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HEALTH
Wellness
5 yoga poses to boost your sleep
Have you been struggling to fall asleep and stay asleep? Don't worry, you're not alone. Sleep is something *a lot* of people find difficult getting enough of. There is so much going on in the world that it can be hard trying to quiet the stress from your everyday life when trying to get some rest. Luckily, there are some easy and calming ways to help you fall asleep. Yoga is a *great* meditative practice to help soothe your mind before going to bed. Check out these 5 poses from Self to help you get ready for a deep sleep.
Child's pose
This pose is a great one to start with as it is very easy. Simply kneel on your mat and extend your upper body forward and bend. Take deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth and hold for about a minute.
Thread the needle
This pose is similar to the first one, except now reach your arm under your torso and face that same direction. Repeat this same move in the other direction. This pose will provide you a great torso stretch. Hold for about 30 seconds on each side and continue to practice deep breaths.
Sphinx
Lay flat on your stomach on your mat then use your forearms to push your upper body up. This pose will stretch your lower back which is an area many people find to be tense. Hold for about a minute and remember your deep breaths.
Knee-to-chest
Lay flat on your back then bring one knee up and hug it to your chest. You don't need to bring it too close to your chest—everyone has different flexibility levels so just do what feels comfortable for you. Repeat this movement on the other leg for a nice hip stretch. Hold for about 30 seconds on each leg and practice the same deep breathing.
Supine twist
For this last pose, lay on your back and bend both of your legs to one side of the mat and turn your head the opposite direction. Let your body feel loose and repeat on the other side. Hold for about 30 seconds on each side and take long deep breaths.
Image credit: self.com
Did these poses help you sleep? Let us know @girlslifemag!
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