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Do Yoga In Bed! Try These 9 Yoga Poses You Can Do From Your Bed (Really!)

Life has many joys, and laying in bed cozy under the covers is high on that list. But have you practiced yoga in bed? Because honestly, nothing can beat that!

Whether you’re coming home after a long day or hitting the snooze button on an early morning alarm, if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s how good it feels to be in bed.

So on days when hitting your mat simply isn’t an option, using your little oasis of blankets and pillows can be the next best thing.
 

Here’s a 20 Minute Yoga in Bed Sequence to Help You Sleep

 

 
 

Do Yoga In Bed – Here Are 9 Yoga Poses You Can Practice Without Leaving the Sheets:

Get the most out of your lounge time with these yoga poses that you can safely and comfortably do from bed.

Rise and Shine! Do Yoga in Bed With These 6 Morning Yoga Poses
 

1. Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana)

baddha Konasana

As one of the simplest bed yoga poses, Bound Angle Pose is perfect to open your hips and relax your mind.

Let’s try it:

  • Begin in a comfortable seated position with your sit bones rooted into the mat
  • Bend both knees out as you bring the soles of your feet together
  • Once you’ve done this, check in with your spine. Lengthen from your seat to the crown of your head, being mindful to keep your shoulders relaxed gently away from your ears
  • From here you have a few options: You may want to bring your thumbs between your soles and allow the rest of your fingers to wrap around the outsides of the feet. In this position you can breath into the pose, gently opening your feet apart like a book on every exhale
  • A second variation would be to interlace all 10 fingers around your toes. With your inhale, lengthen through your spine, and as you exhale, bend your elbows to fold forward
  • In this pose, it’s easy to create undue tension in the neck. So, be gentle with yourself and your body. Bed yoga is meant to be comfortable: no pain, no strain!

 

 
 

2. Seated Side Body Stretch

seated side body stretch

This Seated Side Body Stretch can be practiced just about anywhere, but it’s especially great for yoga in bed!

Let’s try it:

  • Start in a seated position, with your legs crossed or extended out in front of you
  • Keep your seat rooted down. If you start to lift up either from one side or the other, you will not only get little from the stretch, but also compromise the integrity of the pose
  • When you’re ready, inhale both arms overhead
  • On your exhale, release one hand to the bed at the side of your body
  • Keeping your opposite arm extended, begin to lean into your side body, looking up toward the ceiling
  • As you exhale, allow yourself to deepen into the side stretch, keeping in mind that you’re working to achieve length so don’t dump into your arm on the bed

 
Looking for more yoga tutorials and yoga tips? Check out our full library of Yoga articles here
 

3. Seated Cat/Cow Variation (Marjaryasana/Bitilasana)

As you can see, a comfortable seat is home base for many of these bed yoga poses. However, rather than opening the hips or stretching the side body, this gentle series of movements is designed to create space in the chest, back, and neck.

Let’s try it:

  • Begin with a neutral spine in a comfortable seated position
  • As you inhale gently extend your chest and chin forward, creating a comfortable arch in your spine
  • On your exhale, round into your spin, tucking your chin to your chest
  • Continue to move through these positions with your breath for a few rounds
  • If it feels okay, you can also add spinal circles here

 
Need help getting out of bed? Here are 5 Energizing Yoga Practices for a Natural Energy Boost on Those Days You’d Rather Be in Bed
 

4. Extended Puppy Pose (Anahatasana)

puppy pose

Often referred to as “Heart Melting Pose,” Extended Puppy Pose exists as a happy medium between a Child’s Pose and Downward Facing Dog.

And since it’d be a little challenging to do a Down Dog on your mattress, this is the perfect alternative for your bed yoga practice.

Let’s try it:

  • Start by coming into a table top position
  • Check in to ensure your shoulders are directly over your wrists and your hips are in the line with your knees
  • Spread your fingers wide, rooting your hands into the bed
  • Walk your hands forward as you move your seat back in the direction of your heels
  • Stretch actively through your arms as you drop your forehead gently to the bed
  • Continue to pull your hips back
  • After holding for a few minutes, drop your seat to your heels and spread your knees for a wide-legged Child’s Pose

 

5. Child’s Pose Thread-the-Needle Variation

childs pose thread variation

While Child’s Pose, or Balasana, is often considered to be a resting or restorative yoga pose, it is still an awesome option for increasing flexibility in the hips – especially when you’re practicing yoga in bed.

