insomnia is a very common problem nowadays. Due to our hectic lives, irregular food timings, stress and so many other triggers, most of us have lost our night's peaceful sleep.

So, what is the solution for this restlessness and sleeplessness? Sleeping pills are out of the question because of the side effects they cause. Apart from that making healthy changes in your lifestyle is an option. However we have an easier solution for you - yoga. Yoga is the perfect solution for most problems related to your health.

Yoga helps in calming down your mind by lowering the stress levels and relieves tension from your body. Yoga has a sooting effect on your body which helps you to sleep peacefully throughout the night. Practice these yoga poses in the evening or just before going to bed. These will definitely help you to sleep well and you will wake up refreshed for the next day.

Try these yoga poses for better sleep and combat your insomnia:

Janu Shirasana (head to knee pose)

Sit straight with your legs stretched forward. Bend your right knee and bring it towards the left inner thigh. Let your right knee touch the ground. Then inhale and stretch out with both hands. Now, exhale and reach for your left foot. Place your hands on either sides of the left foot. Gaze at the left toe for a minute and then repeat the same procedure with the other leg.

Sukhasana (easy forward bend)

This is an easy pose to try. Sit in a relaxed pose with knees bent and criss-crossed. Stretch your hands and bend forward. Try to touch the ground with your head. Hold on for a minute and then come back to the relaxed position.

Uttanasana (standing forward bend)

Stand with about 6 inches gap between both your legs. Bend and touch your feet with both your hands. This pose not only induces sleep but also helps in relieving headache.

Balasana (child's pose)

Extend your hands and arms forward into pose of the child. Place your buttocks on your heels. Continue to breathe normally without forcing yourself. Rest in this pose for sometime. Inhale and go back slowly to the starting position.

Supta Baddha Konasana (reclining bound angle pose)

It is the reclining butterfly pose. Lie on your back and bring your feet together. Hold your feet with your hands and stay in this pose for a minute.

Shavasana (corpse pose)

The simplest of all the asanas. Just lie on your back with your arms and legs stretched like a corpse and concentrate on your breathing. This is one of the best pose to induce sleep.

Halasana (plough pose)

Lie down on your back, lift your legs over your head and then try to touch the ground behind you. Keep your hands either on your back for support or on the floor.

Viprita Karani (legs up the wall)

This pose is performed against the wall. Rest your legs against the wall for about 5-6 minutes. It is an excellent pose to relax and relieve stress.

Ardha Matsyendrasana (spinal twist pose)

Sit and fold your right knee towards your left inner thigh. Then criss cross the left leg over the right thigh and then gaze facing the left side.

Surya Bhedana (left nostril breathing)

Sit cross-legged and cover the right nostril with your thumb and then extend the fingers out. Then take 5-10 deep breaths out of your left nostril.