Yoga Stretches for Sleep

Go to your bedroom or where ever your sleeping place is and just stand still for a few moments. Make sure that you have finished all your doings for the day that need to be done. If not, then go and finish them.

When you are ready, place your feet shoulder width apart, imagining roots coming out of your feet and into the floor to keep you grounded. Leave your arms at your sides. Keep your eyes fixated on a point in front of you somewhere to maintain your balance. Take a deep breath, all the way down to your abdomen and hold it to the count of 3.

Then let your breath out slowly while you picture your tension pouring out of you and dissolving into the air. At the end of your breath, wait 3 seconds before taking another inhale. Do this inhale and exhale 3 times, or until you feel fairly relaxed. Bring those roots from your feet back up and move onto the next exercise.

Standing in the beginning yoga pose (feet shoulder width apart, no roots, arms at the sides), inhale and bring your arms up over your head while raising up on your tip toes (if you can. Remember to keep your eyes fixated forward to keep your balance....this is also a dancer's trick by the way :-)

Give it a good stretch without overly forcing it. This isn't a workout, so we're only after a gentle stretch to get rid of excess energy.

On the exhale, bring your arms down along with your heels, and back to the beginning pose. Do this 3 times, or until you feel it is enough. You should feel like you are in control without worrisome thoughts bouncing around in your head.

Stay in the beginning pose if you need to and just be still until your thoughts have slowed down and you feel like you are in control.

This last yoga exercise is for the spine. Keeping your spine limber is very important, especially as you get older. A stiff spine can correlate with stiff thinking.

Start in the beginning pose, eyes forward. Inhale and bring your arms up over your head, lengthening your spine. Exhale and take your arms forward in front of you with a reaching motion, and then down as far as you can go. Stay down for a count of 10 and keep breathing. If you can touch your toes - great! If not...then work on that everyday until you can.

On an exhale, slooowly (so you don't get dizzy) roll your spine up until you are back in the beginning pose. One repetition of this is enough.

And....you're done! You should feel like you just did some yoga ...a bit 'stretched' :-) Now you are ready for the rest of your bedtime routine.

• Relaxing Bath Salt for Sleep (aaahhh)
• Dream Pillows (a must!)
• Sleep Eazzzy with Hypnosis