Restorative Yoga to Try

Practicing restorative yoga positions before bedtime can help counteract stress and promote restful sleep. Restorative yoga employs a mind-body therapeutic approach to help relieve the effects of chronic stress. Practice these two simple restful poses to help you relax and reset.

Legs Up the Wall

If you suffer from lower back pain, this restorative pose will become your go-to move. Lying on your back, move your buttocks against a wall to form a 90-degree angle with your torso. Breathing deeply, raise your legs up straight in the air, along the wall. With palms facing up, put your hands by your sides or on your stomach. Hold for one to 15 minutes.

Savasana, or Corpse, Pose

Lie on your back, allowing your legs and arms to naturally drop open. Close your eyes, and slowly and deeply breathe in and out, enabling each part of your body to relax. Tune into your body, feeling it rise and fall with each breath. Hold this position for five to 15 minutes, allowing your body to move into an increasingly deeper state of relaxation. As you prepare to release this pose, slowly deepen your breath and wiggle your fingers and toes to help waken the body. Stretch both arms over your head, exhale and, bending your knees, roll over to whichever side is most comfortable and come into the fetal position. Inhaling, slowly rise up to a seated position.

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