Let’s try it:

  • Come into this position from your Extended Puppy Pose (as described above)
  • Be sure your toes are together and your knees are wide
  • Continue to extend your arms out in front of you and stay here for a few rounds of breath
  • Slide your right arm underneath your left
  • Lower your right shoulder and ear to the bed
  • After holding for a few moments, release and take the same variation on the left side

 

6. Reclined Figure Four (Supta Kapotasana)

reclined figure 4

Who doesn’t love a yoga pose that increases your hip mobility and flexibility right from the comfort of your bed?

Reclined Figure Four is equally beneficial to the body at the start of the day or before winding down for the night, and this hip opening yoga pose can be taken into a number of different variations to satisfy the needs of every level of practitioner.

Let’s try it:

  • Start by lying flat on your back
  • To ensure your spine is in line, remove any pillows from under your head
  • Bend both knees, keeping your feet on the floor
  • When you’re ready take your right ankle and place it onto your left thigh, just above your knee
  • From here you can gently press into your right thigh with your hand to create a deeper external rotation. However, be mindful not to push directly on your knee
  • If this variation feels comfortable, you may want to go deeper by interlacing both fingers behind your left thigh. Keeping your head flat on the bed, pull your left thigh closer into your body, lifting your foot into the air
  • Maintain flexed feet throughout this pose to ensure your knees stay safe

 
 

 
 

7. Reclined Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)

reclined bound angle pose

Continue to send your hips some love with this delicious bed yoga variation of Bound Angle Pose (often referred to as Butterfly Pose).

Let’s try it:

  • From your reclining position, bend both knees
  • Bring the soles of your feet together, allowing your knees to splay open
  • If this is uncomfortable or your legs cannot rest gently here, consider sliding pillows underneath the outsides of both knees

 

8. Reclined Spinal Twist

reclined spinal twist

Now that we’ve opened and stretched, it’s time to rinse out the body with a restorative spinal twist.

While this pose is especially beneficial for the back, hips, and abdominals, it is important to remember that twists can be uncomfortable for anyone with existing spine issues. So, start slowly and always listen to your body.

Let’s try it:

  • Extend your arms out into a “T” position, then allow your legs to fall to the right side
  • If your neck feels comfortable, you may consider taking your gaze in the opposite direction of your legs. This will deepen the twist farther
  • You may also want to place your right hand on top of your left thigh or extend your left leg straight for a yogi toe grip variation

 

9. Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)

legs up the wall

Viparita Karani is a passive inversion that promotes relaxation, relieves stress, and requires very little exertion.

In addition to promoting relaxation, Legs Up the Wall is also an ideal pose for relieving lower back pain, easing swelling in the legs and feet, and increasing circulation. Plus, the literal change in perspective created through inversions can also help to deepen meditation and decrease stress.

Use These 4 Restorative Yoga Poses for Immediate Stress Relief

Let’s try it:

  • Scoot your seat as close as possible to your wall or headboard
  • From here, simply send your legs up toward the ceiling, making sure the rest of your body is relaxed gently on the bed
  • The result should be an “L” shape with the back of your legs and seat kissing the wall or headboard

 
 

Practice Yoga in Bed for Ultimate Relaxation!

All of these bed yoga poses help to calm and relax your body and mind for deep relaxation. Enjoy them first thing in the morning or just before bed to either set the mood for your day or unwind after a long day.

Enjoy these comforting and relaxing shapes and being able to practice yoga in your pajamas!
 
 

Get Better Sleep With This Short and Sweet Guided Breathwork

Take our 7-minute Better Sleep guided breathwork class on YA Classes to relax, unwind, fall asleep faster and improve the quality of your sleep. Not yet a YA Classes member? Try it out for free for 14 days.

Breathwork Class
With Allie Geer

 
Do you like to practice yoga in bed? Which are your favorite bed yoga poses? Please let us know in the comments below – we love hearing from you!

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Samantha Maracic

Sam Maracic is a freelance wellness writer and yoga teacher based in New York. Her work has been featured on CBS, MindBodyGreen, Bustle and more. Sam's first book "We Are Like Wells" is available now on Amazon.com.

sammaracic.com

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