Can Yoga Before Bed Enhance Sleep Quality? Here’s What the Experts Say

People often assume that fitness professionals are always motivated to exercise and find staying in shape easy. However, as a personal trainer with over 30 years of experience, I’m here to tell you that isn’t always the case!

Like you, I sometimes struggle to stick to my workout routine and am tempted to eat unhealthily. However, the good days invariably outweigh the bad, so I can afford the odd missed workout or cheat meal.

That said, one area of my fitness I’ve always struggled with is stretching. Even so, I recognize that stretching is a critical piece of the fitness puzzle.

Because of this, I began working one-on-one with a yoga instructor to finally get a handle on my flexibility. Regular yoga practices taught me a lot about stretching and breath control, and my flexibility soon improved.

However, doing yoga had an unexpected benefit – I started sleeping better. Not only did I fall asleep more quickly, but I woke up less often, too.

My positive results led me to investigate yoga as a sleep aid. In this article, I share the results of my research and explain how yoga can help you sleep longer and deeper.

The Importance of Sleep

Sleep is the unsung hero of fitness and critical for your long-term exercise progress and health. But, despite its well-documented importance, research suggests that roughly 30% of Americans fail to get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night (1), suffering from what is medically known as insomnia.

People who struggle with insomnia either find it hard to go to sleep, wake up frequently throughout the night, or wake up too early. This erodes sleep quality, making sleep less restorative. So, instead of waking rested and refreshed, insomniacs start their days already feeling tired.

And it’s not just energy levels that are affected by poor sleep quality – there are many side effects and risks to insomnia. These include (2):

1. Decreased testosterone
2. Reduction in growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor
3. Raised cortisol
4. Increased inflammation
5. Raised insulin resistance
6. Elevated blood glucose
7. Increased fat gain
8. Elevated blood pressure
9. Weakened immune system
10. Worsening of pre-existing medical conditions
11. Impaired cognitive function
12. Increased risk of accidents
13. Lower work productivity
14. Increased risk of depression and other mental health issues
15. Reduced motivation and less willpower
16. Decreased sex drive
17. Increased hunger
18. Reduced quality of life

Read more about how lack of sleep affects muscle gain and fat loss here.

An unspecified but significant percentage of insomniacs take prescription and non-prescription drugs to help them sleep (3). Unfortunately, sedatives and similar medications can be addictive and may have harmful side effects. Consequently, it’s generally best to find natural solutions to chronic insomnia.

Safe, natural sleep aids include:

• Chamomile
• Gingko Biloba
• Glycine
• L-theanine
• Lavender oil
• Melatonin
• Tryptophan
• Valerian root
• ZMA (zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B6)

In addition, research published on PubMed suggests that yoga can help improve sleep quality (4). I’ll reveal how and why in the next section!

Yoga as a Sleep Aid

So, how does yoga improve sleep quality? Good question! These are the mechanisms by which yoga can help you sleep longer and more deeply.

Balancing the Nervous System

Like many of the systems of the body, the nervous system comprises two opposing parts – the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). The SNS is responsible for energy production and nervous stimulation. It’s the part of your nervous system that ramps up during the “flight or fight” stress response.

In contrast, the PNS is responsible for energy recovery and storage. It’s also involved in the mechanisms of sleep.

In research, the stretching and breathing exercises featured in yoga have been shown to stimulate the PNS (5). This reduces the production of stress hormones that might otherwise keep you awake.

Reduced Muscle Tension

Muscle tension often makes it difficult to get comfortable enough to sleep. Your muscles can literally feel “wound up” and may even be painful. Muscle tension is frequently caused by stress. For example, you may tense your neck, shoulders, or jaw because of worrying thoughts.

Yoga can help alleviate muscle tension so your body is more relaxed and primed for sleep (6). As such, it’s always worth including upper-body yoga poses in your pre-sleep routine, especially if your neck, shoulders, etc., feel tight.

Reduced Stress

Stress is part and parcel of everyday life. Work, finances, relationships, etc., are all familiar sources of stress. Unfortunately, stressful thoughts have a nasty habit of popping into your mind right around bedtime, making it harder to get to sleep.

Yoga is a proven stress-buster. Calming your body and mind with some appropriate yoga poses can help alleviate the stress that can keep you awake (7).

Distraction

Counting sheep is a traditional way to distract a busy mind and make it easier to fall asleep. The idea is that it’s hard to think about things that could keep you awake when you focus your mind on such a mundane task.

Yoga poses offer the same sort of distraction. But, instead of counting sheep, you focus on your breath and the sensation and position of your limbs. Think of yoga as a kind of relaxing meditation that quiets your mind and helps it relax.

Increased Serotonin Levels

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays a critical role in sleep. Low serotonin levels can

disrupt your circadian rhythm, which is your sleep-wake cycle. Too little serotonin makes it harder to fall asleep and increases your chances of waking up during the night. Additionally, serotonin deficiencies are linked to increased stress.

Research suggests that yoga increases the production of serotonin (8). Therefore, doing yoga before bed should help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

The Best Yoga Poses for Improved Sleep Quality

There are hundreds of yoga poses, dozens of which can help you sleep. However, in my experience, these are five of the best. You can just pick a couple or do what I do, which is perform them as a pre-bed routine. I’ve found that to be the most effective way to use yoga to enhance sleep quality.

