Even if you think yoga should be done in the morning, there are many health benefits to doing yoga before bed. Yoga can become part of your nightly routine and help you relax. More than a third of Americans sleep less than the recommended seven to nine hours each night. If you are one of these people, yoga may be a good option for you. Moreover, performing yoga benefits you in many ways. Now, let’s take a look at the benefits of doing yoga before bed.
Reduces Your Anxiety and Stress
Yoga requires mindfulness and focused breathing to help us let go of negative thoughts and other negative experiences. These thoughts can keep us from falling asleep and keep us awake at night. Yoga can help us fall asleep more quickly and easily by clearing our minds. Focusing on breathing can also help us fall asleep faster and relieve stress. Anxiety can make it difficult to fall asleep, so that yoga can be especially beneficial for people with anxiety.
Helps You Stay Away From Using Sleep-Disrupting Mobile Device
The blue light from smartphones and laptops can make it difficult to fall asleep. That’s because blue light mimics daylight and causes the release of the stress hormone cortisol. It keeps us awake longer. Yoga is an excellent way to relax the body and fall asleep faster. Yoga Journal reports that yoga postures that combine controlled breathing stretching and relaxation techniques can reduce stress and blood pressure. As a result, you’ll be able to fall asleep more quickly.
Relieves Your Aches
Research shows that yoga can relieve back pain that can prevent you from falling asleep without pain medication. Yoga improves circulation and mobility, which can lead to more restful sleep. Yoga helps release toxins from tissues and organs, which contributes to better sleep quality. The body becomes more flexible and relieves pain. You can do poses like a downward-facing dog and a seated forward bend. You don’t have to be flexible to practice yoga. But if you do yoga regularly and keep at it, you’ll notice a gradual increase in flexibility. Then even seemingly impossible poses will become easy. Your flexibility will significantly improve your posture and alignment.
Improves Your Mood on the Next Day
A clear mind and enough sleep help us to be more energetic and positive in the morning. You can use it to combat negative thoughts. Yoga can be an integral part of your bedtime routine. Soft music or the use of essential oils like lavender can help you fall asleep better. Thrive Global welcomes content from Millennials to help people live their best and healthiest lives. Check out our latest wellness publications for more information on how to stay healthy and sleep better.