Yoga Poses You Can Do in Bed (No Studio Required)

Stretching is a great way to get the mind and body in sync before starting or ending your day. The benefit of doing yoga in bed? No yoga mat required! Using your soft, clean sheets as your studio for some morning or evening yoga is a good way to take care of your joints by stretching on a mattress instead of the hard floor. With the right pair of sheets, your bedding will stay snug on the mattress and not slip off no matter how much you move. Yoga right before bed or right when you wake up can ease your brain from sleep into the waking world. These are five of our favorite yoga poses you can do right from your bed. Your body will thank you after!

Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)

Starting off with an easy bend forward slowly starts to wake up your muscles and eases you into the more difficult poses. Sit straight up with your legs out in front of you, feet flexed upward. Slowly bend forward with your arms outstretched; try not to grip your feet if you can help it as that can make it so you aren’t stretching the right muscles in your hips. Bend forward as far as you can and hold it for about 10 seconds.

Universal Twist (Shava Udarakarshanasana)

This pose can take a few different forms, but our favorite is the simplest. Lie flat on your back and bend the left leg over the right, twisting your body with it. Gently apply a bit of pressure with your right hand to stretch the bent left leg over the right. Repeat on the other side.

Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

While you are still lying on your back, bend your knees and lift your buttocks upward, clasping your hands together underneath. Moving your hands a bit closer to your feet, keeping your shoulder blades flat against the bed. Hold this pose for about 15 seconds, if it’s comfortable. It can be easy to hurt your back so be sure to go slowly with this one and not push your body.

Reclined Goddess (Supta Baddha Konasana)

Keep lying down for this one and place your feet together so that the soles are touching. Let your knees fall out to the side with your arms outstretched. This pose is great for your inner thighs and knees and can also be quite relaxing! Feel free to hang out here as long as you want… we won’t judge if you fall back asleep for a little bit.

Child’s Pose (Balasana)

Finish out your bedtime or morning stretch with a yogi classic: Child’s Pose. Go up on your knees and sit backwards onto your heels with your arms stretched forward. The farther away you place your hands, the better stretch you will get as you sink back into the pose. Focus on your breathing here, and enjoy the fact that you just got in a great mini-yoga session from the comfort of your own bed.

Corpse Pose (Shavasana)

Now that you are stretched out and relaxed, lay flat on your back with your arms and legs away from the body, palms facing upwards. This is a good time to reflect on your day with a light meditation while feeling the space hovering around your body.

Be sure to be gentle with your body during these poses. After all, it’s a calm bedtime or morning stretch, you aren’t trying to go all out with this one! Yoga is great for improving circulation, adding a bit of life into your muscles, and calming the mind. By doing these stretches in bed, you are giving your body the space to relax in a comfortable environment that can set the tone for your sleep cycle or the day ahead.