9 Yoga Poses For Insomnia After Sexual Trauma

What is Insomnia?

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that can be diagnosed by a doctor based on a list of criteria listed here. Some common symptoms are:

• You find it difficult to fall or stay asleep
• You get poor quality of sleep
• Symptoms that make sleep difficult for at least 3 nights a week.

Trauma can affect sleep quality from PTSD symptoms like nightmares and hypervigilance. The more strategies you have in place to manage your symptoms is the best way to overcome your insomnia after sexual trauma.

How Can Yoga Support Insomnia?

Yoga is an additional tool you can add to your care plan to help mange insomnia symptoms.

• This study discovered that yoga had the potential to improve sleep quality in patients with chronic insomnia disorder.
• A thirty- day preliminary study discovered that yoga helped reduce stress and improve sleep quality compared to a control group who received conventional treatment.

Yoga calms your nerves through breath work, gentle stretching, and other techniques. Breath-to-movement exercises help you become more aware and activate your relaxation response. The effects are even more potent when you include trauma-informed yoga.

Traditional yoga may not be the best option for trauma survivors because of certain triggering techniques. Trauma-informed yoga ensures there are no triggering props, poses, or cues that could cause you more stress and anxiety. The classes are also designed to be accessible so anyone can practice (no headstands or complicated jargon.)

Is trauma-informed yoga the only style you should practice to manage insomnia after sexual trauma? Trauma-informed yoga isn’t a style, but a way of teaching a certain style of yoga. This means you can still practice different yoga styles while avoiding triggers. Before we dive into the best yoga poses for insomnia after sexual trauma, let’s look at three calming styles of yoga.

3 Best Yoga Styles For Insomnia

Certain techniques and yoga styles are better suited for promoting a restful sleep. These focus on reducing or cooling your body and use strategies to focus on activating your parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system.

Restorative Yoga

These classes create a restful experience with many props and long holds of poses.

This may be for you if:

• You love using yoga props
• You like holding poses for a longer period (5–10 minutes per pose) (Note: Holding poses this long may trigger trauma survivors. You’re always welcome to fidget, skip, or end your practice.)
• You don’t want any strengthening or flexibility-focused classes
• You like quiet, low to the ground classes

Yin Yoga

Yin yoga promotes flexibility by stretching your connective tissues (instead of muscle, like other styles).

This may be for you if:

• You want to work on flexibility and promote relaxation
• You like holding poses for a longer period (at least 2 minutes per pose)
• You prefer low to the ground classes

Hatha Yoga

Hatha yoga is the most active of the more restful styles of yoga, includes gentle stretching, and includes more poses per class compared to yin or restorative.

This may be for you if:

• You want to work on flexibility, strength, and relaxation (depends on the class theme)
• You like restful classes that include many poses (poses held for about four breaths each)
• You want to include standing postures in your practice

These styles are typically the most calming, but I encourage you to explore other styles that may best suit you. I welcome you to read about the most common yoga types here.

9 Effective Yoga Poses For Insomnia After Sexual Trauma

You are welcome to skip, adjust, or adapt these poses to best suit you and your unique anatomy. Yoga is not about mastering every pose, but finding the ones that speak to you and bring you the most comfort. You may also find that your body prefers different poses depending on the day, previous activities, and many other factors. You are your best teacher.

Neutral Tabletop Steps:

Table top is a neutral starting point for many of these poses. I welcome you to read these steps first to create a smoother transition for the following poses.

Steps:

1. I welcome you to start in a tabletop position with your wrists under your shoulders, and knees under your hip points. You have the option to explore if you prefer your feet curled under or flat on the mat.
2. Perhaps you widen your fingers, pressing into your knuckles and finding a soft bend in your elbows.
3. As you’re ready, explore finding length in the back of your neck and gentle core engagement to provide a stable start position.

1 & 2. Cat/Cow (Marjaryasana/ Bitilasana)

Cat Physical Benefits:

• Spinal warmup
• Relaxes shoulders
• Releases upper back muscles

Cow Physical Benefits:

• Releases chest muscles and shoulders
• Spinal warmup

Insomnia benefits: The flow of your breath as you perform these poses helps to bring you to the present moment and quiet racing thoughts.

Steps:

I welcome you to start in a tabletop position (steps listed at the beginning of the section).

Cow Pose Steps:

• In your time, I welcome to explore dropping your belly and lifting your gaze. Lengthen your tailbone and crown toward the sky to your level of comfort, and expand your heart center by broadening your chest. You might explore engaging your core.
• I welcome you to gaze forward, keeping length in the back of your neck (to prevent over arching or craning).
• Traditionally, this is taught with an inhale, but you’re welcome to explore exhaling.

