Who can say that bedtimes in their house are calm, serene, and peaceful? If it’s you, then a big high-five to you, my friend. To be truthful, our nights are a little less than serene. With our toddler, we hear calls for more books. And our oldest, well, he’s never been a great fan of sleep. With ADHD medication and a variety of happenings, bedtime has often been fraught with challenges to quiet the mind and calm down to sleep.
Yes, we’ve heard it all in our attempts to get him to sleep. No screens for one or two hours before bed, check (on weeknights). A consistent bedtime routine, check. Melatonin, check. Relaxing music, sleep machine, lavender sprayed and misted everywhere, of course. I’ll be the first to admit, I was overwhelmed a lot of the time; having an active child (or any child for that matter) is tiring, to say the least. I was in a hurry to get someone or everyone to bed; it was a race against the clock as I knew how important sleep was for children.
And then it dawned on me. (Why it took so long, I cannot say.) I had trained as an instructor and yoga therapist, so why couldn’t I use it with my child to calm down before bed? We used a variety of poses, some to great success and others that seemed to energize him.
Here are the top five poses that I recommend to aid with relaxation and sleep:
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Child’s Pose – Sit back on your heels. Gently put your head on the floor, folding your upper body down on the ground. With your arms by your side or up by your ears, take at least 5 deep breaths in and out through your nose.
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Butterfly – Sit with your spine straight and your legs out in front of you. Then bend your knees and bring the soles of your feet together, allowing your knees to fall out to either side.
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Cat/Cow – On your hands and knees, come to a tabletop position. For cat pose, slowly lower your head, press your tummy up, and round your spine up to the ceiling. And now, for the cow pose, look up to the ceiling, and allow your belly to sink towards the floor, and arch your back down.
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Happy Baby Pose – Lie on your back and hug your knees into your chest. You can then grab the outer part of your feet with both hands, and slowly rock like a happy baby.
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Relaxation Pose (Savasana) with a Stuffed Animal or Weighted Pillow (on their tummy) – Lie on your back with your arms and legs stretched out. Let your mind and body relax. You can use your stuffed animal or pillow to feel your breath rise and fall in the best calming pose.
I would love to hear how these poses (or any other poses) work for your bedtime routines. Here’s to calm nights filled with relaxing slumbers (for everyone). Namaste!
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