Does your mind lace up for laps just as your body crosses the finish line and your head hits
the pillow? As lonely as late-night mind racing can feel, nearly a quarter of working
Americans suffer from insomnia and daytime fatigue as a consequence. Use this therapeutic
sequence to soothe your nervous system and quiet your mind, priming your body to sink into a
long, restful sleep: Moon breath, Big Toe Pose, Fire Log Pose, Extended Puppy Pose, Supine
Twist

Moon Breath
Traditionally, the left nostril is associated with the body’s cooling energy and the right
with its heat. This left-nostril pranayama practice focuses the mind away from stress.
Simultaneously, it massages the organs that activate the onset of sleep, signaling your vagus
nerve to send messages to the brain to relax.

How To
In a comfortable seated position, make Mrigi Mudra (Deer Seal) with your right hand by bending
your index and middle finger to your palm, leaving your ring and pinky finger extended. Press
your right thumb to your right nostril and inhale through your left nostril. Then release your
right thumb and take your ring finger to your left nostril, exhaling through your right
nostril. Continue for 1–3 minutes or until you start to feel calm.

Big Toe Pose
This pose stimulates the liver and kidneys in the back body, activating the parasympathetic
nervous system, which is responsible for releasing tension and putting the body to sleep.

How To
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Gently fold forward from your hips. Grip your big toes
firmly with the index finger, middle finger, and thumb of each hand. Bend your elbows and
actively ground your feet into the earth, drawing the crown of your head down as you relax
your head and neck. Breathe deeply and hold for 1–3 minutes.

Fire Log Pose
As you actively focus on releasing tension in your hips, your body will respond by releasing
tension in other muscle groups, preparing you for a relaxing night’s sleep.

How To
Extend your left leg straight out then bend your knee to a 90-degree angle. Flex your right
foot and place it on top of your left knee so your right shin is stacked on top of your left.
If this creates pain in your hip joint, move your left foot closer to your pelvis. Walk your
hands forward as you exhale, increasing the hip stretch. Hold for 1 minute. Repeat on the
other side.

Extended Puppy Pose
To counteract the effects of long hours behind a desk, use this inverted passive backbend to
deliver fresh blood to the heart, while also relieving tension and opening the shoulders. The
gentle forehead massage also stimulates the pituitary gland, which controls melatonin and the
body’s sleep-wake cycle.

How To
From Agnistambhasana, roll forward onto all fours. Keeping your hips stacked over your knees,
come onto your fingertips and walk them forward. Keep your elbows lifted, as you relax your
chest and forehead down. Then, massage your forehead from left to right to ease facial
tension. Hold for 1 minute. To release, bring your hips back to your heels for Child’s Pose.

Supine Twist
Roger Cole, PhD, research scientist demonstrated that inverted and reclining postures like
Supine Twist promote sleep by relaxing the baroreflex, a reflex known to maintain nearly
constant blood pressure.

How To
Lie on your back and draw your knees into your chest. Extend your arms straight out to the
sides and let your knees fall to the right, stacking your left knee on top of the right. Draw
your left shoulder down as you allow gravity to pull your legs toward the earth.

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