But, before you begin, increase your chances of success by:

• Getting ready for bed, i.e., brushing your teeth, using the bathroom, putting on your PJs, etc.
• Turn off your phone.
• Darken the room.
• Slow your breathing.

1. Child’s Pose (Balasana)

Child’s pose helps calm the mind while releasing tension from your back and shoulders. It also promotes deep, slow diaphragmatic breathing, which is critical for relaxation.  

Steps:

1. Kneel on your bed with your legs comfortably apart.
2. Lean forward and rest your chest and abdomen on your thighs. Place a pillow under your head for support if necessary.
3. Lay your arms down by your sides, palms facing up.
4. Remain in this position for 10-12 slow, deep breaths.

2. Seated Forward Fold (Paschimottanasana)

The seated forward fold stretches your hamstrings and lower back while promoting a deep sense of mental and physical relaxation. It’s also good for improving hamstring flexibility, which is something that most people need more of!

Steps:

1. Sit on your bed with your legs out in front of you.
2. Lean forward and reach toward your feet. Hold your ankles or toes if you can.
3. Relax and lower your chest and abdomen toward your legs.
4. Remain in this position for 10-12 slow, deep breaths.

3. Reclining Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)

The reclining bound angle pose gently opens your hips and eases tension from your lower body and thighs. It also gently stretches your abdominals and chest, which can be tight from prolonged sitting.

Steps:

1. Sit on your bed with your legs extended in front of you.
2. Bend your knees and pull your feet toward you.
3. Place the soles of your feet together.
4. Lie back and extend your arms out to the sides to form a T-shape.
5. Relax and allow your knees to fall gently outward.
6. Remain in this position for 10-12 slow, deep breaths.

4. Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)

This yoga pose is a mild inversion that enhances circulation and relaxes your legs and lower back. Some yoga practitioners turn this pose into a modified shoulder stand, but I find that too stimulating. Instead, I suggest keeping your butt and back on the floor for this pose, as it’s much more relaxing that way.

Steps:

1. Lie on your back with your feet resting on a smooth wall.
2. Gradually walk your butt forward until it touches the wall, and your legs are as straight as you can comfortably manage.
3. Remain in this position for 10-12 slow, deep breaths.

5. Corpse Pose (Savasana)

Despite its grisly name, corpse pose is the perfect end to your pre-sleep yoga practice. Do this one under the covers so, as you relax, you are ready to drift off to sleep. Focus on feeling heavy, warm, comfortable, and extremely relaxed.

Steps:

1. Lie on your back.
2. Let your legs fall into a natural position with your feet slightly apart.
3. Rest your arms by your sides, palms facing up.
4. Remain in this position for 10-12 slow, deep breaths, drawing each one down into your abdomen.
5. Slowly move into your preferred sleep position.

Closing Thoughts

Insomnia is very distressing, and sleep deprivation can turn every day into a struggle. There is nothing worse than waking up feeling tired. However, yoga addresses many of the physiological and psychological causes of insomnia. Consequently, it can help you fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep longer.

So, don’t toss and turn all night, getting more stressed and tense by the minute. Instead, try pre-bed yoga. Combined with a relaxing cup of chamomile tea, it’s the perfect end to your day.

Read also:

• Bikram Yoga: A Hot Yoga Guide
• The 7 Best Yoga Poses for Bodybuilders

References:

1. Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Sleep Medicine and Research; Colten HR, Altevogt BM, editors. Sleep Disorders and Sleep Deprivation: An Unmet Public Health Problem. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2006. 3, Extent and Health Consequences of Chronic Sleep Loss and Sleep Disorders.
2. Roth T. Insomnia: definition, prevalence, etiology, and consequences. J Clin Sleep Med. 2007 Aug 15;3(5 Suppl): S7-10. PMID: 17824495; PMCID: PMC1978319.
3. Lie JD, Tu KN, Shen DD, Wong BM. Pharmacological Treatment of Insomnia. P T. 2015 Nov;40(11):759-71. PMID: 26609210; PMCID: PMC4634348.
4. Khalsa SB. Treatment of chronic insomnia with yoga: a preliminary study with sleep-wake diaries. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback. 2004 Dec;29(4):269-78. doi: 10.1007/s10484-004-0387-0. PMID: 15707256.
5. Eda N, Ito H, Akama T. Beneficial Effects of Yoga Stretching on Salivary Stress Hormones and Parasympathetic Nerve Activity. J Sports Sci Med. 2020 Nov 19;19(4):695-702. PMID: 33239943; PMCID: PMC7675619.
6. Woodyard C. Exploring the therapeutic effects of yoga and its ability to increase quality of life. Int J Yoga. 2011 Jul;4(2):49-54. doi: 10.4103/0973-6131.85485. PMID: 22022122; PMCID: PMC3193654.
7. Köhn M, Persson Lundholm U, Bryngelsson IL, Anderzén-Carlsson A, Westerdahl E. Medical yoga for patients with stress-related symptoms and diagnoses in primary health care: a randomized controlled trial. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:215348. doi: 10.1155/2013/215348. Epub 2013 Feb 26. PMID: 23533465; PMCID: PMC3600293.
8. Lee M, Moon W, Kim J. Effect of yoga on pain, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and serotonin in premenopausal women with chronic low back pain. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2014;2014:203173. doi: 10.1155/2014/203173. Epub 2014 Jul 10. PMID: 25120574; PMCID: PMC4120477.

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