10 yoga stretches for better sleep

A bedtime yoga routine can be a great way to improve your sleep. It’s common for a busy mind or daily stress to make it harder to fall asleep, but a nighttime yoga practice can help your body and mind unwind for sleep.

Research shows that poor-quality sleep can make pain feel worse. Practicing yoga for sleep offers the chance to release tension, invite relaxation, and settle into comfort, all of which can promote better sleep. You don’t need any prior yoga experience to get started.

Read on to learn about bedtime yoga stretches recommended by Hinge Health physical therapists to ease you into sleep and support your evening routine.

Interested in getting a personalized exercise therapy plan? Learn more about Hinge Health’s digital physical therapy program and see if you’re eligible.

10 best yoga poses for sleep

A few of the best yoga poses for sleep include traditional yoga movements like cat cow, child’s pose, and happy baby. These help ease tightness in areas that hold tension, such as your neck, lower back, and pelvis. Try exploring a few of these gentle movements before bed to help your body relax and support a more restful night’s sleep. You can even do most of these bedtime yoga poses while lying down in bed.

This gentle, flowing movement relieves tension along your whole spine, from pelvis to neck. “As you move, let your breath guide you. Inhale as you gently lift your chest and tailbone (cow), exhale as you round your back and tuck your chin (cat),” says Melissa Marek, PT, DPT, a physical therapist at Hinge Health. “Go at your own pace and let the movement feel smooth and comfortable.”

How to do it:

• Start on your hands and knees. You can do this on a yoga mat or another comfortable surface. You can even try it on your bed. Your hands should be positioned under your shoulders and your knees in line with your hips. 

• Slowly round your entire back toward the ceiling while drawing your chin to your chest. 

• Return to the starting position. 

• Look up to the ceiling as you arch your back toward the floor. 

• Return to the starting position.

• PT tip: “If being on your hands and knees doesn’t feel good, you can do a seated version of cat cow in a chair,” Dr. Marek says.

Get more information on how to do a cat cow here.

This gentle twist invites more movement into your upper and mid-back, helping you unwind from the day’s activities. “As you settle into the stretch, try deepening the rotation by gently pressing your top hand into the floor and letting your upper body open up with each exhale,” Dr. Marek says. Move within a range of motion that feels comfortable and relaxing to you.

How to do it: 

• On a yoga mat, start on all fours, with your hands directly under your shoulders and hips under your knees.

• Lift one hand off the floor and reach it underneath your stomach to your opposite side, as you let your shoulder lower toward the floor. Allow your chest and head to rotate as you do this gentle twist.

• Twist as far as is comfortable, and hold the stretch. 

• Slowly return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

Get more information on how to do the thread the needle exercise here.

This gentle pose brings length and openness to the sides of your body, helping to release tension that can build up throughout the day — especially if you spend most of your day sitting. “As you reach one arm overhead, let your opposite hip relax back and down to invite an easy stretch along your side,” says Dr. Marek. Shift gently from side to side.

How to do it:

• On a yoga mat, get into a comfortable kneeling position with your shins and feet on the floor. You can rest your knees on a towel or blanket if they are sensitive. 

• With your big toes together and your knees wide apart, sit your hips back toward your heels. 

• Slide your arms out in front of you while moving your hips toward your heels. 

• Completely relax your head and chest down toward the floor. 

• Walk both hands over to one side and allow your head and chest to follow. 

• Focus on taking slow, deep breaths as you relax into this position. 

• Walk your hands to the center and then back toward your body to return to the upright kneeling position.  

• Repeat on the other side.

Get more information on how to do a child’s pose here.

This move is similar to a low lunge yoga pose. It gently opens up the muscles at the front of your hips (your hip flexors), which can help ease tension from sitting for most of the day. “It can ease lower back discomfort, too,” Dr. Marek says.  

How to do it: 

• Kneel with one leg out in front of you and your foot flat on the floor. Your other knee is on the floor, directly below your hip. 

• Move your hips and knee forward. 

• Keep your chest and head upright as you hold this stretch. 

• Move your hips and knee back to the starting position. 

• Repeat on the other side.

• PT tip: “If kneeling doesn’t feel comfortable, try placing a towel under your knee, or explore a seated or standing version,” Dr. Marek says. 

Get more information on how to a kneeling hip flexor stretch here.

