A ten-minute bedtime yoga routine
Five slow shapes you can do next to the bed, in order, with hold times — designed to settle the nervous system rather than stretch you out.
4 min read
An evening practice is not a workout with the lights off. Everything here is slow, floor-based and held long enough for your breath to change.
The routine
- Child's pose — two minutes. Knees wide, forehead down, breathe into your back.
- Cat and cow — one minute, moving with the breath, no rush.
- Reclining bound angle — three minutes. Soles together, cushions under each knee.
- Supine twist — one and a half minutes each side, knees dropping to one side.
- Legs resting up the wall or on the bed — three minutes, arms out to the sides.
How to hold them
Long exhales throughout: in for four, out for six. If a shape feels like a stretch you are working at, back off until it feels like nothing much is happening. That dull, boring quality is the point at night.
What to skip before bed
- Strong backbends and inversions — both tend to be stimulating.
- Anything that needs concentration to balance.
- Fast breathwork like kapalabhati.
Do it at the same time each night for a week before deciding whether it works. Sleep habits respond to repetition, not to one good session.
Common questions
- Is it bad to do yoga right before bed?
- Slow, floor-based yoga before bed is fine and often helpful. Vigorous flowing practice within an hour of sleep can be too stimulating for some people.
- How long should an evening routine be?
- Ten minutes is enough to shift your breathing. Consistency matters more than length.
Put it into practice
Find a class that matches what you have just read — near you, or online.
Sequences to try
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