Put on some relaxing music and try this gentle routine about 20 minutes before bedtime. Spend a good 10- 15 minutes in Savasana after the final pose, using an eye pillow to help relax your eyelids and forehead. You can rub a little bit of Lavender or Chamomile essential oils on your wrists and temples to help induce sleep, but skip if you find them stimulating. Remain in each posture as long as you can without strain or discomfort, and feel free to use blocks, blankets, pillows, bolsters, etc. to help you maintain the poses without tension.
For insomnia, your best bets are deep stretches, forward bends, and inversions. Try not to get your heart rate up, and breathe slowly and evenly throughout. You must not practice backbends, arm-balances, core strengthening poses, Sun Salutations, or the Warrior Poses before bed. They are very stimulating and can make sleep more elusive.
8. Puppy Pose: Uttana Shishosana
7. Downward-facing Dog: Adho Mukha Svanasana
6. Standing Forward Bend: Uttanasana
5. Wide-angle Seated Forward Bend: Upavistha Konasana
4. Head-to-knee Forward Bend: Janu Sirsasana
2. Happy Baby: Ananda Balasana
1. Legs-up the-wall Pose: Viparita Karani - position your hips further from the wall than shown, so that legs can rest on the wall without muscular effort.
