Practice them every night before you go to bed, holding each pose for 5 deep breaths, and the inverted lake pose for up to 20 minutes if you can for better sleep.

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A gentle yoga practice before bed prepares the body for sleep and restoration: Corey, S. M., Epel, E., Schembri, M., Pawlowsky, S. B., Cole, R. J, Araneta, M. R., Barrett-Connor, E. and Kanaya, A. M. (2014). Effect of restorative yoga vs. stretching on diurnal cortisol dynamics and psychosocial outcomes in individuals with the metabolic syndrome: the PRYSMS randomized controlled trial. [online] Psychoneuroendocrinology, 49, pp. 260-71. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4174464/ [accessed 14 Sept. 2017].

Read more about how yoga can help with sleep issues here. 

Yoga poses for sleep

There are many yoga poses that help the body relax and relieve insomnia. Most of these help activate the parasympathetic nervous system to counteract the stress-related symptoms of our fast-paced, modern lives.

Restorative postures are practiced slowly and held for longer periods of time. This helps to activate the relaxation response that prepares us for sleep. These relaxing postures bring on deep physiological relaxation which mimics the process of falling asleep:

• Heart rate slows
• Breathing becomes more regular
• Muscles lengthen and stretch
• Brain waves slow down
• The breath calms and focuses
• Beginning with gentle movements, such as Cat-Cow Series and Dynamic Forward-Fold Sequence, can help initiate release of stress and lead to deeper relaxation
• Standing forward bends, like Big Toe Pose, activate the parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for releasing tension and helping the body fall asleep
• Inverted and reclining poses, like Supine Twist, promote sleep by relaxing the body and regulating blood pressure
• Passive poses, like Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose and Child’s Pose, completely relax the muscles and allow a focus on conscious relaxation which prepares the mind for deep sleep
  • Relaxing in these postures for an extended period allows time to release tension and develop slow, deep breathing
• Stress is a key issue in the development of insomnia so restorative yoga poses like Corpse Pose and Supported Reclining Bound Angle Pose are particularly helpful in bringing the body into deeper relaxation

The mind-body practices of yoga that are particularly helpful for insomnia include:

Yoga Nidra

• This practice of gradual relaxation is often translated as “yogic sleep.” It helps release tension and quiet the mind’s chatter to diminish insomnia
• To experience Yoga Nidra, follow these steps:
  • Slowly scan the body and mind for sensations, emotions and thoughts
  • Recognize and release those sensations and feelings, one-by-one
  • Gradually drop into a relaxed, resting state

Moon Breath (Chandra bhedana)

• This pranayama practice calms the mind and releases stress. The breath is part of the autonomic nervous system that you can consciously control, which allows you to access the relaxation response that prepares you for sleep
• As you alternate breathing through and covering nostrils, it signals the nervous system to activate the onset of sleep and sends messages to the brain to relax

Cat-Cow Series

• Read more about cat-cow series 

Dynamic Forward Fold Sequence

• Read more about dynamic forward fold sequence

Big Toe

• Read more about big toe pose

Supine Twist

• Read more about supine twist

Child’s Pose

• Read more about child’s pose

Corpse

• Read more about corpse pose

Supported Reclining Bound Angle

• Read more about supported reclining bound angle

Legs-Up-The-Wall

• Read more about legs up the wall

Iyengar for sleep

These poses have been taken from B.K.S Iyengar (2008 edition), Yoga The Path To Holistic Health.

Make sure to incorporate these poses during your daily practice, or just before bed, holding each pose for 5 deep breaths, for better sleep.

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Iyengar poses for drug addiction

Below are some poses taken from B.K.S Iyengar (2008 edition), Yoga The Path To Holistic Health as particularly helpful for recovering from drug addiction.

Hold each pose for 5 deep breaths.

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Yoga practices for anxiety

Yoga practices which can be particularly beneficial for anxiety include:

Mindfulness Meditation

• How to meditate

Open Monitoring

• How to practice open monitoring

Inversion poses and passive backbends

• Soothing inversions like Downward-Facing Dog pose and passive backbends such as Chair-Supported Inverted Staff Pose open the chest without overstimulating the nervous system

Forward bends

•  Forward Bends especially when they are supported, help relieve an anxious mind

Active poses

Active poses like Warrior poses and Sun Salutations help engage the mind and avoid restlessness

The aim of these postures is to

• Bring awareness to the breath and calm it
• Focus the mind in the present and calm it
• Soften tension from the muscles and face
• Relax the muscles which can lead to a more relaxed mind

While moving in these postures, pay attention to the way your body feels and notice the sensation of the breath moving in and out of your nostrils. This will help ground you in the present moment, which reduces anxiety and worry about the future.

