Can You Do Yoga In Bed? — Yoga Kali

✅ Fact Checked

🧘 If you only got 30 seconds:

Yoga in bed sure does sound tempting. But is it safe to do asana on a soft mattress rather than a firm yoga mat?

Read on to learn everything you need to know about doing yoga in bed and 7 easy yoga poses to try.

Summary

• Yoga in bed is better than no yoga at all.
• Stress relief, relaxation, and lower blood pressure are just some benefits of practicing yoga in bed.
• Stick to supine and simple poses while in bed.
• Focus on your breath to reap the maximum benefits.

1/4 Is it safe to do yoga in bed?

Traditionally, you should practice yoga on a firm sturdy surface and use a mat or a blanket to cushion your joints.

BKS Iyengar, the founder of Iyengar Yoga, for example, cautions against practicing asana on an uneven surface: “Do not do them on the bare floor or on an uneven place, but on a folded blanket laid on a level floor.”

The bed mattress is too soft and cushy to perform most of the yoga poses. Naturally, you can’t use a bed instead of a yoga mat if you want to do standing yoga poses as it not only lacks stability but it also increases the risk of falling.

With that being said, if you choose between yoga in bed or no yoga at all, definitely go for bed yoga. Most likely, you won’t be able to practice 90% of yoga asanas, but a little stretch and mindful breathing can go a long way.

2/4 What yoga should you practice in bed?

If you want to take your yoga practice to bed, focus on simple and basic yoga postures. Seated and supine asanas are the best type of poses to perform on a soft wobbly surface since you don’t risk feeling out of balance and hurting yourself.

Pranayama, aka the yogic breath, is a lovely practice to do in a relaxing bedroom setting, especially if you feel uncomfortable sitting on a floor for your breathing practice.

Yoga Nidra – the yogic sleep – is another soothing practice that can be performed on a softer cushy bed surface.

3/4 What are the benefits of doing yoga in bed?

Doing yoga in bed has a lot of benefits for your brain and mental health. The main reason is that a whole lot of well-known yoga benefits stem from the practice of mindfulness and connecting to our breath.

Research has shown that simply breathing mindfully can help us relieve anxiety and stress, control our blood pressure, improve focus as well as boost our cognitive ability.

Keep in mind, that yoga in bed won’t likely help you improve your physique such as build muscle or get toned. It might though help you control your weight, particularly if you’re prone to overeating when stressed. Yoga’s ability to switch your body into a relaxation state might help you manage your food cravings and avoid overeating, which can lead to weight gain.

4/4 7 simple yoga poses to try in bed

These seven yoga poses are beginner-friendly and don’t require any props. You can do them in bed in the morning upon waking up greet the day with a bit of movement and mindfulness. These poses are also great to practice in the evening before withdrawing to sleep to wind down and relax.

If you perform these yoga poses in bed first thing in the morning, move from the supine asanas to seated ones to help your body slowly wake up. On the contrary, move from seated poses to supine ones when you’re practicing yoga in bed in the evening.

Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)

Legs Up The Wall is especially shooting for evening practices as it helps relieve the tension in the legs and promotes restful sleep.

Doing Legs Up The Wall in the morning will help you soothe the nervous system and start the day feeling relaxed and peaceful.

Corpse Pose (Savasana)

Corpse pose needs no introduction. It’s perfect for calm and no-rush mornings as well as for soothing your mind and body before bedtime.

Reclined Figure Four (Supta Kapotasana)

This is one of my favorite stretches to do before bed and in the morning. It gently opens up the hips and hamstrings and feels especially lovely after an intense lower body workout.

Reclined/Seated Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana)

Also known as Butterfly, Seated Bound Angle improves circulation in the pelvis and relieves tension in the hips, groin, and inner thighs. The pose is especially soothing during menstruation and abdominal cramps.

Happy Baby (Ananda Balasana)

This yoga poses is very soothing for the lower back as well as great for building flexibility in your groin and inner thighs.

Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)

Seated Forward Bend will help you get deeper into the back of your legs – hamstrings that get so stiff from sitting all day. You can make this pose more relaxing by simply draping your body over your legs and let the gravity pull you down instead of using your muscles.

Seated Spinal Twist

Twists can be both relaxing and invigorating. They promote spinal mobility and might help relieve bloating.