Evening yoga sequence to wind down
Five slow, supported shapes before bed, with long exhales — designed to settle the nervous system rather than stretch you.
- Time
- 12 min
- Level
- Beginner
- Poses
- 6
- Goal
- Settle before sleep
Evening practice should feel almost boring. Everything here is low intensity and long enough that your breathing rate changes.
Before you start
- Breathe in for four, out for six, the whole way through.
- Do it in dim light, ideally at the same time each night.
- Skip strong backbends and fast breathing before bed.
The sequence
- 1. Child's pose2 min
Forehead supported on stacked hands or a cushion.
- 2. Slow cat–cow1 min
Half speed, following the breath rather than leading it.
Cushions under the knees, blanket over you.
Knees to one side, shoulders staying down.
Second side, jaw and tongue soft.
- 6. Corpse pose3 min
Stay until the exhale is clearly longer than the inhale.
Practise it with a teacher
Sequences are a good start; a teacher watching you is better. Find a class that matches this one.