Though a great Savasana is enough to make me woozy during yoga class, I still struggle to harness this meditative power when I'm actually trying to sleep. The good news? There are actually a variety of yogi-recommended poses that can help the body and mind relax and unwind before bed.

To come up with a routine of sleep-friendly postures, we called on the expertise of Rachel Brathen, who you might know as @Yoga_Girl if you happen to be one of the 1.3 million Instagram followers who tracks her every handstand in exotic locales around the world. Now the author of a book named for her social media persona, the yogi is currently on a whirlwind world tour of workshops, classes, and book signings. In other words, she knows a thing or two about how to unwind after a busy day.

The Workout
Watch the full video if you'd like to follow the flow of the sequence, and check out the clips below to break down each pose, if you want to focus on alignment or just try them individually.
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Side Child's Pose
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1. Begin in child's pose with your arms extended out in front of you. Let your forehead rest on the earth and breathe deeply through the nose.
2. Gently walk your hands over to the side of the mat, coming into a side stretch in child's pose. Press the palm of the hand firmly to the ground and draw the sit bones towards the heels.
3. Take a few breaths, then come back to center and do the other side.
Cat/Cow
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1. Come to table top position, on your hands and knees.
2. Inhale to lift your heart and chest.
3. Exhale to round the spine, relaxing the back of your head.
4. Repeat a few times, slowly moving the body together with the breath.
Seated Forward Bend
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1. Come to a seated position with your legs extended.
2. Inhale to lengthen your spine. Exhale and gently fold forward.
3. Take a few deep breaths here, feeling the stretch at the back of the legs. Softly come back to centre.
Cross-Legged Forward Bend
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1. Move into a comfortable seated cross-legged position.
2. Fold forward, melting your heart to the ground.
3. Come back up, shake your legs loose, and cross with the opposite leg over. Repeat the pose.

Spinal Twist

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1. Come lying onto your back and draw your knees into your chest.
2. Take a twist: Bring your knees over to the right side, rolling over to the outer hip. Extend the left arm to the side and softly gaze over the left shoulder.
3. Take a few breaths here, feeling your body from within, and then come back to centre and twist toward the opposite side.
Legs Up the Wall
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1. Bring the edge of your mat over to a wall and bring your legs all the way up, wiggling your sit bones as close as you comfortably can to it.
2. Place one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly. Relax the lower back and the neck.
3. Stay here for as long as you are comfortable! This is a very healing position for the entire body.
From the editors of ELLE.com

From: ELLE US