Try Bensons for Beds’ ‘Mattress Yoga’ routine tonight as a way to relax your body to help promote better sleep
Yoga, much like any form of exercise, can be a beneficial way to unwind and alleviate stress. But can it really help you sleep better? Research suggests that engaging in yoga may lead to reduced levels of cortisol, and with higher cortisol levels often being associated with difficulty falling and staying asleep, it could be that yoga can indeed lead to a better night’s sleep.
In light of this, UK bed specialist Bensons for Beds has partnered with personal trainer and yoga instructor Luke Hughes from Active Careers to create a simple yet effective ‘Mattress Yoga’ routine consisting of four yoga poses to help improve your sleep.
The mattress yoga poses for sleep, which can all be done from the comfort of your bed, include some traditional yoga moves and simple breathing exercises to help promote better sleep.
Luke Huges from Active Careers says: “Adopting a quick bedtime routine of yoga poses and breathing exercises can help you relieve tension in the body, improve blood flow to your brain and increase oxygen uptake that can make you feel relaxed and drowsy ready for a good night’s sleep.”
Bensons for Beds’ Brand Manager, Rachel Marshall, adds: “We know that quality sleep is important, but sometimes it’s not always possible due to busy routines and an inability to switch off. By devising this ‘Mattress Yoga’ routine we’re hoping we can encourage people to take ten minutes for themselves to implement a great wind down routine at bedtime, helping to promote better sleep.

The full Bensons for Beds Mattress Yoga for Sleep routine is below and also available to view on the Bensons for Beds’ website.
1. Lion’s Pose / Lion’s Breath
– Sit cross-legged on the bed keeping your body upright with a straight back and look straight ahead of you whilst performing this exercise
– Open your chest and move your shoulders back, keeping them relaxed and place your hands on the mattress either side of you for stability
– Take a big deep breath in through your nose
– Now open your mouth as wide as possible with your tongue out and exhale forcefully making a “ha” sound until all the air has been expelled from your lungs.
– Take a few moments before repeating this exercise 5 times.
2. Bhramari Pranayama Breathing Exercise
– Sit cross-legged on the bed, place your hands on your knees, chest open and shoulders back and relaxed
– Close your eyes and place your thumb over the cartilage of each ear (the flap just outside the ear canal)
– Place your index fingers on your forehead and other fingers gently over your eyes
– Take a big deep breath in through your nose
– Breathe out through your nose keeping your mouth shut throughout.
– As you breathe out make a sound like a bee, hence why this exercise is also referred to as the ‘bee breathing exercise’
– Focus on keeping the humming as you breathe out and try to make it a constant, slow “buzz” as opposed to a short burst of air being released
– Repeat this 5 times.

3. Shavasana
– Lie down on your bed with your legs stretched out in a natural position with your feet facing outward
– Place your arms down by your side with your palms facing towards the ceiling
– Ensure your head, neck and back are straight in neutral alignment.
– Close your eyes and allow your body to sink into the bed
– Take long deep breaths ensuring to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth
– Focus on your breathing rhythm to prevent your mind from wandering and try to keep this pose for 5 minutes.
4. Child’s Pose
– Start on your hands and knees on your bed, keeping your knees slightly apart and feet touching
– Sit back onto your heels or as far as feels comfortable.
– Stretch your arms out in front of you with your palms facing down on the bed
– Let your forehead gently rest in front of you on the bed or on a cushion if you can’t get your head all the way down
– Now bring your arms back next to your legs with palms facing up keeping your head and spine still
– Now inhale and exhale deeply for 8-10 breaths before taking a moment and then repeating 3 times.
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