To live a full life, a person must completely relax muscular system after a busy day. But that doesn't work for everyone. The result - nightmarish dreams at night are gradually replaced by persistent insomnia. The count of elephants does not help to fall asleep, and after a glass of wine or beer in the evening, a person feels overwhelmed, depressed, without mood in the morning.

Yoga adherents consider the accumulation of tension in the muscles and spine, unwillingness to be distracted from everyday worries, inability to organize relaxation to blame. muscle corset and releasing pinched nerve endings in the spine. Evening yoga for beginners teaches to maintain harmony between body and spirit. Health complex helps to overcome insomnia, feel your body rested after sleep, and thoughts free from negativity. The process of falling asleep after doing gymnastics comes much faster.

Who benefits from doing yoga before bed?

Evening yoga can be done by men and women of almost any age. There are some contraindications when performing certain asanas that beginners should consider. When performing the evening complex, it is not recommended to strain your body unnecessarily, if a pain syndrome appears, the session must be stopped.

• sit in the lotus position with your legs crossed. If a full-fledged position does not work out, beginners can use the lightweight version, simply cross-legged, lean on pillows, move close to the wall;
• the head should be held so that the spine is as straight as possible;
• close your eyes, breathe slowly and try not to think about anything.

Even if disturbing thoughts cannot be completely removed, it is advisable to sit in a pose for 5-10 minutes.

Asana Ardha Matsyendrasana, back twist

Evening yoga exercise for beginners helps to relax the spinal muscles, release pinched nerve endings:

• from the “lotus” position, turn the body to the left, putting right hand on the opposite knee;
• make an emphasis with your left hand, placing it behind your back and the foot of your left leg, bent at the knee;
• turn your head to the left and try to see what is happening behind your back;
• movements are recommended to be done on inspiration;
• freeze at the extreme point of the turn for a few seconds;
• return to the starting state and take a deep breath;
• repeat the same movement with a turn to the right.

Asana Supta Baddha Konasana or Butterfly

The best evening exercise for restful sleep:

• lie on your back and pull the feet of the legs bent at the knees to the buttocks;
• hands through the sides to bring over the head;
• spread your knees to the sides, without making any effort;
• breathe should be measured, lingering after a full breath for 3-5 seconds.

Asana Paschimottanasana or forward bend from a seated position

The pose is perfect for good night, completely relieves stressful sensations, freeing the human mind from negative thoughts:

• sit on a hard base, stretching straight legs forward;
• it is recommended to keep the back as straight as possible, trying to stretch the spine up;
• take a deep slow breath while raising your arms from the side up;
• it is necessary to stretch out with the whole body following the movement of the hands;
• lower the body on straight legs, exhaling air during this movement;
• hands should be clasped around the feet, lowering the elbows to the sides of the legs;
• press the chest to the legs without bending the back and without lowering the shoulders;
• linger for 3-5 seconds;
• return to starting position.

Asana Apanasana or pulling the bent legs to the chest

The exercise is more suitable for those who are stationary during the working day, bending over at the table. The evening practice of pulling the knees alternately to the chest helps to relieve the tension accumulated during the day from the spinal muscles and hip muscles:

• lie down, stretched out, on a hard surface;
• alternately on the exhale to tighten bent legs to the chest, supporting them with both hands;
• freeze, holding your breath, for 5-10 seconds;
• having made several approaches, start pulling both legs to the chest at the same time;
• at the end, you can sway from side to side, pulling your legs to your chest.

• lie straight on your back with your feet shoulder-width apart;
• lower your arms along the body, turning your palms to the floor;
• try to alternately completely relax the muscles of the arms, legs, torso, head, while noticing how they become soft and heavy;
• with each exhalation, one must imagine how problems and negative thoughts go away;
• attention must be concentrated on the process of breathing;
• it is desirable to lie in this position for at least 10 minutes;
• exiting the asana is also required gradually, setting the relaxed organs in motion.

You don't have to get up abruptly. Some prefer to sleep immediately after completing the evening complex.

By regularly performing special evening yoga asanas against insomnia, a person gradually learns to relax his muscles in order to ensure a restful sleep and a good night's rest.

