Page 20 of the book, in Nidra
Yoga for Sleep: Routines by Problem, From Can't Fall Asleep to 3 a.m. Waking
Different sleep problems need different fixes. Find yours: can't fall asleep, wake at night, wake too early, shift work, menopause or pain, with a short routine for each.
Yoga can help you sleep, but "yoga for sleep" isn't one routine. Struggling to fall asleep, waking at 3 a.m. and waking too early are different problems, and each responds to a different approach. Find the row that sounds like you, use the short routine for it for two weeks, and see our note at the end on when poor sleep needs a doctor rather than a stretch.
Find your sleep problem
| Your problem | What usually helps | Go to |
|---|---|---|
| Can't fall asleep; mind racing | A slow wind-down and long-exhale breathing | Routine A below, then 4-7-8 breathing |
| Wake in the night and can't get back | An in-bed body scan instead of your phone | Routine B, then yoga nidra for sleep |
| Wake too early, around 4 or 5 a.m. | A steady schedule and morning light; less time in bed awake | Routine C |
| Night sweats or menopause | A cool room and a short evening practice | 15-minute perimenopause bedtime routine |
| Shift work | Anchor sleep, darkness and a set wind-down | yoga for night shift workers |
| Pain keeps you up | Gentle supported poses and pain-specific help | yoga for lower back pain |
Routine A: can't fall asleep (15 minutes)
- Lights low, screens away 30 minutes before bed.
- Cat-cow (2 minutes) on hands and knees, moving slowly with your breath.
- Supported child's pose (3 minutes) with a pillow under your chest.
- Legs up the wall (5 minutes), or calves resting on a chair seat.
- In bed: long-exhale breathing (5 minutes), breathing out for longer than you breathe in.
Routine B: awake at night (10–20 minutes, in bed)
- Don't check the time. Lie on your back or side.
- Slowly move your attention through your body: right hand, arm, shoulder, side, leg, foot, then the left side, then your face.
- Count breaths backward from 27. If you lose count, start again.
- If you're still wide awake and frustrated after about 20 minutes, get up, sit somewhere dim, and return to bed when sleepy.
Night waking at 3 a.m. is especially common in perimenopause; our guide to what to do when you wake at 3 a.m. covers that pattern.
Routine C: waking too early
Early waking responds better to timing than to stretching. Keep the same wake time every day, get bright outdoor light soon after waking, and avoid long naps. A gentle 10-minute evening practice, like Routine A, can help you wind down, but don't go to bed much earlier to "catch up": more time in bed awake tends to make early waking worse.
What the evidence says
In a US trial of 249 women in midlife, 12 weeks of yoga improved insomnia symptoms, even though it didn't change hot flashes. Other studies suggest yoga and relaxation practices can improve how people rate their sleep. For chronic insomnia, though, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine's first-line recommendation is cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). Yoga fits well alongside it.
Five sleep habits that make yoga work better
- Same wake time every day, weekends included.
- Daylight within an hour of waking, even on cloudy days.
- Caffeine before noon only, if you're sensitive to it.
- A cool, dark, quiet bedroom.
- Bed for sleep. If you're awake and frustrated for a long time, get up and return when sleepy.
Myths and facts
| You may have heard | What's actually true |
|---|---|
| Any yoga before bed helps sleep | Vigorous or heated classes can leave you wired; gentle poses suit the evening |
| Going to bed earlier fixes early waking | More time in bed awake often makes early waking worse |
| Yoga can cure insomnia | It can help, but CBT for insomnia is the recommended first treatment for chronic insomnia |
| Waking at night means something is wrong | Brief night waking is normal; it's being unable to get back to sleep that's worth addressing |
| Checking the time helps you plan | Clock-watching usually increases frustration and makes sleep harder |
Common questions
When should I do yoga for sleep?
Gentle poses work well in the hour before bed. Save vigorous or heated classes for earlier in the day, since they can leave some people too energized to sleep.
Can morning yoga help me sleep at night?
Yes, indirectly. Morning movement and daylight help set your body clock, which supports sleepiness at the right time in the evening.
Is it okay to do yoga in bed?
Gentle stretches and breathing in bed are fine and can be very relaxing. See our 10-minute bed yoga routine.
Should I take melatonin instead?
Melatonin can help with some timing problems like jet lag, but it isn't a cure for insomnia, and quality varies between products. Talk to your doctor before using it regularly, especially if you take other medicines.
Build your evening
- Bed yoga: a 10-minute routine under the covers
- Yoga nidra for beginners
- A free guided sleep meditation script
- A warm, caffeine-free ritual: golden milk
Sources
- CDC: About Sleep — adults need at least 7 hours
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine: Behavioral and psychological treatments for chronic insomnia disorder in adults, 2021 — CBT-I as first-line treatment
- Newton KM et al. Efficacy of yoga for vasomotor symptoms (MsFLASH). Menopause, 2014 — yoga improved insomnia symptoms