Cat Pose Steps:

• As you switch your inhale/exhale, gently return to neutral table top, continuing to flow as you explore rounding your spine, drawing your navel toward your spine.
• Perhaps you gaze between your knees, lengthening the crown of your head to the floor. I welcome you to separate your shoulders and draw your chin to your chest, going to your level of comfort.
• I invite you to continue this flow of breath to movement for as many repetitions as you choose.

3. Supported Child’s Pose (Or Traditional Child’s Pose) (Balasana)

Note: I give steps for traditional child’s pose without a prop. If you’re using a prop, add the bolster, pillow, or cushion under your face and torso after Step 2.

Physical Benefits:

• Gentle hip & glute stretch
• Releases hamstrings
• Opens back body

Insomnia Benefits:

• Draws your attention inward to remove distraction/ racing thoughts
• Releases muscle tension
• Activates parasympathetic nervous system

Steps:

1. In your time, I welcome you to start in neutral table top position.
2. As you’re ready, I invite you to explore bringing your big toes to touch. You have the option to have your knees together or as wide as is comfortable for you.
3. I invite you to send your seat back toward your heels.
4. Once you reach your level of comfort, extend your arms out forward and melt your head and heart to the mat. From here, you are welcome to explore arm variations, perhaps bending your elbows or even resting your head on overlapping hands.
5. If your knees are together, you might explore resting your hands along the sides of your body, softening your shoulders.
6. If you feel comfortable, allow your body to soften with each exhale. Remain here as long as you choose, perhaps deepening your exhale with each out breath.

4. Supported Bridge (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

Note: I give steps for bridge pose below without a prop. If you wish to add one, place the bolster, block, pillow, or cushion under your sacrum after Step 4.

Physical Benefits:

• Stretches chest, throat, diaphragm
• Opens shoulders
• Relieves back tension

Insomnia Benefits:

• Gentle inversions promote activation of your parasympathetic nervous system (only if you are comfortable)
• Especially beneficial for anxiety & insomnia

Steps:

1. Begin in a lying position.
2. When you’re ready, I invite you to bring the soles of your feet flat to the mat, knees bent.
3. In your time, reach your hands toward your heels, pressing your palms and upper arms into the mat.
4. I welcome you to continue to press your hands into the mat as you lift your hip points and tail bone off the mat. Invite space between your chin and chest as you engage your lower abs.
5. It may help to imagine squeezing a block between your knees (this prevents them from splaying out which can be harmful to your knee health).
6. You may add a prop underneath you (between your low back and tail bone) if you choose and rest, or hold this pose as long as you choose. Note: To protect your neck in this pose, it’s advised that you avoid turning your head while your hips are lifted.
7. To exit the pose, slowly lower your hips down to the mat (option to lift your heels before lowering). It may feel nice to explore drawing your knees to your chest after this pose.

5 & 6. Spinal Twists

Physical Benefits:

• Promotes digestion
• Restores balance to your body after back bends
• Releases obliques, chest shoulders & upper back

Insomnia Benefits:

• Helps to ease racing thoughts/ quiets your mind
• Releases muscle tension for relaxation

Seated Spinal Twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana) Steps:

1. I invite you to start in a sitting position of your choice (you could also do this in a chair)
2. In your time, I welcome you to find length in your spine from your sits bones to your crown.
3. When you’re ready, lift your arms above your head, perhaps with an inhale.
4. On your exhale, I welcome you to bring your left hand to your right knee (or toward your right side), and extend your right arm behind you, twisting from your core.
5. I invite you to inhale and lift, elongating your spine. On your exhale, you may choose to twist to your level of comfort. Note: It’s recommended to use your core to twist instead of pressing your hands to twist.
6. Remain here as long as you choose, then gently unwind and repeat on the other side.

Supine Spinal Twist (Jathara Parivartanasana) Steps:

1. Begin in a lying position on your back.
2. In your time, I welcome you to gently bump your hips an inch or two to the right.
3. As you’re ready, hug your knees to your chest, and gently allow them to fall to the left. You might explore stacking your hips and knees.
4. You have the option to place your hands anywhere you choose (capital T, cactus arms, or where you are most comfortable)
5. I welcome you to explore pressing both shoulders into the mat as you find a gaze that suits you. Rest here as long as you choose, then gently unwind, recenter, and repeat on the other side.

