Dizzy has really got into doing her yoga lately! So we’ve decided to do a little post on our favourite bedtime yoga routine. These positions can be used individually or to make up a little routine to help you get a good nights sleep (which is what we do!). 🙂
- Seated donkey pose – Start by sitting cross legged on the bed. Place your hands on your knees and slowly become aware of your breath. You can then begin to roll your head in a semicircle from one side to another to help stretch out any tension in your neck.
2. Nosey to floory donkey pose (AKA Childs pose) – Start on your hands and knees. Spread your knees apart, keeping your big toes touching. Bend forward, draping your torso between your thighs. Then extend your arms forward along the floor, with your palms facing down, like Dizzy’s doing! Or you can drape them to the side and behind you on the floor. Whatever feels most comfy for you! 🙂
3. Side donkey twist – Sit comfortably cross legged on the bed. Firstly place your right hand on your left knee. Swing your left hand around to the left side behind you and place on the floor wherever is most comfortable. On an in breathe stretch and lengthen your spine (but don’t do this anymore than what is comfortable!). On an out breathe slowly rotate your body to the left, again only doing what feels a comfortable amount. Repeat a few times and on an out breath come back to the middle. Repeat on the other side.
4. Donkey legs up wall pose – Exactly what it sounds like! This involves just lying down on your back with your legs up the wall. Then just let your arms relax by your side and focus on your breath. 🙂 (Bob decided he wanted to join in at this point, for the last two that involve just lying down, upside down…)
5. Upside down donkey pose (this is know as savasana or corpse pose, Dizzy said we should call it dead donkey pose, but I’m not sure that’s the best name :?) – This is our last pose as it helps you completely relax before sleepy time! It simple involves lying flat on your back, legs slightly apart and arms to your side with the palms facing up. All parts of your body should be relaxed in this pose. Dizzy and her friends love it! 🙂
So that’s our little bedtime yoga routine! 🙂 We spend a different amount of time on each pose every night depending on how we’re feeling, so feel free to decide for yourself how long you spend on each one. 🙂
We hope you get as much benefit out of this as we do. If you also do yoga, what are your favourite 5 poses to use just before sleepy time? If you don’t do yoga what do you do instead? We’d love to know. 🙂 xxx
I’ve just this week started trying to do yoga, I’ve been following this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdnKqJpNR1s) video so far, although trying to find more/different things because I have a terrible attention span!
Try Yoga with Adriene! https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene I love her ones and she has something for everyone. 🙂 xxx
Ooh will have a look, thank you! xxx
Let us know how you get on with them. 🙂 xxx
Yoga seems like a perfect way to wind down for bed. I shall give it a try as I do enjoy yoga. I usually write in my journal right before bed. It’s rather therapeutic to get my thoughts on paper. Thank you for your lovely blog. 💖
Thats a really good thing to do before bed too! I know a lot of people that find that really good to do. I haven’t tried it yet myself though, will have too. 🙂 xxx
osey to floory donkey pose is my favourite, but I need my wife behind me to stop me wobbling over😀
I like that one too! 🙂 How are you at the moment? xxx
So so if I’m honest. Had another relapse in June and it appears to have robbed me of my remaining ability to stand😕 downstairs bedroom extension scheduled for completion in spring next year😐
I’m so sorry to hear that. I had a relapse over the Summer too. Are you still able to keep up with your writing? The downstairs bedroom extension sounds a good idea, but spring sounds ages away! I hope you’re ok. xxx
Spring IS a long time! I’m still writing but I’m a lot slower as my hands don’t seem to do what I want them too…😀
That must be so frustrating but I’m really glad you’re still writing. Have you tried those programmes where you can speak and it types for you? xxx
I’ve got one at work. I just need to persuade my boss to let me take it home…😇
I’m sure he will! They are really good. xxx
I have a speech recognition program, and it didn’t like my voice, so just to spite it, my brother and I sang Christmas carols into it. I swear we did that for hours, laughing our heads off at what it thought we said. Still got the lyrics on the computer somewhere.
LOL! That made me laugh. ‘Just to spite it.’ 🙂 That does sound a pretty fun way to spend the time though! 🙂 xxx
Yoga is better with donkeys haha
I completely agree!! 🙂 xxx
I used to do yoga before bed but would fall asleep on the living room floor. Now I listen to music instead—while already lying in bed. 🙂
Hehe, at least that shows it works! Just probably not the most comfortable position to be waking up in. Music is lovely to listen to at bedtime. 🙂 xxx
This is great! I do the Donkey pose as a finishing up stretch after a gym work out. I am going to try some of these on the bed. Having had both hips replaced I can’t sit cross legged on a hard floor but the bed mattress should be forgiving enough for me to try gently some poses. Thanks!
Let us know how you get on with them! The cross legged ones you could do sitting on the side of the bed too. Me and Dizzy have sometimes done that with the first one and side twist. 🙂 xxx
I personally hate yoga but love the way dizzy does it.
