You don’t need to be a yoga pro, own expensive leggings or memorise a complex sequence to reap the sleep benefits of yoga. You don’t even need flexibility. When it comes to winding down, the most powerful poses are often the simplest the ones that invite you to stop striving and start softening.

These poses aren’t about achievement or aesthetics. They’re about signalling safety to the nervous system, releasing the day from the body and gently guiding yourself toward rest. Choose one, or a few. Hold them for as long as they feel good. Let comfort be the priority.

Child’s Pose (Balasana)

This deeply grounding pose encourages the body to curl inward, offering an immediate sense of calm. With the forehead resting down and the spine gently lengthening, it’s a quiet invitation to let go of the day.

Seated Forward Fold (Paschimottanasana)

Forward folds naturally calm the nervous system, and this one does so without needing to touch your toes or force depth. Folding over the legs encourages introspection and slows the breath, helping the mind soften its grip.

Bend the knees generously and think of this pose as a rest, not a stretch.

Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)

If you only try one pose from this list, let it be this. Legs up the wall is a gentle inversion that reduces stress, lowers heart rate, and encourages circulation, all while doing absolutely nothing.

Stay here for five to ten minutes and focus on long exhales. It’s incredibly effective for quieting a busy nervous system before bed.

Reclined Bound Angle (Supta Baddha Konasana)

This restorative pose opens the body while keeping you fully supported. Lying back with the soles of the feet together allows the hips to release and the chest to soften, creating a feeling of openness without effort.

Supine Spinal Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)

Twists are a beautiful way to wring out physical and mental tension. Performed on the back, this pose gently releases the spine, massages the organs and calms the mind.

Corpse Pose (Shavasana)

You don’t need to “do yoga properly” for it to work. These poses aren’t about form… they’re about feeling. Even five minutes spent in one of them can make a noticeable difference to how easily you fall asleep.