This gentle breathing practice is foundational in yoga and ideal for nighttime yoga. “It helps downregulate your nervous system, enabling you to enter ‘rest and digest’ mode,” Dr. Marek says. This means your body moves away from a state of stress or high-alert. “It helps invite a sense of calm and relaxation, setting the stage for restful sleep. As you breathe in, feel your belly softly expand like a balloon. As you exhale and your belly gently falls, notice how your body begins to relax.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor or bed. 

• Rest one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.  

• Slowly inhale as you fill your belly with air so the hand on your belly rises up toward the ceiling. The hand on your chest remains mostly still. 

• Focus on staying relaxed as you hold that breath in your belly. 

• Slowly breathe out so the hand on your belly lowers with you. 

• PT tip: “See if you can let go of tension in other areas of your body as you breathe, like your jaw, shoulders, or forehead, relaxing a little more with each breath,” Dr. Marek says.

Get more information on how to do diaphragmatic breathing here.

Knee rocking is a gentle movement used in several yoga poses. “This simple motion encourages movement in your hips and lower back, while the gentle side-to-side rocking can help your body and mind unwind for sleep,” Dr. Marek says.

How to do it:

• On a yoga mat or bed, lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor or bed. 

• Keep your knees together as you allow your knees to rock to one side, reaching toward the floor or bed. 

• Return your knees to the center before rocking your knees to the opposite side.

• PT tip: “Inhale as your knees return to the center, and exhale as they drop to one side, for a relaxing effect, Dr. Marek says.

This gentle movement is similar to a reclining hand-to-big-toe pose in yoga. Moving your leg back and forth can help ease tension and invite comfort along your lower body — from your low back all the way down to your feet. “The gentle, rhythmic motion can also help your nervous system unwind and prepare for sleep,” Dr. Marek says. 

How to do it: 

• On a yoga mat or bed, lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor or bed.

• Lift one leg off the floor by moving that knee up toward your chest and loop your hands behind your thigh to hold your leg.

• While holding your thigh in place, slowly straighten your knee by moving your foot toward the ceiling. 

• At the same time, bend your ankle by moving the top of your foot toward your head.

• Focus on keeping your leg mostly straight as you hold this position.

• Relax your leg back to the start. 

• Switch legs and repeat the above steps.

This gentle yoga pose helps break up tension in the outer hips and glutes (butt muscles), which can sometimes feel tight after a long day of sitting, standing, or walking. “Focus on deep, easy breaths as you gently let your top knee move toward the wall, allowing your body to settle and relax,” Dr. Marek says.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back on a yoga mat with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Bend one leg and place your ankle on your opposite knee.

• Now grasp the back of your thigh or the front of your knee (of the leg on the floor) and gently pull your knee toward you. Your foot will lift off the floor as you hold this stretch.

• Release your foot back to the floor to return to the starting position.

• Repeat this exercise on the opposite side.

• PT tip: “For a more restful variation, rest your supporting foot on a wall instead of holding your leg with your arms,” Dr. Marek says.

Get more information on how to do figure four stretch here.

This classic yoga pose releases tension stored deep within your hips, groin, and glutes, which can help calm you for sleep. This stretch also relaxes your pelvic floor muscles, which can reduce pain. 

How to do it:

• On a yoga mat or bed, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor or bed.

• Draw your knees up toward your chest and reach your hands to grab the outside of your feet or ankles.

• Move your feet and knees apart slowly. Stop when you feel a slight stretch in your inner thigh muscles.

• Breathe deeply and slowly. Focus on relaxing your pelvic floor muscles as you hold this position.

• Relax back to the starting position.

• PT tip: “You can also place your feet on a wall in this same position for less upper body work and a deeper focus on deep belly breathing,” Dr. Marek says

Get more information on how to do happy baby here.

Though not a traditional yoga pose, this move stretches your groin muscles, including your adductors, like the seated wide-legged forward bend in yoga. Propping your legs up against a wall may help you access a deeper groin stretch. “Try different positions — legs wide, together, or bent — and find what feels most comfortable for you,” Dr. Marek says. “Pair this movement with diaphragmatic breathing to help your body release tension and relax.”

How to do it:

• Place one end of a yoga mat next to a wall. 

• Lie on your side and scoot your butt as close to the wall as possible.

• Roll to your back and place one leg at a time on the wall until they are facing up toward the ceiling, with a comfortable bend in your knees.

• Straighten your legs and slide your legs apart along the wall. Your feet will be slightly wider than your shoulder width.

