Yoga To Enhance Sleep
Here you’ll find the resources and recordings from Week 3 of Yoga for Wellness.
Practice Recordings
Enhancing Sleep
Break the cycle of stress
Stress can leave us feeling alert and on edge when we want to rest. Poor sleep can then make it harder to cope with stress the following day.
Gentle yoga, relaxed abdominal breathing, restorative yoga, meditation and Yoga Nidra may help us settle and prepare for sleep. Practise regularly, choosing practices that feel comfortable and soothing, without putting pressure on yourself to fall asleep.
Give yourself permission to rest during the day too. A short pause for Yoga Nidra, restorative yoga or quiet breathing can be a way of caring for yourself after a broken night. Notice which practices leave you feeling settled and refreshed.
Melatonin and light
Melatonin is a hormone that helps regulate our sleep–wake cycle. Its levels usually rise in the evening as it gets dark, signalling that night-time is approaching. The timing varies from person to person.
Support this natural rhythm by spending time outdoors in daylight, particularly in the morning, and reducing bright light in the evening. In the hour before bed, try dimmer, warm-coloured lighting and less time looking at bright screens.
Caffeine
Caffeine can affect both falling asleep and staying asleep, and its effects can last for many hours. Even if you fall asleep easily after an evening coffee, it may still affect your sleep.
Sources include coffee, black and green tea, energy drinks, cola, cacao, chocolate and some medications.
Experiment with having your last caffeine earlier in the day, especially if sleep is unsettled. Your personal cutoff may be earlier than someone else’s. I’ve found that mine is 11am. If you want to try going without caffeine, reduce it gradually to minimise withdrawal headaches.
When you feel tired in the afternoon, you might try a short Yoga Nidra or gentle breathing practice instead of automatically reaching for caffeine.
Alcohol
Alcohol may make you feel sleepy initially, but it can disrupt sleep later in the night and alter normal sleep patterns, including REM or dream sleep. It can also worsen snoring and sleep apnoea.
Experiment with omitting the nightcap and notice how you sleep and feel the next morning.
Mobile phones and the sleeping environment
The light, notifications and mental stimulation from phones can make it harder to wind down. Try putting your phone aside before bed, silencing notifications and keeping it out of reach. A separate alarm clock may help if checking the time tends to lead to scrolling.
If you use your phone for Yoga Nidra or another recording, set it up before settling, turn the screen off and silence notifications.
Keep the room dark, quiet and comfortably cool, with bedding and pillows that help you feel supported. Create a nurturing nest for yourself.
Sleep routine
Aim for a reasonably consistent waking time and go to bed when you feel sleepy. Allow some time to wind down beforehand, perhaps with a warm bath, reading, quiet music, gentle yoga or a breathing practice.
If thoughts about tomorrow keep circling, try writing them down earlier in the evening, along with anything you need to remember.
Avoid going to bed uncomfortably full or hungry. Notice whether vigorous exercise close to bedtime leaves you feeling alert, and adjust the timing if needed.
If you nap during the day, keep it brief and earlier in the afternoon, particularly if you have difficulty sleeping at night.
If you wake during the night
Waking briefly is normal. Try not to watch the clock or put pressure on yourself to fall asleep immediately.
If you feel anxious or unsettled, gently notice the support of the bed beneath you. Allow your breathing to be easy and comfortable, without forcing it to become deeper or slower. If focusing on your body makes you more anxious, listen instead to a quiet sound around you.
There is no need to solve tomorrow’s problems in the middle of the night.
You might also listen to a familiar Yoga Nidra recording, with the screen off and the volume low. Allow yourself to rest with the practice, without trying to make sleep happen.
If you remain awake and become frustrated, get up for a quiet activity in low light and return to bed when you feel sleepy.
Menopause and sleep
Hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause can affect sleep. Hot flushes and night sweats may interrupt our rest, while anxiety, joint discomfort and life stresses can also contribute. Sleep can become unsettled even without night sweats.
For night sweats, try a fan and light, breathable bedding with layers you can easily remove or pull back on. Keep spare nightclothes and a small towel beside the bed so you can freshen up with minimal disruption and low lighting.
A simple diary may help you notice whether alcohol, caffeine, stress or other circumstances seem to make your symptoms worse.
When a hot flush occurs, you might gently notice the changing sensations—the warmth, the perspiration, the cooling—while allowing your breath to remain comfortable. Explore whether this helps you meet the experience with a little less tension.
Feeling grounded and supported
Touch, gentle weight and physical support may help us feel grounded and allow the nervous system to settle. Liz Koch describes exploring this through bone tapping, comforting touch, weighted blankets, resting on the floor in constructive rest, and contact with nature—lying with your belly or back on the ground, leaning against a tree, etc. Notice which experiences help you feel supported and more at ease. Research also suggests weighted blankets may improve sleep quality and reduce anxiety. At home, you could rest under a weighted blanket or explore gentle weight during relaxation with an unheated wheat bag or a securely sealed bag of rice wrapped in a towel across your thighs.
Getting support
You don’t have to manage ongoing sleep difficulties on your own. If your sleep is regularly disturbed or you’re struggling during the day, a conversation with your GP may help you understand what’s contributing and what you can explore support alongside your yoga practice.
Yogic Practices to Enhance Sleep
Your browser does not support viewing this document. Click here to download the document.
Pawanmuktasana Part 1 (PMA1)
Your browser does not support viewing this document. Click here to download the document.
I can highly recommend Insight Timer, an app with a wide range of free meditation, Yoga Nidra and breathing practices. It’s an easy way to find recordings to support your practice at home. Please ask me if you’d like recommendations of teachers to explore.