@Teji 23 October 2020

Calm down before you go to bed Good sleep hygiene consists of various habits. Among other things, it is important to avoid caffeine in the second half of the day, not to use electronic devices before going to bed, and to sleep in a darkened and not too hot room. In addition to following the basic guidelines, some additional measures can also be useful for better sleep. If you often have trouble sleeping - or especially having difficulty falling asleep - we recommend that you try to do yoga exercises before going to bed.These are simple exercises designed to calm down, so they are perfect before bedtime.

1. Lying twist (supta matsyendrasana)

Stretching the body or contracted muscles is undoubtedly one of the foundations of relaxation - and one of the best sources of excellent stretching exercises is definitely yoga. Among the most popular and well-known exercises derived from yoga is t. i. supine twist or supta matsyendrasana. Thus, it is another exercise that is highly recommended to be performed before bedtime, as it helps to eliminate tension and constriction of the body, which is almost an inevitable consequence of daily stress. Lie on your back and bend your legs at the knees. Then turn your knees to the left and let them fall to the floor. Place your left hand on the thigh of your right leg and extend your right arm to the right. The shoulders should be relaxed and gently pushed against the ground. Focus on the breath. After about a minute, return to the starting position and then repeat the exercise by switching sides (so turn your legs to the right and extend your left arm to the left). 2. "Butterfly" (supta baddha konasana)

Lie down and bend your knees. Then join your feet and let your knees slowly drop to the ground. Be gentle and patient. It’s quite common that you can’t get to the ground completely at first. Gradually, if you perform the exercise regularly, you will notice that you are becoming more agile and that the distance between your knees and the ground is slowly decreasing without much effort. Here, too, you can help yourself by lining your knees with a pillow or with a selected accessory. Stretch your arms out and let them rest relaxed next to your body. Of course, even with this exercise - as with yoga in general - it is important to pay attention to your breath. Breathing should be deep, with the diaphragm, and calm. For a start, it is enough to stay in the position for about a minute (or as long as you are still comfortable), and then try to extend this time a bit every night.The exercise clung to the name "butterfly", as the position of the body from a bird's eye view resembles the shape of a butterfly. In Sanskrit, however, the name supta baddha konasana is used for this yogic position. 3. Position of the child (balasana)

A very simple but at the same time very effective yoga relaxation exercise is t. i. position of the child or balasana. It is an exercise that does not require special knowledge or skills, so it is also suitable for beginners. You start by kneeling on your knees and then sit with your heels touching your buttocks. Extend your arms forward and bring your head closer to the ground. The exercise is great for stretching your back and relaxing tense muscles in your neck and shoulders.Stay in this position for about a minute (you can gradually extend the exercise time). It is important that the buttocks touch the heel at all times.

If that doesn't work for you, help yourself with a pillow or a folded blanket that you place under your buttocks so that your body can really relax completely. Also, during your exercise, pay attention to your breathing, which should be slow and deep. I hope you will sleep like a baby. Good night.