Better Sleep the Yoga Way

If you toss and turn, try these yoga poses to help you get those much needed ZZZs. Yoga is a great way to help relax the mind's thoughts and slow the heart. Try to do these poses at least three hours before you hit the hay.

Sukhasana (Easy Pose): Sit on your bottom on a few folded thin blankets with your feet and lower legs hanging off the edge of the blankets. Cross your feet and roll your shoulders back to reset your rib cage. Place your hands on your knees and breath in and out to relax the mind. Once you are relaxed hold this pose for 10 to 15 minutes.

Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend, with Support): Sitting on the same blankets as before stretch out your legs in front of you, bend at the waist and rest your head in your arms on the sit of a chair. Hold this pose for 10-15 minutes.

Sarvangasana (Shoulder stand, with Support): On the same blankets as before, rest your head off the blankets on the floor in front of them with your shoulders on the blankets. Stretch your arms out behind you so that they are parallel with your back. Have the chair close to you and raise your legs so that your feet hit the seat of the chair first. Once you gain your balance, use your arms and bring the chair closer as you stretch you legs out on top of the chair and they end up resting on the back of the chair on top. Hold this pose for 10 to 15 minutes.

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose with Support): With a few more blankets on top of the ones you are already using sit with your bottom on top if the pile. Bend you knees and lay back onto your back. The only thing that should be on the blankets is your bottom. Stretch you arms out in a relaxed manor with the knees still bent and hold for 10 to 15 minutes.

Adho Mukha Svansana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose, with support): With a support block under your forehead bend at the waits and come down into Down Dog pose. Raise your arms up over your head and rest them on the floor in front of you. Straiten your legs and try not to bend at the knees. Hold this pose for about 2 minutes.

Viparita Karani (Legs-up-the-Wall Pose, with support): Using a bolster pillow, place it under your lower back region. Lie back onto the bolster and raise you legs and use the wall in front of you for support. Rest your legs on the wall as straight as you can and your arms out to your side in a relaxed manor. Hold this pose for about 10 to 15 minutes.