• Slide your legs back together and bend your knees slightly to return to the starting position.

• PT tip: “Insert a small towel beneath your lower back to boost your comfort,” says Dr. Marek.

The information contained in these videos is intended to be used for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or treatment for any specific condition. Hinge Health is not your healthcare provider and is not responsible for any injury sustained or exacerbated by your use of or participation in these exercises. Please consult with your healthcare provider with any questions you may have about your medical condition or treatment.

Benefits of doing yoga for sleep

Doing the above yoga stretches before bed can enhance your sleep quality by calming your mind and nervous system. These yoga poses for sleep also ease muscle tightness across your body, which can help you fall asleep comfortably. The key is to stay consistent: Research suggests that keeping up with a bedtime yoga routine can enhance sleep quality, even for those with sleep disorders. 

• Reduces joint pain. It’s common to notice aches or discomfort when you’re at rest. Research shows that practicing yoga can help ease nighttime joint pain, including discomfort linked to knee osteoarthritis.

• Eases muscle tension. When you’re stressed, or stay in one position for too long, your muscles can tense up. “These stretches help bring balance to the effects of your daily activities, like prolonged sitting or standing,” says Dr. Marek.

• Promotes relaxation through mindful movement. Yoga combines deep breathing with purposeful attention to movement, which helps signal safety to your body. “This soothes the nervous system and invites deeper relaxation and more restful sleep,” Dr. Marek says.

• Supports mental unwinding. “Body-based activity helps shift your attention from ‘doing’ and thinking to sensing and being, which can help transition a busy mind toward restful sleep,” says Dr. Marek. 

Tips for starting a bedtime yoga routine

Following a consistent nighttime yoga routine can support better sleep, but it’s often just one piece of the puzzle. Pairing your yoga practice with other sleep hygiene habits — like going to bed at the same time each night, dimming the lights, or using relaxing scents — can help you wind down and settle in for restful sleep.

• Create a consistent schedule for your bedtime routine. Going to bed and practicing yoga at the same time each night helps signal to your body that it’s time to wind down and prepare for rest.

• Use props like blankets or bolsters for added comfort. “Supporting your body with soft props can help you relax more fully into each pose, making your nighttime yoga routine more enjoyable,” Dr. Marek says.

• Incorporate deep breathing techniques into each stretch. Combining mindful breathing with gentle movements can help calm your mind and body, setting the stage for better sleep.

• Focus on how the movements feel, not how they look. Breathe deeply and pay attention to your body as it moves. “Allow each pose to feel comfortable and supportive for you, and trust what feels best rather than trying to achieve ‘perfect’ form,” Dr. Marek says.”

• Try additional relaxation cues to enhance your routine. “Consider adding calming touches like relaxing music, white noise, your favorite scents, or practicing after a warm Epsom salt bath to help your body fully settle into sleep,” Dr. Marek says.

How Hinge Health can help you

If you have joint or muscle pain that makes it hard to move, you can get the relief you’ve been looking for with Hinge Health’s online exercise therapy program.

The best part: You don’t have to leave your home because our program is digital. That means you can easily get the care you need through our app when and where it works for you.

Through our program, you’ll have access to therapeutic exercises and stretches for your condition. Additionally, you’ll have a personal care team to guide, support, and tailor our program to you.

See if you qualify for Hinge Health and confirm free coverage through your employer or benefit plan here.

This article and its contents are provided for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or professional services specific to you or your medical condition.

References 

1. Sivertsen, B., Lallukka, T., Petrie, K. J., Steingrímsdóttir, Ó. A., Stubhaug, A., & Nielsen, C. S. (2015). Sleep and pain sensitivity in adults. PAIN, 156(8), 1433–1439. doi:10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000131

2. Alghosi, M., Sharifi, M., Sanam Namavari, Rajamand, N., Faezeh Bamorovat, Narges Norouzi, Alimoradi, M., & Konrad, A. (2025). The effect of chronic yoga interventions on sleep quality in people with sleep disorders: a scoping review. Frontiers in Neurology, 16. doi:10.3389/fneur.2025.1566445

3. Abafita, B. J., Singh, A., Aitken, D., Ding, C., Steffany Moonaz, Palmer, A. J., Blizzard, L., Inglis, A., Stan, Jones, G., Bennell, K. L., & Antony, B. (2025). Yoga or Strengthening Exercise for Knee Osteoarthritis. JAMA Network Open, 8(4), e253698–e253698. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.3698