Yoga for Restful Sleep: Gentle Practices for Midlife Wellness

Why is sleep so so so important? 

Because the quality of your day depends on the quality of sleep you got the night before. Getting quality sleep means taking care of your body, mind, and energy leading up to bedtime.

Having a good bedtime ritual takes experimentation. You don’t have to do ALL THE THINGS, but you do have to decide to prepare for bedtime before you lay down.

In this article, I’ll share 5 tips to get great sleep with or without your fav edible. 

Digestion — when you’re digesting, you’re not resting

You’ll want to eat your last meal no closer than 3 hours before bedtime. This is because if you’re digesting food when you’re trying to sleep, your body will be busy metabolizing and it’ll be difficult to get good rest. 

Taking an edible before bedtime shouldn’t impede this. But I do recommend chewing it up as best you can so it’s even easier to digest. 

Light — dimming lights help to stimulate melatonin production 

Light sends signals to the body about what time it is. Bright lights, artificial or natural, send signals to the brain to produce serotonin. Getting natural light first thing in the morning is a great way to stimulate serotonin production naturally. When it comes to sleep, dimming lights help to begin natural melatonin production in the body. If we’re attuned to our bodies’ natural circadian rhythm, we usually begin to produce melatonin naturally at around 9 pm. But if we’re under artificial lights at home until bedtime, this can push melatonin production off until the lights are completely off. Because your body hasn’t begun to produce melatonin yet thanks to the lights being on, you’re probably not feeling sleepy yet even though it’s late. You will eventually fall asleep but because your melatonin production started so late, you wake up in the morning with melatonin still in your system causing you to feel groggy.

Dimming your lights 2 hours before bedtime is a wonderful way to start to anticipate sleepiness and set yourself up for good sleep.       

Sound — calming music supports the nervous system

Listening to calming music, like instrumentals or binaural beats, helps to signal to your brain that it’s time to relax and rest. You can find sleepy time playlists on all major music streaming sites. I highly, highly recommend downloading a playlist and playing it at the same time every night. 

Smell — plant essentials with terpenes like linalool help to relax the body and mind

Smell is one of the fastest ways to change your mood. Terpenes like linalool and linalyl acetate, found in plants like lavender, clary sage, and certain cannabis strains, have been shown to lower stress chemicals just through smell. Diffusing natural plant essential oils can help give your body the signal that it’s time to rest. With the lack of regulation in the cosmetics and fragrance industries, it’s of utmost importance that you choose products that are natural, organic, and don’t contain artificial chemicals. If it says “fragrance” on the product, it’s not real. Put that ish back on the shelf or toss it. Your hormones will thank you.  

Movement — You have to move the body to release energy before resting. 

Energy lives in the body. As soon as you have a thought, right away there is a biochemical reaction in the body to match the feeling of that thought. And unless you move your body, that energy will get stored for later. 

Doing a gentle movement practice before bedtime, like restorative yoga, qi gong, or EFT tapping, can help to release energy you’ve been accumulating throughout the day. Fun fact: this is why yoga asanas were created to help release energy before sitting in stillness for meditation or savasana.

As we've discussed the importance of movement before bedtime, let's dive deeper into how yoga can be a wonderful addition to your sleep routine, especially for us midlife women.

Yoga isn't just for the young and flexible. In fact, gentle yoga practices can be incredibly beneficial for women in their 50s, 60s, and beyond. Here's why incorporating some simple yoga poses into your bedtime ritual can make a big difference:

1. Stress Relief: Yoga helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and reducing stress. This is particularly helpful for managing midlife stressors like work pressures, family responsibilities, or health concerns.
2. Hormone Balance: Certain yoga poses can help stimulate the endocrine system, potentially easing some menopause symptoms like hot flashes or mood swings.
3. Improved Flexibility: As we age, maintaining flexibility becomes crucial. Gentle stretching before bed can help ease muscle tension and reduce nighttime discomfort.
4. Better Breathing: Yoga emphasizes deep, mindful breathing, which can help calm the mind and prepare the body for sleep.
5. Mind-Body Connection: Practicing yoga encourages mindfulness, helping you tune into your body's needs and promoting overall well-being.

Here are a few simple poses you can try before bed:

• Child's Pose: This restful pose gently stretches the back and promotes relaxation.
• Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose: Great for improving circulation and reducing leg swelling.
• Supine Twist: Helps release tension in the spine and promotes digestion.
• Reclined Butterfly: Gently opens the hips and encourages deep breathing.

Remember, it's not about perfecting the poses or pushing yourself too hard. The goal is to move gently, breathe deeply, and prepare your body for rest.

If you're new to yoga or have any health concerns, it's always a good idea to consult with your healthcare provider or a qualified yoga instructor. Many communities offer yoga classes specifically designed for older adults or those with limited mobility.

By adding these gentle yoga practices to your bedtime routine, along with the other tips we've discussed like managing light exposure and creating a calming environment, you're setting yourself up for a more restful, rejuvenating sleep. And as we know, good sleep is the foundation for vibrant, energetic days – something we all deserve in this exciting chapter of our lives!

Do you feel inspired to add something new to your bedtime routine?

Even if you just dance it out to a calming song while taking Potli Good Night under red lights for 5 minutes instead of taking 2 hours to wind down, it’s worth the time and the effort to take care of your precious human experience.

Thanks for taking the time to read this far.

I hope you know that how you feel matters. How you sleep matters. You matter.