3 Yoga Poses to Help You Sleep
I wrote my last blog post on sleep training and how to deal with Timothy’s lack of sleep. I really appreciate everyone’s comments and thoughts. I am still navigating my way through it all. He managed to make it until 2am last night in his crib before he started to wail. I know it must be habit at this point and I should try and let him cry it out; but I always cave and end up cuddling him for the rest of the evening. Timothy’s never taken a pacifier nor sucks his thumb so there isn’t much else I can try and soothe him with.
I know this whole sleep issue will eventually work it’s way out. I am going to continue to follow my instinct and keep setting the stage during the day as much as I can. The goal is for him to learn to feel safe and comforted and sleep at least a little bit longer each night. I know that with each stage of his life, there will always be road bumps too. Right now he’s teething and two days ago he had his 6 month shots. I’ve just learned to let it go and try and find a way to restore my energy. I’ve really had to rely on my yoga practice and any yoga poses I can fit in to my day to ensure I can get quality sleep when I do have a few hours of shut eye.
Whether you’re a new mom like myself or just someone who finds it hard to wind down at night, here are three yoga poses I’ve found very helpful to help you fall asleep at night and feel rested in the morning.
Child’ s pose–Start in a child’s pose by folding your hips back over your heels from a kneeling position. Extend your arms forward or by your sides and let the contents of your brain drop in to the floor. Try and follow the breath and let go of all of your worries and your to do list. Hold for at least 8 to 10 breaths.
Star pose–From child’s pose round up quietly and bring your legs around in front of you placing the soles of the feet together. Create a diamond shape with your knees bent out to their own sides and round forward so the head falls towards the feet or you can place the head on a block or folded up towel. I love this pose for releasing tension in the neck, shoulders, lower back and hips. Hold for 8 to 10 breaths.
Seated forward bend–From star pose, extend your legs forward and drape the body over the thighs coming in to a forward bend. Let the mind quiet and the body melt. Seated forward bend is a restorative and calming and will help stretch out the entire body after a long day. After 8 to 10 deep, full breaths, lie down on your back and see if you can drift off in to a deep slumber.
Kristin McGee is a celebrity yoga and Pilates instructor in New York City. She is currently teaching yoga with Peloton. She is the star of over 100 videos, seen in several magazines and tv shows and is a spokeswoman for many brands and causes she believes in. A proud mom to three, she sure keeps herself busy!
2 thoughts on “3 Yoga Poses to Help You Sleep”
Please read up on the negative effects of letting a baby cry it out…. It not only doesn’t usually work long term, but can also show a baby how to not be able to trust.