SLEEP BETTER

‘Restorative postures are the perfect precursor to a good night’s sleep,’ says FLY LDN head of yoga Fi Clark. ‘When the parasympathetic nervous system is triggered, this signals to the body and mind that it’s in a safe environment to sleep and restore after the day’s activities.’

1 Legs up the wall

(A) Bring your hips to a wall, with your back flat on the floor and your bum as close to the wall as is comfortable (and possible).

(B) Gently raise your legs straight up, resting them against the wall. You can also place a pillow under your bum to ease any discomfort in your lower back and help you to hinge at the hips. Stay here for 5 to 15 mins for best results.

2 Child’s pose

(A) Kneel on the floor with your knees as wide as feels comfortable and your big toes touching. Exhale and lean forwards to rest your forehead on the floor. You can use a pillow to support your head and stomach if that feels more comfortable. Stretch your arms out in front of you, with your palms resting on the floor.

(B) With your eyes closed, focus on the journey of your breath moving in and out of your body and slow it down to a count of 4 secs in and 4 secs out.

3 Reclined goddess

(A) Lie on your back with the soles of your feet together to form a diamond shape with your legs, the sides of your feet resting on the ground. For a deeper hip opener, draw your heels closer to you; for a less intense one, move them further away. Relax your arms by your sides.

(B) With eyes closed, relax your jaw and forehead. Place one hand on your heart, one on your stomach, feeling your palms rise and fall as you focus on your breath.

4 Supported supine twist

(A) Lie on your back with knees bent, feet in the air. Stretch your arms out to the sides.

(B) Keeping your knees together and core engaged, lower your legs to one side while turning your head in the opposite direction. Keep shoulders on the floor.

(C) Close your eyes and relax into your breath. Hold for 3 to 5 mins then repeat on the other side.

5 Corpse pose

(A) Lie flat on your back, arms by your sides, palms facing up and legs at least hip-distance apart. If you have any sensitivity in your lower back, bend your knees and place the soles of your feet on the floor, mat-width apart, and let your knees fall in towards each other.

(B) Close your eyes, relax your forehead and jaw and feel the sensation of sinking into the mat, letting go of any tension.

‘YOGA POSES ARE IDEAL TO PREPARE THE BODY FOR A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP’