Three yoga tips for sleep

Please, if you have any eye problems do not attempt any inversions. If you have significant back or neck issues, consult with a yoga teacher or better yet a doctor whose opinion you trust before attempting pose number one. The same goes for any discomfort that is not easily resolved with a slight shift of position. 


1) Legs-up-the-wall pose, also known as Viparita Karani or the Great Rejuvenator, is my favorite way to wind down at the end of the day. It's also very good for anyone who has been on their feet a lot, as it helps reduce edema in the lower extremities and facilitates circulation back to the heart.

2) Side-lying Savasana.
 Note the placement of the pillows. The one between the knees effectively brings the knees out to hip-width, relieving pull across the lower back and back of the hips, and I sometimes add a pillow lower, so that I support not only the knees at this width, but also cushion and support the ankles. The pillow between the arms is very comforting and soothing, so it is also important, and of course the pillow under the head helps keep the head and cervical vertebrae aligned with the rest of the spine.

3) Shakti mudra.

 Can be combined with the last pose to good effect: Simply place the corner of the pillowcase between the ring and little fingers. According to Gertrud Hirschi, author of Mudra: Yoga In Your Hands, Shakti mudra "intensifies the respiratory impulse in the lower chest area". This helps us transition from a shallower breathing style to  a deeper one, which encourages the release/relax phenomenon that is necessary for us to fall asleep.