Lol, how comes you hate it? xxx
I can’t do it I tried many times
It’s not for everyone. I do like these ones though as most of them just involve lying down. 🙂 xxx
Those are definitely better because I had no balance for the other poses with yoga
To energetic for me I will do some deep breathing sleep. My Yoga is mornings in the wheelchair but I enjoy the movement. XXX Don
Deep breathing is really good. I do that some nights too. Yoga is the morning is great too. I do sitting down yoga when feeling really wobbly and still find it really helps. xxx
Yep my sit down Yoga most mornings. I have to pull my legs as I lay in bed to get my Hamstrings to loosen unfortunately even with leg splints my foot wont go flat anymore. But I cant walk so hey- ho. This blooming illness is gradually wrecking my once Adonis like body, heee heee
That is the great thing about yoga. Anyone can do it! It’s a great way to start the day too. I use to do it every morning but staying in bed longer has got too tempting at the moment…xxx
I just have to say that I am very impressed! I haven’t had the balance or ability to get off the floor easily to do yoga in many years!
Aww thank you. I find even just the last pose of savasana can be really good to do on its own. Just for abit of relaxation. 🙂 xxx
I don’t do anything before bed; I just flop down and pass out, haha! Well, there are those odd nights when it takes me for EVER to fall asleep, but usually only if I’m stressed about something.
Lol, that’s great you can do that! It does sometimes work for me but usually my head is too busy thinking! xxx
I love this post Heather and Dizzy. I am back doing yoga after a long break and I love all these poses. I think the childs pose is my favourite. My least is the downward dog 😉xx
I love childs pose too, 🙂 it’s just so relaxing! I really struggle with any forward bends, my hand strings don’t seem to want to do them. xxx
Dizzy is so darn adorable! So glad to hear that Yoga is helping Dizzy!!! I need Dizzy to be my partner with yoga, I am sure Dizzy will make sure I am doing it right!!
We do like our yoga. Dizzy’s got really good at it now! 🙂 xxx
I just love seeing evening Dizzy does. Dizzy has the best pictures!!
Aww, thank you Alyssa! 🙂 xxx
My pleasure my dear!
Ah mate, the side donkey twist made me laugh out loud. So funny, love it !!! Mel x
Lol, glad you liked it! 🙂 Dizzys getting good at it too! 🙂 xxx
This is definitely a great dummy’s guide to yoga – will bookmark this for use soon as I bought a yoga mat the other week I’ve yet to use! Dead donkey pose made me laugh so much!!
Fantastic post as always my lovely 🙂
Caz xx
Let us know how you get on with it. 🙂 Dead donkey pose is a good one to start with. You can just lie there. 🙂 I love that one. xxx
This post is one of the most adorable ones I’ve seen recently! It really put a smile on my face!
Thank you! 🙂 We’re so happy it put a smile on your face. 🙂 xxx
Just seeing Dizzy & Co, brings a smile to my face and to see them doing yoga, wow! I attend a weekly morning yoga class and the poses that Dizzy does are my favourite!
Glad you liked our little yoga post! 🙂 These are our favourite aswell, just so relaxing. 🙂 xxx
Aww I love this 😊. Dizzy and her friends are certainly very flexible! When I’m up to it I really enjoy my restorative yoga class but I don’t make it as often as I’d like at the minute! I’ve also enjoyed Qi gong in the past as find it very relaxing! Nice idea doing these relaxing poses before bed xxx
Is Qi gong a form of Tai chi? I would love to find a yoga class. I think even if you don’t make it very often it’s still really worth while going. I just do mine at home at the moment. xxx
Loved the nosey to floor donkey pose!
I love that one too! 🙂 xxx
now im feeling inspired to do some yoga, thanks you cute little donkeys!
Awww, I’m glad. 🙂 And thank you for taking the time to leave a comment on our donkey yoga post! 🙂 xxx
From a yoga teacher and fellow practicing yogi I loved this 💜
Aww, we’re so glad. 🙂 Thank you for taking the time to read and comment on our post. 🙂 xxx
literally LOL. I am so new to wordpress, blogging, and basically anything to do with technology so I am loving that at the exact same time ( well not really… I think you are 7 or 8 hours ahead of me and an ocean away) I am reading your blog and you liked something on mine. I do realize that this probably happens all the time, but figured I was laughing maybe you would smile too. I have to run, but I will definitely be back to read more!
Lol it’s true isn’t it! 🙂 (except the time difference. It’s nearly sleepy time here! 🙂 ) Am really enjoying reading your blog. 🙂 xxx
Thank you!
So inspirational and Such an amazing Post and I love it.
Btw there is a new post on my blog on – my 2018 yoga and fitness routine- https://sunainadasblog.wordpress.com/2018/01/29/adding-yoga-to-my-fitness-routine/
Hope you will like it
Xoxo,
Sunaina
Thank you so much Sunaina. 🙂 xx I have checked out your post and it’s great! 🙂 xxx