The main rule for evening practice is that it should not repeat the morning one, unless you are doing some special sadhana (austerity) offered to you by the Guru: because sometimes, for example, you need to perform one set of asanas or pranayamas 2-4 times a day . If we are talking about the usual practice for health and longevity, as well as to obtain the effects of meditation, then in the evening practice all “sunny”, invigorating techniques should be avoided. That is, we discard both power postures and twists (as invigorating to the highest degree and “charging” Manipura), wide stances (also having an invigorating effect and working mainly on Swadhisthana or Manipura) and all dynamics: techniques such as Druta Halasana, Chakki Chakrasana, vinyasas are also invigorating. Otherwise, after such practice it will be difficult to fall asleep (and you won’t want to!).

An important exception is the dynamic (albeit performed in a slow rhythm) practice of Chandra Namaskar - “Salutation to the Moon”. This technique, which differs from Surya Namaskar by only one asana - Ardha Chandrasana - should be done just after sunset, and also when the moon has risen in the sky, and of course, on the full moon. We wrote about this technique in detail. Despite its similarity with Surya Namaskar, Chandra Namaskar has almost the opposite effect on the body and consciousness - by activating the Ida nadi (left, "lunar" energy channel, the practice of Chandra Namaskar calms, increases the feminine qualities of character, increases sensitivity, gives the power of intuition , and helps meditation.This practice is recommended for the evening for both women and men.To achieve desired effect, it should be performed as slowly as possible - under "full yogic" breathing, or (for those who continue) for short delays after each half-cycle of breathing. Although the effect of the practice is aimed at activating Ida, it happens gently, so Chandra Namaskar has no contraindications for the emotional state and Wind disorders, it can be used without fear of increasing imbalance (in fact, both Surya and Chandra Namaskar are good for depression, lethargy and colds ). Advanced practitioners during Chandra Namaskara can keep part of their attention in the center of Brumadya (between the eyebrows) to achieve the greatest mental effect.

In addition to "Greetings to the Moon", for the evening we have a rather extensive layer of practices that help to relax after a busy day and relieve stress. These poses are much more relaxing than an evening in front of the TV or with friends, and even more so if we drink alcohol or even take a hot bath (although many tend to use these methods, which seem more "straight").

Asanas:

• Shavasana. The perfect pose for the evening. 5-15 minutes, with observation of the breath.
• Advasana ("inverted Shavasana" - a pose lying on the stomach, with arms extended forward). An excellent position for those suffering from obesity or a hernia of the spine - and for all other people who are uncomfortable lying in Savasana, on their backs (problems in cervical region, or just extreme tightness of the body). 5-15 minutes.
• Makarasana (crocodile pose). An excellent posture that allows you to relieve tension from the neck - recommended to all office employees for daily practice. 5-10 minutes.
• Any meditative asana: Sukhasana, Ardha Padmasana, Padmasana (discomfort in the knees should not be in any case!), Svastikasana, Siddhasana (for women - Siddha Yoga asana), Dhyana Virasana, Vajrasana. 5-15 minutes, less - if discomfort appears, or more - if there is free time.

Pranayamas:

• Full yogic breathing. Highly important exercise for the evening (as well as for the morning).
• Anulom Vilom pranayama (alternate breathing). We do it without delay if the pressure is high, or in general, if you are a little excited about the past day.
• Brahmari pranayama (buzzing breath). Perhaps the most effective pranayama for the evening and a wonderful meditation for the night. It is performed for 3-5 minutes for general purposes (gives calmness and relaxation from worries), for 20-30 minutes as an independent meditation or self-healing practice (for headaches, stress, depression).
• Ujjayi pranayama (“winner's breath”, it is also “mental breath of yogis”). It has a harmonizing effect on the mind. Your breath should be hissing but barely audible; avoid vulgar sounds.

Wise:

• Shambhavi mudra is a meditative mudra that goes well with evening practices. Do this technique at the end of the set of exercises (which are described above), for 3-5 approaches. Avoid straining your eyes as our goal is to relax them and gently activate the Ajna Chakra (the center of intellect and intuition).

Meditations:

• Tratak. Best Meditation for evening or night time! We have already written in detail about this technique.
• So-Ham meditation. Another good meditation for the late hours of the day. Allows you to calm down, disidentify with current affairs in order to achieve peace.

