Having trouble unwinding at the end of the day or finding peaceful slumber? Incorporating yoga into your bedtime routine might just be the key to better sleep. Not only can certain yoga poses help you relax and de-stress, but they also assist in preparing your body for restful sleep. Here are 8 calming yoga poses that you can add to your nighttime routine.

1. Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani): Lie on your back and place your legs up against a wall, forming an L shape with your body. Stay in this position for 5-10 minutes, allowing blood flow to reverse and soothing your nervous system.

2. Child’s Pose (Balasana): Kneel on the floor, touch your big toes together, and sit on your heels. Then separate your knees about hip-width apart and lay your torso down between your thighs. Extend your arms forward or let them rest alongside your body. This pose helps release tension in the back, neck, and shoulders.

3. Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana): Sit with legs extended forward. Inhale to lengthen the spine and then exhale as you bend forward at the hips, reaching for your feet or shins. This calming forward fold can help quiet the mind and relieve stress.

4. Supine Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana): Lie on your back and bring one knee across the body while keeping both shoulders flat on the ground. Extend the opposite arm out and turn your head toward it, then repeat on the other side. Twists are excellent for detoxifying and releasing tension.

5. Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana): Lie on your back, bend your knees into your belly, then grip the outside of your feet with both hands and pull down gently to create resistance. Rocking side-to-side can enhance relaxation in this posture that releases hip tension.

6. Corpse Pose (Savasana): Simply lie flat on your back with legs apart and arms relaxed at sides, palms facing upward. Although it appears easy, it’s a powerful pose for complete relaxation of body and mind. Spend about 5 minutes in this pose for deep relaxation.

7. Cat-Cow Stretch (Chakravakasana): Start on all fours with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips; inhale while arching the spine downward and lifting head (cow), followed by exhale while rounding spine upward and tucking chin to chest (cat). This gentle flow alleviates tension in the spine.

8. Butterfly Pose (Baddha Konasana): Sitting down, bend knees and bring soles of feet together; allow knees to drop toward floor for a gentle groin stretch that can be very soothing before bed.

Incorporating these yoga poses into a pre-sleep ritual not only stretches tight muscles but also promotes mental tranquility which can lead to deeper, more restorative sleep.