I did yoga for 15 minutes every night before bed - here's how it transformed my sleep

A woman wearing purple gym kit doing a child's pose on yoga mat next to sofa, plant and shelving

(Image credit: Getty Images)

I have always struggled with my sleep. My Oura Ring sleep tracking tells me that I am an evening chronotype. This means I’m pretty much a night owl — a biological preference for staying up late and having lazy mornings in bed (I don’t make the rules).

But the traditional 9-to-5 early mornings can be a bit tricky. No matter how many times I try to go to bed earlier, I just end up staring at the ceiling for what feels like a lifetime. And then when my alarm eventually goes off to get me out of the house bright and early, I am groggy and pretty disagreeable.

So I started to look for ways to get my sleep score up. My Oura Ring feedback was a great help in getting me off the mark. I eat earlier so my metabolism doesn’t spike in the night, and I pay attention to how my hormone cycle affects things. But I wanted to do more.

I’ve always enjoyed practicing yoga, and it always helps to calm my mind when I am worried about something. But as I started reading about how to better my sleep, pre-bed yoga routines kept cropping up. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought to try it out before.

So, I decided to try it for a month to see how it affected my sleep. Here's how it helped me.

Stress reduction

a man doing a yoga cobra pose on a mat — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

I’ve tried all sorts of routines, but after building up a base of knowledge for the poses, when bedtime nears, I find it best to do what feels good for my body. For me, beginner poses work best.

There are numerous walk-throughs available on YouTube that you can follow. These usually help to guide my breathing too. Calm advises that grounding poses like the child’s pose work best, and this is exactly what I have found. It says that by syncing breathing to movements, you can promote relaxation and reduce street.

And it's true! I found that when focusing on breathing, I’m able to clear my mind as I flow into the next movement. This has been hugely beneficial before bed.

Relaxing muscles

a photo of a senior woman doing yoga — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

Often, I struggle to find comfort when falling asleep, frequently due to a persistent twinge in my back or general muscle fatigue from exercising.

Since starting my yoga routine before bed, I have noticed a huge difference in how comfortable I feel when lying down. This instantly makes me feel more relaxed and is another weight lifted off my mind.

Slow yoga poses that begin at the feet and work up towards the head can effectively work as a form of progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). WebMD states this form of relaxation can decrease insomnia symptoms and make for a better night’s sleep.

As the process relaxes my muscles, my mind also clears, completely reducing my stress load, meaning I have been able to drift off earlier than ever. I really felt the effect of letting my body rest, and this meant I was able to relax and fall asleep faster.

Routine

A woman lying on her back on a mat with her arms either side of her, pracising the 'savasana' yoga pose — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Even following the routine of yoga for 15 minutes every single night can make a difference. Known as sleep hygiene, having a solid routine is going to make falling asleep that little bit earlier even easier.

Your body can recognise patterns and know it’s getting close to bedtime, so I make an effort to start my yoga flow when there are no other distractions to take up my day. I have placed the routine as part of my wind-down period, which is also screen-free.

Taking 30 minutes to wind down will also make a difference. This includes the light stretching and relaxation breathing exercises that come with the perfect yoga routine.

Benefits: 1 month on

I could tell that adding this solid routine into my night calmed my mind, each night and progressively over time. As the month went on, I could feel myself getting sleepier during the evening as I was going through the motions, and I knew the repetition was doing the trick.

After using this technique religiously for a month I can see the difference. I'm waking up early enough now that I can have a pretty relaxed morning and eat some breakfast without feeling groggy. I have far more energy, and I am even getting to sleep before midnight! That is an ideal result for me.

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Ashley is a staff writer on the the Reviews team at Tom’s Guide. She has a master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from Cardiff University and a BA in Journalism, Media and Sociology. She has written for titles including Women’s Health UK, writing health and wellness stories, and Virgin Radio UK, specializing in entertainment news and celebrity interviews. She has reported on a variety of topics including music, literature, motorsport, entertainment and health, and has her own bookish newsletter, Ashley’s Reading Nook.She has previously reviewed live music events, books, and wellness products but finding the best way to listen to new music releases is essential for Ashley, so discovering the top audio equipment on the market is what she does best.When she is not testing out the latest tech, you can find her either curled up with a cup of tea and a good fantasy novel or out hiking.

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