8 Evening Yoga Stretches to Release Tension & Relax

Whether you want to wind down after a day’s work or get ready for a good night’s sleep, stretching can play a vital role.

Yoga stretches in the evening help to release muscle tension, relieve nagging aches, and improve blood circulation.

All of these can help you become more relaxed and allow you to wind down. 

Stretching in the evening also provides a healthy signal to your circadian rhythm, which helps you sleep well at night.

The circadian rhythm helps our bodies to respond to environmental cues that inform our bodies to feel sleepy or awake.

So in this post, you’ll learn the best evening yoga stretches we really enjoy.

Let’s dive in.

1. Seated forward fold

This bedtime stretch intends to relax your hamstrings and calves.

• Sit down on the floor and maintain a straight-back posture.
• Put out your legs in front of you and close to each other.
•  Let your hands touch your feet.
• Keep this position for a few seconds.

2. Bear hug

Bear hugs help you target the rhomboids and trapezius muscles. 

These muscles are part of the major muscle group and tend to get fatigued in our day-to-day activities.

Bear hugs are the best yoga stretches to help provide relief to these muscles in the evening.

• Take deep breaths while you cross your arms in one arm on top of the other position.
• Allow your arms to rest in a self-hug position and bring your shoulders outward in front.
• Keep the position for a few seconds.
• Switch between the positions of arms as you repeat the process.

3. Reclining bound angle pose

The reclining bound angle pose targets your hips and groin.

• Sit down on the floor and press your feet and soles against each other.
• Let yourself lie down on your back and let out your arms in a relaxed position of your choice.
• Take deep breaths as you relax your hips and thighs.
• Remain in this position for a few minutes.

4. Lizard pose

This bedtime stretch allows you to maintain a lizard-like position. It’s meant to target your quads, hip flexors, and hamstrings.

• Go on your knees as you rest your arms on your elbows and let your hands touch the ground.
• Lift your right ankle and bring your left leg forward such that it rests on the foot with the foot next to your hands.
• Let out the left foot slightly backward maintaining its ankle position.
• Remain in the position for a few seconds.

5. Standing forward bend

The standing forward bend aims to stretch your back and neck.

• Approximate a distance of six inches between your feet as you stand.
• Bend yourself in such a way that allows you to touch your feet.
• Maintain the position for a few seconds.
• Cross your arms over your head and grab opposite elbows.
• Stay in that position for a few seconds.

6. Up the wall

This bedtime stretch is good for your glutes and hamstring.

• Sit down on the ground in a position where you are facing the wall.
• Lie down with your back on the floor 
• Raise your legs in such a way that they are against the wall and perpendicular to the ground.
• Let out your arms in a direction parallel to the wall.
• Stay in the position for a few seconds.

7. Child’s pose

There are many types of child pose evening yoga stretches. The one we are focusing on aims to relax your back, shoulders, and neck.

• Go on your knees and sit on your heels.
• Bend forward letting your forehead touch the ground.
• Let out your arms forward. Stay in this position for a few minutes.

8. Seated side fold

This bedtime stretch intends to relax your neck, shoulders, and back.

• Sit down on a comfortable cushion and cross your legs.
• Let your right hand touch the floor next to your right hip. Do this with your right elbow curved a little.
• Allow your left arm to reach for the right ear.
• Move to the left.
• Do this for a few seconds.
• Change sides and do the process again.

Related: 6 Morning Yoga Stretches to Loosen Stiffness

Takeaway

It’s true that how you start your day matters. But even more important is how you end it.

These evening yoga stretches can help your end your day in a relaxing and refreshing way. And at the same time, it will enable your mental wellness as you continue to practice them.