Sleep! The best part of the day for most folks is sinking into the bed to catch some shut-eye time. Sleep is vital for good health and mental clarity so any hindrance to sound sleep will affect us badly. Which means sleeping disorders should not be considered lightly at all. So before we begin, we would like to tell everyone to analyze their sleep patterns better and to approach a doctor if the issue has been on for quite some time.
Also here’s a disclaimer – Not all experts recommend performing yoga in bed. It is best done on a sturdy, flat surface with a good yoga mat that has sufficient grip. There are around eighty-odd lakh recorded yoga poses and not all of them are appropriate for bed. That said, yoga is a great way to enhance mental and physical health and loosen up tensed muscles. It is hailed as the most popular way to get your mind and body to relax. For those struggling with health issues, yoga is a boon. Given that yoga relies a lot on breathing and relaxing, people have often raved about how doing certain yoga poses in bed can make them sleep better.
If you are someone who has been struggling with sleep issues, this article may be a blessing in disguise. But before you begin, move all the fluffy pillows, throw pillows, rugs, and blankets to the side. You need a flat surface to perform the yoga poses that follow.
1. Happy Baby Pose AKA Ananda Balasana
Just reading the name of the pose made us smile, frankly! Ananda balasana is one of the easiest yoga poses and focuses primarily on the lower muscle group. To perform this pose, here’s what you need to do.
- Lie on your back
- Take a deep breath, exhale and as you exhale bring your legs up to your stomach
- Inhale and grab your feet firmly
- Next, spread your knees to the width of your hip and then raise your knees towards your underarms.
- Hold for 60 secs and then repeat.
2. Supine Spinal Twist AKA Supta Matsyendrasana
It might be a little tough to pronounce, but super easy and relaxing to perform. This is a beginner-medium level pose and is pose to promote abdominal organ health, improving digestion and metabolism. While verbal instructions can be provided for performing this pose, we strongly recommend that you take the help of a video tutorial.
This might need a very detailed visual guide because if you do it incorrectly, it will do more harm than good.
3. Cross-Legged Pose AKA Sukhasana
This is the poster pose for yoga-related visual content. This too is a beginner level pose and is often adopted as the most popular position while meditating. This hatha-yoga pose is great for strengthening your lower back and helps improve overall health. Though this pose can be performed at any time of the day, some experts recommend that mornings are the best. However, if you are facing difficulties falling asleep, meditating in this pose for a few minutes will help you relax and get to sleep faster.
To do this pose –
- Sit on the bed with your back perpendicular to your bed
- Cross your legs by bringing each foot under the thigh of the other leg.
- Straighten your spine, shoulders, neck, and head. If done correctly, you should not feel pressure or discomfort anywhere.
- Next, place your palms on your knees and hold them in chin mudra or jnana mudra as you begin your meditation sequence.
4. Supported Half-Frog Pose AKA Ardha Bhekasana
This is a very relaxing asymmetrical hip stretch that helps anyone with feet, hip and back pain. This too is a beginner level asana which is probably the easiest to perform on bed. You may need an additional pillow to perform this pose. Here’s how you do it.
- Lie on your front with a pillow supporting your belly
- Stretch one knee and bring it up till your hip such that your thigh is perpendicular to your body.
- Straighten your other leg and let it stretch out behind you.
- Turn your head in the direction of the pulled up knee and relax. Breathe in and out deeply.
5. Corpse Pose AKA Shavasana
This is so easy that it might not even count as a pose. This hatha-yoga posture is often adopted at the end of a session as a means to relax the entire body. Shavasana is also a great way to calm the mind which is a vital aspect for your body to get into sleep.
To perform Shavasana here’s what you need to do
- Lie on your back with a small cushion supporting your neck. The pillow is optional, ideally, lie on a completely flat surface.
- Place your legs comfortably apart and relaxed.
- Place your arms parallel to your body with the palms facing downwards.
- Focus your attention on various parts of the body starting with your toes and moving upwards sequentially. Try to relax as much as possible while breathing in and out deeply.
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