There’s no doubt that getting enough sleep is essential for optimal physical and mental health. Unfortunately, those who suffer from insomnia fail to get the recommended amount of sleep and thus face many challenges and health consequences. But fortunately, adding a gentle yoga session to your nighttime routine may help you finally have a good night’s sleep.

Precisely speaking, practicing yoga regularly helps in improving sleep efficiency, increasing total sleep time, and reducing sleep onset latency, among many other benefits. Hence, incorporate these five calming and restorative poses into your sleep routine if you want to fight insomnia for good.

1. Forward Fold

Begin your routine with this gentle inversion that activates the parasympathetic nervous system which slows down your bodily processes and releases tension.

First, stand upright but ensure your feet are about hip distance apart. Inhale deeply as you lift your arms until they meet just above your head. Then, as you exhale, contract the fronts of your tights and bend forward to pull your knees up. Now inhale gently, grasp opposite elbows, and let your arms hang below your head. Take 15 slow and deep breaths and raise gently.

2. Supine Twist

Generally, twists relieve tension and lower back pain. But they may also help relax baroreflex and thus reduce blood pressure which is beneficial for sleep.

Lie down on your back, inhale and pull your knees towards your chest. Next, extend your arms out at shoulder height as you exhale. Move your knees to the side as you stack them one on top of the other. Ensure your shoulder blades are touching the ground and take at least 5 deep breaths. Lift your legs towards your chest as you inhale by pressing into your arms, and finally drop them to the other side.

3. Puppy Pose

This pose, a modified Child’s Pose, will help you relieve stress and tension by stretching the upper back, spine, and shoulders.

Start by getting into all fours with the hips stacked over the knees and the shoulders over the wrists. Then, walk your hands out in front, but without moving the hips, keeping your elbows off the floor. Exhale as you tuck the toes under and move the backside halfway to the heels. Gently drop your forehead to the ground, breath in at least 5 to 10 times, and walk the hands back to the starting position.

4. Child’s Pose

Here’s the above-mentioned pose. It will help you stretch the hips, thighs, and ankles, as well as, the back torso and the muscles of your front body to reduce stress and stimulate melatonin.

Again, start on all fours, bring the big toes together, and ensure your knees are hip-distance apart. Now, sit back on the heels, exhale, and move the torso down between the tights. Choose whether you want the arms in front of you stretching or alongside your torso with the palms facing up. Take at least 10 deep breaths before you return to all fours.

5. Legs Up the Wall Pose

Finally, our fifth pose recommendation is legs up the wall which is a gentle inversion that helps you calm down and prepare your mind and body for sleep.

Lie down on the ground with the knees bent and the buttocks as close to the wall as possible. Put the legs together, lift the feet, and swing the torso so that it’s perpendicular to the wall. Place the lower part of the pelvis up against the wall and try to get comfy. Place the arms out to the sides with the palms facing up. Keep in this position for as long as you wish while taking deep breaths.