Yogic practice in the evening or at night allows you to leave aside all the joys and sorrows of the past day, return consciousness to the present moment, and truly relax. During physical and even more so breathing exercises in dark time days, in no case do not think about the results of your actions today, do not plan tomorrow, do not be distracted by telephone conversations. Allow yourself to fully concentrate on the practice - and then the body and mind will rest, and the next day will be full of energy and tranquility!

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Throughout the day, a person is faced with a variety of negative factors that negatively affect not only the physical body, but also the emotional state. Evening yoga will help to cope with unpleasant sensations. Daily yoga workouts at the evening complex will provide complete relaxation, as well as improve health.

Benefits of exercising before bed

Yoga evening complex has a number of positive characteristics. Evening yoga classes are available for women and men different ages and professional downloads. By practicing this technique, a person is able to quickly get rid of anxiety, normalize the heart rate, saturate the cells of systems and organs with plenty of oxygen. An evening complex of practical yoga will help prepare the body for sleep, so that when you wake up early in the morning, you feel alert and able to conquer the world around you.

Important nuances

Starting to perform the complex in the evening, it is necessary to master the features of relaxation. Then evening yoga will provide more effective result. To do this, it is important to pay attention to the following recommendations:

• up to 22 hours. It is important to go to bed between 22 and 23 hours. This time is recognized as the most suitable for the normalization of all systems and the establishment of biorhythms in the body.
• Before performing the evening yoga complex for beginners, be sure to ventilate the room. It is advisable to keep the window open during training so that the body can receive more oxygen.
• During classes, you must use calm music, which will set you up for peace and relaxation. Although it is most suitable for experienced practitioners. Beginners should practice in silence.
• Before training, you need to exclude in 2 hours any physical or mental loads.
• Evening yoga should be done on an empty stomach. After the last moment of eating, wait minimum 2.5 hours.
• If asanas cannot be performed immediately, they cannot be done by force. There will be no benefit from this.
• Some asanas of the evening yoga complex can be performed even while lying in bed, although it is best to practice them on special rug.
• For evening yoga surge contraindicated. These classes are designed to relieve tension before a night's rest and complete relaxation. If any discomfort occurs, it is necessary to exclude excessive loads.

Practicing the evening yoga complex, pay special attention to control over. During the implementation of respiratory procedures, it is necessary to delay it for a certain period, ensuring that this happens automatically. In addition to breath control, pay attention to the sensations that occur due to the influence of stress on specific points of the body. Control the loaded areas in the evening yoga, completely abandoning any excitement and everyday worries.

Focus on doing the exercise - this will help to achieve a better result.

Procedure

Yoga evening complex should begin with meditation, which has a positive effect on mental activity, thereby enabling the brain to slow down its work:

• Take the lotus position legs crossed. If it is impossible to complete it, beginners are allowed to use the lightweight option, crossing their legs and leaning on pillows. Be sure to move closer to the wall during this action.
• Hold your head so that spine remained perfectly straight.
• Close your eyes a little, breathe measuredly, not thinking about discomfort. If the disturbing thoughts cannot be conquered, you need to meditate for another 10 minutes.

If evening yoga coped with these tasks, you can proceed to physical activity. The evening complex of yoga performed includes a wide variety of exercises that can be used in their practice as experienced practitioners as well as beginners.

Ardha Matsyendrasana

Such an exercise in the evening yoga complex helps to relax the back muscles, release all the pinched nerve processes:

1. while in the lotus position, turn the body to the left, while placing the right hand in the zone of the left knee;
2. rest on your left hand, placing it behind your back and the foot of the same name bent at the knee joint of the leg;
3. turn your head to the left, see what is happening behind;
4. Perform all these movements while inhaling;
5. fix the pose, freeze;
6. bring the body back, take a deep breath;
7. repeat the movements in the same way on the other side.

Butterfly

Evening yoga suggests this exercise to ensure restful sleep:

1. in the supine position, pull the feet to the buttocks, bending the legs at the knees;
2. put your hands behind your head;
3. spread your knees without effort;
4. Breathe slowly, holding after each full breath.

