Do you have trouble falling asleep? Suffering from insomnia? Then this article is for you. The yoga poses mentioned in this article can help fall asleep quickly and also improve the quality of sleep.

4 Simple Yoga Poses for Good Sleep

1. Savasana

In this pose, one has to imitate a corpse by remaining motionless while still being fully conscious.

• Lie flat on the back. Keep the hands a little away from the thighs, palms facing up.
• Close the eyes. Keep the heels together and the toes apart.
• Now take a couple of deep breaths. Later the breathing should be fine and normal with no jerky movements to disturb the spine or the body.
• Keep the lower jaw loose. Relax completely and breathe slowly.
• If the mind wanders, gently bring your attention back to the breath.
• Stay in this pose for 15-20 minutes.

After this practice, you will feel completely relaxed and find it much easier to fall asleep. This is by far the easiest and most effective yoga pose for curing insomnia.

2. Viparita Karani (Legs up the wall pose)

Apart from curing insomnia, Viparita Karani can also help alleviate symptoms of anxiety and stress.

• Roll up your yoga mat about halfway and place it directly at the wall.
• Sit with your left or right side as close to the wall as possible.
• In one smooth movement, swing your legs up on the wall and rest your head and shoulders on the mat.
• Slowly ease your self forward until your buttocks touch the wall. You can either rest your arms on the side with palms facing upwards or you can rest them on your stomach.
• Now gently close your eyes and relax.
• Focus on your breath. Inhale deeply and exhale completely. Be in this pose for 10 minutes or longer as per your convenience.

[Also Read: 3 Simple Yoga Poses for People Who Suffer from Anxiety]

3. Salabhasana (Locust Pose)

Salabha means a locust. The pose resembles that of a locust resting on the ground, hence the name.

• Lie full length on the floor on the stomach, face downwards. Stretch the arms back.
• Exhale, lift the head, chest and legs off the floor simultaneously as high as you can. The hands should not be placed and the ribs should not rest on the floor. Only the abdominal portion of the body rests on the floor and bears the weight of the body.
• Contract the buttocks and stretch the thigh muscles. Keep both legs fully extended and straight, touching at the thighs, knees and ankles.
• Stay in the position for as long as you can. This completes one round. Complete 3-5 rounds.

4. Balasana (Child’s Pose)

Balasana is incredibly relaxing and rejuvenating. It’s one of the easiest yoga asanas which offers myriad benefits to the practitioner.

• Sit on the floor on a yoga mat.
• Begin the session in Vajrasana (the thunderbolt pose), keep your spine erect, and gently close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths.
• Now slowly bend your body forwards toward your thighs and let your forehead touch the ground.
• Place your arms adjacent to your feet with palms facing upwards. Relax completely. Make sure you’re comfortable in this pose before moving ahead.
• Now take long, deep breaths. Inhale deeply and exhale completely. If it helps, when you’re inhaling, count to 4, and count to 6 when you’re exhaling.
• Continue to practice for 5, 10, or 15 minutes as per your convenience.

All these poses slow down your heart rate, calming your mind and helping you fall asleep faster. Give these poses a try and let us know how it worked for you.

Recommended Reading

• Soulful Arogya’s Yoga 101 Series 
• 3 Yoga Poses for Anxiety
• 3 Pranayama Breathing Techniques for Beginners