5-Minute Bedtime Yoga to Unlock Tight Hips

So many people feel uncomfortable in their bodies and they don’t know why. All they know is that their lower back aches, their body feels stiff, sitting too long becomes uncomfortable, and climbing stairs feels more difficult than it should. This leads to confusion and frustration with no clear reason as to the cause.

But there are reasons—and one of the most common is tight hips.

Your hips are essential to almost everything you do. They help you walk, sit, stand, bend, rotate, and transfer power throughout your entire body. When they’re restricted, other areas of the body take the fall (especially your lower back and knees).

When left unaddressed, that tension spreads. And it’s not just physical. Many yoga practitioners believe we also store stress and unresolved emotions in the hips. Although many of us have learned to push through instead of process, our hips keep score.

5-Minute Yoga for Tight Hips to Practice Before Bed

When you’re not moving through the day with pain and discomfort, everything feels easier. You sleep better. You wake up less stiff. Even your mood improves.

This beginner-friendly practice is designed to help you unwind, release tight hips, and help your entire body feel more at ease before sleep.

All it takes is 5 minutes.

1. Figure 4 Stretch

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the mat about hip-width apart. Relax your arms at your sides. Take a few deep breaths.

Cross your right ankle over your left knee in a Figure-4 shape. With your right hand, gently press your right thigh away from you. Stay here or draw both knees toward your chest, clasping your hands around your left shin or the back of your left thigh. Breathe here. Then lower your left foot back to the mat.

2. Reclined Cow Face Pose

Cross your right calf over your left thigh. Draw both knees toward your chest and clasp your hands behind your left thigh in a Figure 4 variation. For a deeper hip stretch, grab opposite big toes with your hands and draw your feet away from each other in Reclined Cow Face Pose. Breathe here.

3. Knee to Chest 

Lower your left foot to the mat and straighten your left leg. Draw your right knee toward your chest. Clasp your hands around your right shin and circle your right ankle in one direction, then the other.

4. Supine Spinal Twist

Cross your right knee over your chest toward your left side, keeping your shoulders on the mat. Reach your right arm straight out to the side and rest your left hand on your right thigh in a Supine Spinal Twist. Breathe here. Then return to center.

Lower your right foot to the mat and cross your left ankle over your right thigh in a Figure 4 shape. Repeat Figure 4, Reclined Cow Face Pose, Knee to Chest, and Supine Spinal Twist on the left side.

5. Knees to Chest

Draw both knees toward your chest, clasping your hands around your shins or the backs of your thighs. Breathe here.

6. Happy Baby Pose

Separate your knees and draw them toward your sides as you grasp your outer feet or calves in Happy Baby.

7. Reclined Bound Angle Pose

Lower your legs to the mat and draw the soles of your feet together in Reclined Bound Angle Pose. Place your hands on your body or rest your arms at your sides. Take a deep breath here through your nose and let it out through your mouth.