Balasana

How to start a workout, and complete it, recommend the child's pose. Having spread the rug, sit on it with your knees, hiding your heels under the buttocks. Inhale deeply, then slowly bend your entire body as you exhale. Try to lie on your own thighs with your arms outstretched in front of you. It is necessary to fix the position for 10 breath cycles.

Bhujangasana

Evening yoga recommends doing the asana in this way: lie down prone, focusing on the mat with your palms under your shoulders. After a deep breath, while exhaling, push the body forward with your toes. Stretching the peritoneum, bend the spine without “creasing” the neck, without fail rounding the sternum.

When performing the pose, the muscles of the back, abs and arms should remain a little tense. Relax your buttocks and legs. After fixing the position for 5 breath cycles, proceed to the next lesson.

Setu Bandhasana

Asana "Bridge" recognized perfect workout before going to bed. It is performed in a supine position. Put your hands along the body, spread your legs a little. Bending them at the knees, bring them to the buttocks. Gently lift the pelvis, arching the peritoneum and sternum. Take a position in which the legs would form a right angle, the chin rested on the chest. Relax your neck and belly. Breathe deeply and evenly for 5 cycles.

Savasana

This is the final yoga pose for the evening, which helps to calm down. It's simple to execute. It is necessary to lie on your back, straighten your legs, spreading them a little. Extend your arms and close your eyes. Press your lower back against the mat, stretching your spine. Stay in this position for as long as you like, breathing evenly and deeply for the final relaxation.

The exercise performed ensures a sound sleep, in the morning you will wake up refreshed. The advantage of exercising is that such exercises are easy to perform at home, even while in bed.

Few people know that yoga before bedtime helps to eliminate the effects of the adverse effects of the outside world. And this confirms the fact that not everyone practices evening yoga. But the reality is that without relaxing exercises before a night's rest, you are unlikely to be able to fully relax and, accordingly, get enough sleep. Practicing yoga, special evening exercises, you will be able to calm not only your mind, but also your body, so that during the journey in the world of night dreams it can fully recover and accumulate energy for the coming day. Let's see what the benefits of evening yoga are, and what exercises you can do before going to bed to sleep calmly and sweetly.

In the modern world, we all have to deal with negativity, stressful situations and experiences throughout the day that pave the direct path to chronic sleep deprivation, which can lead to mental and physical health. To prevent this, it is enough to try to spend 15-20 minutes daily in the evening yoga exercises for complete relaxation.

Benefits of ancient practice

There are many areas that have remained unexplored until now, and the possession of Morpheus is one of them. Despite the fact that sleep is considered a mystery to many scientists, they all agree that it is necessary for a person, like air or food. Healthy sleep is the key to a full and happy life. And correct complex exercises for evening yoga will help not only to find peace in a dream, but to replenish all the energy reserves and reserves of the body, so necessary for us for an active and useful life.

The oldest of the practices is able to have such a powerful beneficial effect that conventional medicines or medicines cannot achieve. folk remedies from insomnia. And besides this, it is harmless and has no contraindications, unlike pharmacy products.

Evening yoga practice, like, is very important for human body which explains a number of reasons:

• provides deep sleep;
• allows you to relax all the muscles of the body;
• relieves the tension of brain cells;
• clears the mind;
• makes breathing even;
• establishes the correct biorhythms;
• normalizes metabolic processes in the body, so that a person can not only get rid of a few extra pounds, but also maintain his youth for a long time.

Highlights for beginners

To ensure good sleep in the evenings, it is worth just 2 hours after eating and 3 hours before the planned rest to perform several special asanas for relaxation. Moreover, there are no special requirements regarding the practice of evening yoga.

The main points that must be observed during preparation for classes and training are the conditions similar to other yoga classes:

• For the training to be useful, the evening should be carried out in pre-ventilated rooms. Yes, and sleep in a fresh bed you will be more comfortable.
• It does not hurt to carry out a light wet cleaning in the room where you will practice evening yoga, and then sleep.
• So that during classes you can focus and achieve inner harmony, turn off the TV and the doorbell.
• To create a relaxing atmosphere, it is allowed to turn on soft melodic music. Ideally, if these are soothing sounds of nature.
• As for, practice requires that classes be carried out in comfortable, not restricting movements, things. It is best to wear clothes made from natural materials for evening yoga.

