Research has demonstrated that engaging in yoga at any hour of the day can effectively address insomnia and enhance both the quantity and quality of sleep.
Engaging in a soothing wind-down routine, such as practicing deep breathing and restorative yoga, stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system's'rest and assimilate' branch.
Standish advises that if you use an electronic device to guide you through each pose, such as an iPad or smartphone.
Ideally, you learn a bedtime yoga routine that you enjoy and then guide yourself through it each night, making adjustments as needed based on how your body feels.
This self-guided approach further supports an internal, calming focus and strengthens your interoceptive mind-body connection ability.
A calming internal focus is promoted by each of these postures, which stimulate the parasympathetic ('rest and digest') branch of the autonomic nervous system.
When first beginning, bedtime yoga does not require to be an elaborate routine. Standish recommends starting on a modest scale.
Plan for just five minutes of stretching and wind-down time, and see how your body and mind feel afterward and upon waking the next day.