The societal challenge of mental health problems among adults and children has led to a rise in listeners for experts like Dr. Andrew Huberman, a Stanford University trained neuroscientist whose wildly popular Huberman Lab Podcast is a favorite of thousands.
Recently, Huberman was featured on the YouTube channel of best-selling author Tim Ferriss (author of ‘The 4-Hour Work Week’), where he discussed his favorite technique to fall asleep fast and get more deep, REM sleep: yoga nidra.
Yoga nidra may sound exotic, but it’s actually quite simple in practice, even if you’ve never taken yoga before.
Yoga nidra involves 15-30 minutes of relaxing and stretching, typically on the floor with low light via a Himalayan Salt Lamp or other low level light.
The purpose is to “scan” the body while inhaling and exhaling deeply, allowing for your system to slow down before you enter a sleep state.
In essence, it is a simple wind-down procedure that could drastically improve the quality of your sleep, as Huberman explains in the video below:
My Personal Favorite Yoga Nidra Poses
I personally do yoga nidra exercises right before bed whenever I can.
I start by making a cup of herbal tea, and turn on my fan during the summertime before turning off all electronics except for my salt lamps, which provide a low level light that is much less harmful to the brain.
Most of the yoga exercises I do are based off of ‘Savasana,’ a series of relaxation yoga poses that are typically done at the end of an intense class in a studio setting.
My three favorite yoga poses to do before bed are as follows:
- Relaxation Secret #1, Child’s Pose-This is the pose that longtime yoga practitioners do when they need to rest during an intense class. It is gentle, easy to do and opens up the hips, including the Psoas muscle located near the pelvic region.
I like to hold this pose for at least 90 seconds for three sets minimum. I typically find that the more I do it, the more my body craves it. It’s the perfect beginner’s yoga pose to do before bed for deep REM sleep.
Use a natural yoga mat if you have one or simply do it on the floor if you don’t have one.
- Relaxation Secret #2, Supine Twist-
This one is simple, yet so satisfying. It is my favorite relaxation pose in all of yoga, and it works incredibly well to help your mind, body and spirit wind down before bed.
Typically I do this one after taking my evening supplements, and I like to hold it for longer than the first one.
To do it, simply lay flat on your back and tilt your head to your favorite side.
Then, tilt your legs over to the opposite side. The juxtaposition of the two directions helps to strengthen your spine while relaxing your body as you get a great stretch in before bed with minimal effort. It releases full body tension while also stretching your back out.
I like to hold this pose for at least 90-120 seconds, 3-5 sets.
- Relaxation Secret #3, Cat-Cow-
This pose feels a bit odd in practice, but it’s a must-do for beginners and works well before bed.
Cat-cow helps to improve circulation so you will breathe deeply during your sleep.
Your tissues will be more oxygenated before bed and after you wake up, and you will experience more deep sleep as a result of doing this pose.
report this adWatch how to do this pose in the two-minute video below.
I like to do it for about 60-90 seconds, 3-5 reps, although I usually tend to do it less reps than the other two.
Breath — The Number One Secret for Relaxation Before Bed
The #1 secret all yoga practitioners learn, typically in their first professional class, is to always focus on the breath.
By the same token, focusing on the breath should be your number one aim during any before bed yoga nidra session.
Breathing deeply allows you to calm your sympathetic (‘fight or flight’) nervous system so you can get the deep sleep you truly deserve.
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