It is worth preparing a bed and all the necessary accessories for bed in advance so that the fees in the turmoil do not “kill” the dream and the mood that a relaxing workout will create.

What exercises do you prefer?

It should be noted that when choosing exercises suitable for relaxing yoga, one should be guided only by personal preferences, as well as take into account the age category and level physical training. At the same time, asanas should not be difficult or intense.

For the first lessons, exercises are suitable entry level, to master more complex poses, you should choose another time. In addition, at first you need to listen to your feelings, performing certain movements, because asanas and transitions should not cause unpleasant or painful sensations. If these occur, it is worth simplifying the movements or relaxing by proceeding to the next one.

On top of that, choosing an evening yoga complex, you will need to follow the sequence of exercises performed. Here is an example of a simple but useful evening yoga workout:

Asana Balasana

It is better to start the lesson, as well as complete it, from the pose of a child (Balasana). Spread on the floor, you need to sit on it, kneeling so that the hips are at the same distance, and the heels are under the buttocks. After taking a deep breath, as you exhale, slowly begin to tilt the body, lying with your chest on your hips. Stretch your hands forward. Relax, take 10 breaths, then slowly return to the starting position.

Asana Bhujangasana

Starting position - lie on your stomach, resting your palms on the floor at shoulder level. After taking a deep breath, as you exhale, begin to push the body forward, helping yourself with your toes. Bending in the back without a “crease” in the neck, round the chest, pulling the stomach. The muscles of the arms, abs and back should be slightly tense during the execution of the Bhujangasana pose, while the legs and buttocks should not be tense. After completing 5 breathing cycles, you can move on to the next asana.

Asana Baddha Konasana

Starting position - sitting on the floor on the buttocks. Bringing your feet together with your feet, spread your knees to the sides and lightly press them with your hands to press them to the floor. At this time, take deep breaths in and out, leaving your back straight, but not tense. For this exercise, you should also do 5 breath cycles (10 breaths).

Asana Setu Bandhasana

The bridge pose is considered ideal for preparing for sleep and is performed from a supine position. Lie flat, arms along the body, legs shoulder-width apart. Move your legs, bending at the knees, towards the buttocks. Slowly lift your buttocks up, arching your stomach and chest. You should take such a position that the legs at the knees and lower legs form a right angle, and the chin and chest touch. You should not strain your neck and stomach in this asana. Breathing should remain uniform and deep throughout all 5 cycles.

asana savasana

The final pose of evening yoga, which will help you calm down and tune in to the coming sleep. It is performed very simply. It is enough to remain on the floor lying on your back after completing the previous position. Straighten your legs and spread them apart to a comfortable distance for you. Spread your arms out to the sides and close your eyes. Press the lower back as best as possible to the floor, trying to stretch the spine along. You can stay in this position for as long as you want, breathing deeply and evenly to finally relax and restore your heart rate.

The evening practice of relaxing yoga will provide you with a sound and healthy sleep, after which you will wake up in the morning refreshed and refreshed. good mood. The biggest advantage of evening yoga is that a set of exercises can be performed at home and even in your favorite bed.

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Our time is full of stress and goes at an accelerated pace. We are constantly in a hurry somewhere, we are nervous over trifles, we eat incorrectly and on the go and sleep in fits and starts. Such a rhythm of life sooner or later affects health and leads to one of the most common scourges of our century - insomnia or difficulty falling asleep. A vicious circle arises - you didn’t get enough sleep, you don’t work fully all day, in the evening you fall off your feet from fatigue, but sleep is either superficial or doesn’t come at all. If this vicious circle is not broken and the body is not taught to rest and relax, it will “revenge” for the overload with a disorder of the nervous system, zero efficiency and even serious diseases.

Causes of sleep disturbance

Most often there are two main reasons:

• Stress - acute or chronic. Modern man is constantly under pressure. Acute stress - illness, accidents, death of loved ones - can unsettle even the strongest and most stable people.
• Overeating at night. Causes "switching on" those functions of the body that are not compatible with deep and restful sleep.

