Sleep is the best, isn’t it? When our sleep is off-kilter, everything else feels equally wonky. When I’m having patches of disrupted sleep, I lean on some simple yoga practices to help prepare me for bed. They help settle the nervous system into a parasympathetic state (that’d be the rest & digest side of things) and begin to quiet my mind so it’s not rattling around as I crawl under the covers.
The actual movements are less important than the quality of attention you bring to them. As you move, really pay attention to the different sensations you feel in your body. Is there something that feels great? Do a little more of it. Explore. Is there something that needs more support? Adjust as feels right. If you find that your mind has wandered off and is thinking about something else, gently guide it back to the sensations in your body or the flow of your breath in and out.
If I’m doing this just before bed, I try to make sure that all other things in my nighttime routine have been attended to. My teeth are brushed, the face is washed and the thousands of different skincare products have been applied. That way I can pad straight to bed afterwards. Darkness, warmth and quiet are also factors that help us drop into our parasympathetic nervous system, so where possible I dim the lights and make sure I have a blanket nearby. That said, don’t worry so hard about making the perfect setting that you never actually get started. The most important thing is treating yourself with care as you move.
You could do this whole sequence in about 20 minutes, or choose a couple of sections and pick & mix.
Watch the full sequence via the FIX Instagram
PARASYMPATHETIC BREATHING
● Start by finding a comfortable seat. You’ll be here for 3-5 minutes, so you may want to sit on a pillow or lean your back up against a wall. You might even feel more supported lying on your back with your knees bent, feet on the floor.
● Take a moment to really settle in, and then bring your hands to rest on your lower ribs. Similar to as if you hand your hands on your hips (thumbs at the back, fingers spanning forward), but an inch or two higher.
● Start to breathe in and out through your nose. Breathe super slowly, as if your breath wouldn’t even ruffle a nostril hair, and let it fill your lungs in 3 dimensions, so that as you inhale your lower ribs expand out into your hands, and then soften on the exhale.
● Take 15 – 20 slow, full breaths like this. Once you’ve settled into the rhythm, you can release your hands, if that’s more comfortable
● Once you’ve finished, or if this starts to feel stressful at any time, let it go and let your breath move naturally.
SLOW MOVEMENT – ON ALL FOURS
● Cat-Cow – On hands and knees, start to slowly move through a couple of rounds of Cat-Cow. Arching your back as you inhale, and rounding through your spine on the exhale.
● As you move, you might find there are places you want to linger in. Wiggle around as feels good to you – perhaps slinking the ribcage in a few circles or moving your hips back and forth to feel into different areas.
● Side Bend – Next, walk one hand into the centre of your mat, a little forward from your shoulders. Take the other hand out to the side and start to sit your hips back until you find a stretch through the side of your body.
● Wiggle around and see what you feel in this shape, adjusting as needed and using your breath to explore.
● When you’re ready, come back to centre and do the other side. Be curious about any differences.
● Child’s Pose – Sink your hips back towards your heels and come to Child’s pose, supporting your forehead with your hands. Take a couple of slow, full breaths
SLOW MOVEMENT – RECLINING
● Come to lie on your back, with a blanket underneath your head if that feels supportive.
● Hug your knees in towards your chest and take a little rock side to side, gently massaging the muscles along your spine down into the mat beneath you.
● Hip Circles – Place one foot back down to the ground and bring your hand onto the raised knee. Start to draw a few circles with that knee, stirring the thigh bone in the hip socket. Then change direction and draw a few the other way.
● Place that foot down and bring the other knee in, repeating on the other side.
● Reclining Twist – Hug both knees in and let them drop over to one side, coming into a twist. See if you can let both shoulders soften onto the ground, but if not, use a blanket to support yourself. For example, if your legs are over to the left, you might want a blanket under the right shoulder so it’s not hovering away from the ground.
● Take a few breaths into your twist, noticing if you could soften your jaw, shoulders or belly, and then come back through centre and drop the knees to twist in the other direction.
● After your twist, place both feet back onto the ground, knees bent.
● Pelvic Undulation – Imagine a triangle on the back of your pelvis, pointing down between your feet. Keep your hips resting on the ground and on your inhale, begin to rock your pelvis towards the point of your triangle. You might find that you feel your lower back gently arch away from the ground.
● On your exhale, rock your pelvis in the other direction, so that your lower back flattens towards the mat.
● Take a few rounds of breath following this pattern, undulating back and forth across the back of your pelvis
● Constructive Rest – Let your hips settle into their neutral position and knock your knees in to support one another. Bring your hands onto your belly and take a few slow, full breaths.
RESTORATIVE POSES
Finish your bedtime practice with a longer, supported shape. The aim here is to really make your body comfortable and warm and then let yourself settle into stillness for 5 – 10 minutes. I like to set a timer so I don’t have to worry about accidentally dozing off on the floor. Take the time to set up the pose with care, using as many props, pillows and blankets as you need to feel really comfy so you can soften into the shape.
While you’re in your chosen restorative pose, keep your breath rolling slowly in and out through the nose. Really let your body soften and relax, adjusting to give yourself more support if needed and then coming to rest.
● Side-Lying Savasana – Come to lie on your left-hand side, with your knees bent up in front of you at a comfortable angle. Have a couple of pillows or a bolster underneath your head and another between your knees. Make sure you have enough support under your head and underneath your right forearm so that your shoulders feel comfortable. I recommend a blanket over the top for extra cosiness.
● Front Lying Savasana – Lie belly down on your mat, with your hands or a pillow supporting your forehead. Alternatively, you could rest one cheek down on the ground, and then switch sides halfway through. You might want a pillow under your feet to support the ankles and/or one under the hips. I recommend a blanket over the top for extra cosiness.
As you surface from your practice, keep moving slowly. Don’t rush your transition and jostle yourself about with swift movements. Sweet dreams!