When a pose feels challenging, this may be an opportunity to hold it a little bit longer or extend the stretch a bit further (without pain) to safely experience the sensation of stillness within difficult moments. Yoga poses can show us how difficult emotions and sensations often change and fade away just as quickly as they arise.

Iyengar for anxiety

The poses below have been taken from B.K.S Iyengar (2008 edition), Yoga The Path To Holistic Health as particularly helpful for anxiety.

Hold each one for 5 deep breaths.

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Iyengar poses for alcoholism

Below are some poses taken from B.K.S Iyengar (2008 edition), Yoga The Path To Holistic Health as particularly helpful for recovering from alcoholism.

Hold each pose for 5 deep breaths.

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Yoga poses for depression

Yoga practices which are particularly beneficial for individuals with depression include:

Rhythmic Breathing

• Yoga practices that emphasize rhythmic breathing such as Sudarshan Kriya Yoga can benefit those with depression
• This technique involves rhythmic hyperventilation at different rates of breathing to balance the autonomic nervous system and calm the stress response Brown, R. P. and Gerbarg, P. L. (2005). Sudarshan Kriya yogic breathing in the treatment of stress, anxiety, and depression: part I-neurophysiologic model. [online] Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 11 (1), pp. 189-201. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15750381/ [accessed 14 Sept. 2017].
•  This has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression similar to antidepressant medications without significant side effects Janakiramaiah, N., Gangadhar, B. N., Naga Venkatesha Murthy, P. J., Harish, M. G., Subbakrishna, D. K. and Vedamurthachar, A. (2000). Antidepressant efficacy of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) in melancholia: a randomized comparison with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and imipramine. [online] Journal of Affective Disorders, 57 (1-3), pp. 255-9. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10708840/ [accessed 14 Sept. 2017]..
• Strong breathing practices such as Kapalabhati (Skull Shining Breath) and Bhastrika (Bellows Breath) tend to activate the sympathetic nervous system and therefore may work best for depressed individuals with a lack of motivation versus those with agitation McCall, T. (2007, 28 Aug.) Yoga for Depression, Part I. [online] Yoga Journal. Available at: https://www.yogajournal.com/teach/yoga-for-depression-part-i [accessed 14 Sept. 2017]..

Pranayama Emphasizing Inhalation

• Other yogic breathing practices that can reduce depression are pranayama practices which emphasise inhalation
• Such practices include three-part inhalation and Ujjayi breathing, which focus on the length and quality of the inhalation relative to the exhalation McCall, T. (2007, 28 Aug.) Yoga for Depression, Part I. [online] Yoga Journal. Available at: https://www.yogajournal.com/teach/yoga-for-depression-part-i [accessed 14 Sept. 2017]..

Sun Salutations

• More active yoga practices, like repeated Sun Salutations, can help those with agitated depression
• These challenging poses occupy the mind and bring the focus to the breath McCall, T. (2007, 28 Aug.) Yoga for Depression, Part I. [online] Yoga Journal. Available at: https://www.yogajournal.com/teach/yoga-for-depression-part-i [accessed 14 Sept. 2017].

Downward Dog

• Downward dog poses can help calm the mind, increase blood flow to the brain, and improve mood

Backbends

• Backbends like Wheel Pose, Supported Bridge Pose and Camel Pose increase circulation, open tight hunched shoulders and expand the chest, providing a feeling of openness and confidence which can elevate mood
• These poses can also increase motivation and fatigue during a depressive period Shapiro, D. and Cline, K. (2004). Mood changes associated with Iyengar Yoga practices: a pilot study. [online] International Journal of Yoga Therapy, 14, pp. 35-44. Available at: http://iynaus.org/sites/iynaus_files/pages/research/MoodDisordersIyengaryoga.pdf [accessed 14 Sept. 2017].

Corpse

• Corpse Pose induces relaxation and can be an effective technique for alleviating a depressed mood Shapiro, D. and Cline, K. (2004). Mood changes associated with Iyengar Yoga practices: a pilot study. [online] International Journal of Yoga Therapy, 14, pp. 35-44. Available at: http://iynaus.org/sites/iynaus_files/pages/research/MoodDisordersIyengaryoga.pdf [accessed 14 Sept. 2017].
• It may be easier to practice restorative poses like the Corpse after some more vigorous poses, which help burn off nervous and brooding energy and keep attention from drifting McCall, T. (2007, 28 Aug.) Yoga for Depression, Part I. [online] Yoga Journal. Available at: https://www.yogajournal.com/teach/yoga-for-depression-part-i [accessed 14 Sept. 2017].  

Iyengar for depression

Below are different asanas, or poses shown by B.K.S Iyengar (2008 edition), Yoga The Path To Holistic Health, to be helpful for depression.

Hold each one for 5 deep breaths.

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