YOUR EVENING RESET
After a full day of activity, decision-making, and stimulation, it’s normal to feel mentally wired or physically tense. A gentle evening ritual helps release the day’s buildup and prepare your body and mind for rest. Moving with intention slows the nervous system, supports deeper sleep, and creates space to ease into relaxation.
Yoga is one of the most effective ways to wind down in the evening. Gentle movement, paired with conscious breathing, activates the parasympathetic nervous system – your body’s “rest and restore” mode. This response helps lower stress hormones, eases muscle tension, and creates a sense of calm that prepares you for sleep. Evening yoga often targets areas where stress accumulates, such as the spine, hips, shoulders, and jaw, gently encouraging release.
A consistent evening yoga practice supports your body’s natural circadian rhythm. It can enhance melatonin production, aid digestion, reduce inflammation, and ease you into a more restful and regenerative sleep. Even just 15 minutes of slow, mindful movement can become a powerful signal that your day is ending and it's time to relax and reset.
EVENING YOGA IN WINTER
As daylight fades early and temperatures drop, the body naturally turns inward. Similar to nature, this is a season for conservation and restoration. An evening yoga practice in the winter months becomes a powerful way to warm gently, settle deeply, and support resilient rest.
Cold weather can leave muscles feeling stiff and joints less mobile, especially if you’ve been sitting more or bracing against the chilly, wet weather. Gentle breath led movement gradually builds heat, supports circulation, nourishes connective tissue, and helps fascia stay supple during colder months. Unlike summer’s need to cool down, winter evenings benefit from contained, cocooning postures – think blankets, bolsters, and layers that allow you to soften without losing heat.
Breathwork is especially powerful in winter. Slow nasal breathing gently warms the air before it enters the body, while extended exhales activate the parasympathetic nervous system, easing you out of the day’s demands. Deep belly breathing supports digestion and signals safety and calm to the nervous system.
Your winter evening practice is less about output and more about nourishment. Dim the lights, wrap yourself in warmth, move slowly and intentionally. Let your mat become your comfort blanket against chilly winter days. When you honour the body’s need for steadiness and rest in winter, you cultivate resilience that carries you through to spring – you’ll waken from winter hibernation feeling restored and nourished.
EXPLORING WINTER EVENINGS FLOW IN YOUR PRACTICE
This gentle evening practice stays close to the ground to help dial down your nervous system and prepare your body for sleep.
Row One begins with self-myofascial release (MFR) for the sides and back of the hips. Hips often feel achy and stiff by the end of the day, whether you’ve been active or sitting for long periods. Hip tension can also contribute to unsettled sleep. MFR helps rehydrate the tissues and ease built-up tension, making it more comfortable to settle and rest at night.
Rows One and Two focus on gentle mobility for the hips, spine, and shoulders, releasing the accumulated tension of the day. The movements are slow and steady, supporting both recovery and nervous system regulation.
Row Three keeps you low to the ground but introduces a slightly wider range of movement. If you’re feeling exhausted, you can simply repeat Row Two and skip this section. If you’re still carrying restlessness or mental busyness from the day, Row Three offers just enough variety to help discharge that energy and quiet the mind.
The Final Row brings you into seated shapes, includes targeted shoulder MFR for common areas of stiffness, and finishes with a soothing restorative pose to ease you fully toward sleep.
ALIGNMENT CUES
Below are the MFR and restorative techniques used in this sequence. The props you’ll need are:
1 x bolster - or 2 towels, wrapped around a horizontally rolled pillow and tied to secure.
2 x yoga blankets - or any wool, thick cotton or fleece blanket with density.
2 x yoga bricks - or two thick similar sized dictionaries.
Restorative
MFR
No.1 - Hips (gluteus medius)
Compression - from side lying up on your forearm, stack 2 x balls behind your frontal hip bone on your outer hip, gently press down with an inhale and release on the exhale x 5 breaths.
Sheer - slowly lift and lower your leg x 5.
Roll & cross fibre - roll up and down on your outer hip.
No.2 - Glutes (gluteus maximus & piriformis)
Compression - from supine with knees bent, place 2 x balls in the centre of each buttock muscle, gently press down with an inhale and release on the exhale x 5 breaths.
Sheer - slowly lift and lower one knee at a time towards your chest x 5. Place your right foot on your left knee and lower and lift your right knee.
Roll & cross fibre - roll around the whole buttocks area.
No.3 - Shoulders (trapezius & supraspinatus)
Compression - from supine with knees bent, place 2 x balls in the centre of each upper shoulder, gently press down with an inhale and release on the exhale x 5 breaths.
Sheer - slowly circle arms overhead and back to the ground x 5.
No.4 - Back of skull
Lie on your back and place a brick on its lowest high just below the curve at the back of your skull (occipital ridge). Extend your legs out, arms slightly away from your body, palms facing up. Legs slightly apart and feet fall out to the side, soften your shoulder, back of the neck long. Gently roll your head from side to side to ease out tension in the muscles at the back of the skull. Roll your head mid way to your right, pause and make small circles, repeat on the left side. Remove the brick, soften the muscles across your forehead, your temples, the back of your skull. Let the whole body become heavy and melt into the support of the ground.
Restorative
No.5 - Mountain brook
Half roll a four fold blanket and place it at the top of your mat. Accordion fold the other blanket and place it below your top blanket where your shoulder blades will lie. Place the bolster towards the bottom of your mat where your knees will be. Lie supine on your back, nestle the rolled part of the top blanket in the curve of your neck, place the accordion folded blanket under the lower tips of your shoulder blades and the bolster under the creases of your knees. Legs and arms extended, palms facing up, feet fall out to the side. Feel the rise and fall of the props supporting your back body.
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Ruth Delahunty Yogaru