International Yoga Day 2025: Ditch your phone before bedtime and try these 5 expert-approved poses for better sleep

Time of India

8 hours ago

You're exhausted, but your brain is wired! Endless scrolling, constant notifications, and late-night screen time have become the new normal now. Phone addiction is silently stealing our sleep and peace of mind. But what if we tell you that the key to breaking free lies not in willpower but in movement and mindfulness? Let's understand how night yoga helps for better sleep on this International Yoga Day.
Phone addiction, especially at night, is commonly seen in a large number of people. Imagine lying on the bed and scrolling through reels or watching your favourite series; it seems like a good idea, right? However, doing so can impact one's overall well-being. It can disrupt sleep, increase anxiety and strain emotional and mental well-being.
The constant scrolling overstimulates the brain, making it hard to relax and disconnect. "Yoga offers a natural and effective way to manage this addiction by promoting mindfulness, improving self-control and calming the nervous system," says Dr Santosh Bangar, Senior Consultant Psychiatrist, Gleneagles Hospitals Parel, Mumbai.
Yoga and mindfulness help deal with phone addiction
According to Dr. Bangar, "Practising evening yoga poses like forward bends, child's pose, or alternate nostril breathing helps reduce the urge to reach for the phone by shifting focus inward." Meditation and breathing exercises improve awareness, making users more conscious of their screen time habits.
Over time, this mindfulness helps build healthier routines, encouraging tech-free wind-down periods before bed. "By incorporating just 45 minutes of yoga into the nighttime routine, individuals can break the dependency cycle, reduce stress, and enjoy more restful and undisturbed sleep without the constant digital distraction," explains Dr. Bangar.
5 yoga poses before sleeping for good sleep
Yoga also improves sleep quality, which is often disrupted by late-night phone use and blue light exposure, says Vidya Jha, Yoga Guru – Aatma Yog Studio, Karampura, New Delhi. He also shares 5 key yoga poses that can help you have better sleep at night.
1. Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose) – 3-5 mins
Why: Opens the hips, quiets the heart and mind, and is great for a nervous system reboot.
How to: Lie down on your back. Draw your soles together, knees falling outward. Use pillows under the knees if necessary. Rest your arms at your sides, palms facing up. Close your eyes; take a deep breath.
Tip: Try to extend the exhale.
2. Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-the-Wall) – 5 mins
Why: Relaxes tension in the legs, calms the lower back, and supports circulation and sleep hormone (melatonin) balance.
How to: Sit with your side against a wall. Swing your legs up as you recline on your back, with them staying against the wall. Arms may be extended or on your belly.
Optional: Put a folded blanket under your hips for support.
3. Balasana (Child's Pose) – 2 mins
Why: Softly stretches back and hips, calms anxiety and overthinking.
How to: Kneel and sit back onto your heels. Fold forward, with your forehead to the mat. Arms may be stretched forward or lie relaxed by your sides.
Tip: Exhale into your lower back on each exhale.
4. Marjaryasana-Bitilasana (Cat-Cow) – 1-2 mins
Why: Releases tension in the spine, synchronises movement and breath for nervous system relaxation.
How to: Come onto all fours (tabletop). Inhale: Arch the back, head and tailbone lift (cow).
Exhale: Round the spine, chin to the chest (Cat). Move slowly in a slow, synchronised breath.
5. Savasana with Belly Breathing (Corpse Pose + Diaphragmatic Breath) – 5 mins
Why: Deep restoration and lead-in to sleep.
How to: Lie flat on your back. Put one hand on your belly and one on your chest. Breathe slowly through the nose, with the belly rising and falling.
Allow the whole body to feel heavy.