7 & 8. Hip Stretches

Physical Benefits:

• Many trauma survivors hold tension in their hips, and releasing this can be relieving

Insomnia Benefits:

• Brings attention inward
• Releases tension

Figure Four Stretch (Reclined Pigeon) Steps:

1. From a comfortable lying down position, I invite you to bring both soles of your feet flat to the mat. In your time, cross your right ankle over your left knee.
2. You can either stay in this shape, or energetically think of pressing your right knee away from you (This prevents you from pressing on your knee which may be harmful.)
3. You also have the option to gently grab behind your left thigh or shin, reeling in your legs closer to your chest.
4. You might explore pressing your low back into the mat, and keeping slight engagement in your right foot (flexing). I invite you to keep soft shoulders until you are ready to release.
5. Gently release in your time and repeat on the other side.

Pigeon (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana) Steps:

This stretches the same muscles as the figure four stretch, but may be less accessible depending on your anatomy. I included both so you could explore which one you prefer. Both are great options for a hip stretch.

• Begin in tabletop position (listed above)
• When you’re ready, I invite you to glide your right knee behind your right wrist. Gently slide your left knee back to your level of comfort, and gently lower onto your right leg.
• You’re welcome to adjust your right shin to your comfort level (it does not need to be parallel with the short edge of the mat).
• I welcome you to square your hips and see if your back foot extends straight (without veering left or right).
• From here, you can explore either staying upright using your arms to lift you, or gently lower to your forearms or to the mat. You could explore resting your forehead on your hands or using a block to support your head.
• Remain here for a few breaths or as long as you like, perhaps using each exhale to soften tension in your shoulders, jaw and hips. Repeat on the other side when you’re ready.

9. Savasana (Final Resting Pose)

Physical Benefits:

• Releases muscular tension

Insomnia Benefits:

• Allows a moment for total relaxation. This may be difficult for trauma survivors, so you may choose to instead view savasana as your moment for uninterrupted rest that works for your needs and body.

Traditional savasana has several cues that may be triggering for trauma survivors. Trauma-informed savasana is essentially anything you want it to be. I invite you to read the instructions for a simple trauma-informed savasana, but know that you can take any pose that suits you.

Savasana Steps:

1. You may wish to include any additional props that bring you comfort (blankets, pillows, bolsters, eye pillows, comfy clothes, etc.)
2. Begin in a comfortable lying position.
3. In your time, I invite you to extend your feet hip width distance apart, allowing your feet to rest open.
4. You may choose to wiggle your shoulders underneath you, allowing your arms to fall open by your sides, palms facing up.
5. With your eyes opened or closed, you may take these next few moments to allow your body to ground into the mat, knowing you have nowhere to be and nothing to do. Remain here as long as you choose.
6. Please note that you are welcome fidget, end, or extend your savasana for as long as you need. You can rest in any way you choose and you don’t need to close your eyes.

Exiting Savasana Steps:

• I welcome you to bring awareness to the space around you, maybe wiggling your fingers and toes.
• You might explore reaching your hands above your for a stretch, maybe inhaling as you do so.
• In your time, gently roll to one side, perhaps using your arm as a pillow.
• As you like, you’re welcome to arrive at a comfortable seat.

Related Post: 12 Tips for Savasana After Trauma: Your Gentle Guide to Trauma-Informed Savasana 

5 Yoga Tips For Better Sleep

I invite you to try these tips while you’re in bed to promote restful sleep. These tips are traditionally known to activate your parasympathetic nervous system to help you settle into a restful state.

These are all optional, and you may choose which to do based on your preferences.

1. Elongate your exhales. I invite you to exhale for a duration that works for you and to your comfort level.
2. Lay on you right side. This allows your right armpit to have compression on the pressure points located here. This stimulates your parasympathetic nervous system and promotes relaxation. (Fun fact: This is also why traditional savasana asks you to roll to your right side when ending practice)
3. Inhale through your left nostril, and exhale through your right (Chandra Bhedana). You are welcome to do this energetically or by physically blocking your nostrils.
4. Complete a body scan, slowly welcoming tension release as you start from your toes and slowly travel up your body. Gently releasing tension may shift your racing thoughts to your sensations and allow for a quiet mind and relaxed body.
5. Find a gentle meditation by focusing on your breath. This allows you to end the mental chatter that may be keeping you awake.

Overview

Insomnia from trauma can be a frustrating, exhausting symptoms after trauma. With these yoga tips and poses, you can create a routine to help you manage stress, triggers, and anxiety before bed so you rest peacefully and restfully.

I invite you to give yourself grace and ease as you practice, and take as many breaks as you need. Take care.