In the first case nervous system is in constant agitation, not allowing a person to fall asleep. Having eaten at night, we force our brain to engage in the process of digesting food, commanding the digestive organs to cope with the nutrients received. Naturally, this also makes it difficult to go to sleep. Evening yoga can help in this situation. In order to properly perform the exercises and achieve excellent results, it is important not to have dinner before bedtime, at least 2 hours before the start of classes, and even better 3-4.

Requirements for practicing yoga in the evening

In principle, they are similar to all other yoga classes:

• Before going to bed, the room must be thoroughly ventilated. Clean cool air itself contributes to falling asleep, having a beneficial effect on the state of the nervous system, saturating the brain and lungs with oxygen.
• The room should be clean, without unnecessary items, with soft subdued light.
• It is advisable to practice in silence or to quiet, slow, melodic music that promotes falling asleep.
• Classes are held in loose clothing that does not interfere with movement, best of all from soft natural materials.
• Prepare a bed and the necessary accessories for yourself in advance, so that immediately after evening yoga and a shower, lie down to rest, without being distracted by various activities that can "interrupt" sleep.

Choosing an exercise for evening classes

If you exercise before bed, then your main goal is to achieve maximum muscle relaxation and stimulate digestion. To do this, you must first have a proper dinner. Choose light meals that digest quickly and don't overwhelm the gastrointestinal tract. Avoid meat dishes, fried, smoked and spicy. Naturally, coffee and strong tea are also undesirable, herbal or chamomile tea is best, it will act as an additional relaxing agent.

Before going to bed, you should also not overload the body unnecessarily - the exercises should not be too intense, tested and correspond to your age, state of health, fitness and constitution. Do not experiment at this time - learn new asanas at other times of the day.

Group of asanas for yoga in the evening

Various schools of yoga recommend using different asanas before going to bed. It is necessary to choose exercises for yourself not only guided by the instructions, but also taking into account your individual characteristics, including existing diseases.
The best for stimulating digestion and easier and faster sleep are:

Stretches and aligns the spine in the thoracic region, improves blood circulation and fills the lungs with oxygen. This asana is especially useful for people who are in a bent position for a long time, who sit at a table or computer for a long time, and who also have problems with posture.

. It causes blood flow to the brain, stimulating all processes, supplying it with oxygen. An excellent posture for all internal organs, gently massages them, makes them work actively, digesting food, supplying nutrients to the brain along with blood.

- bhujangasana, Helps to improve and speed up digestion. Stretching the upper body relieves the stiffness of the spine in the thoracic and lumbar relieves pain and spasms.

Bow pose - dhanurasana. Helps the action of digestive enzymes and stretches the muscles of the back, relieving accumulated tension.

Butterfly pose - baddha konasana. It is aimed at stimulating the work of the pelvic organs. At the end of the exercise, you need to relax the whole body as much as possible.

Corpse pose - shavasana. Ideal completion of any complex of asanas, especially performed before going to bed. Relaxes all muscles and promotes a smooth entry into a sleepy state.

You don't have to follow this list exactly. From it you can choose suitable asanas, add others and in other combinations. Many are helped by the so-called "inverted" asanas, in which blood rushes to the head. It would seem that standing on your head before going to bed is at least strange. In fact, such postures contribute to falling asleep. Of these, the best fit: headstand, "birch" and a simplified version with legs on the wall. Headstand should be practiced by those who already have a long experience in yoga and tolerate inverted poses well. "Birch" is practiced in a simplified form, that is, without a strictly vertical raising of the legs with a chest lock. It is enough to raise the pelvis high with straight legs, directed slightly forward. The simplest and most accessible version of the inverted asana, which is especially well suited for overweight and elderly people, is the prone position with feet on the wall. To do this, you need to lie on the floor or on the bed in such a way that your tailbone rests against the wall, and your legs are placed vertically on the wall at right angles to the body. In this position, tension in the legs is relieved, blood drains from them, the body relaxes and prepares for sleep.

Whichever group of asanas you choose, evening yoga, when performed correctly and regularly, improves overall well-being and gradually improves sleep. The lungs begin to be better ventilated, supplying the body with more oxygen, the muscles become stronger, and the nervous system is more resistant to stress factors. Gradually, the body of a person practicing this type of yoga gets used to falling asleep quickly immediately after completing the complex.