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Sleep expert reveals her secret weapon for falling asleep fast — and you can do it in 15 minutes
Trouble falling asleep and staying asleep during the night? You’re not alone. According to a recent study, around one third of Americans are sleep deprived.
As part of our quest to help you prioritize rest this Sleep Awareness Week 2025, we spoke to Dr Leah Kaylor, licensed clinical psychologist specializing in sleep and trauma at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who revealed her go-to technique to relax, fall asleep fast and have an uninterrupted night.
According to her, practicing yoga therapy for a year has helped her to not only get restful sleep but also release tension, improve circulation, and promote increased physical comfort.
The best part? You can do this in just 15 minutes before you go to bed without using any sleep aids. Read on to find out more...
Yoga Therapy for sleep: How it helps you fall asleep fast
"Even if I am not feeling sleepy, by the time I am finished with my 15 minute yoga therapy routine, I start to yawn. I also perform my yoga therapy exercises in a very dimly lit room with soothing ocean sounds," explains Dr Kaylor.
Yoga therapy improves sleep by targeting the root causes of insomnia—stress, anxiety and an overactive mind.
The deep breathing of yoga therapy lowers cortisol (the stress hormone), promoting relaxation.
Pranayama or controlled breathing which is practiced as part of it, help slow the heart rate, signalling the brain that it’s safe to enter deep sleep. This helps quiet the mind and slow the body before sleep.
"My body knows to associate this with sleep and helps make sure I am in a very relaxed state, especially because of the breathing that I do to promote parasympathetic (rest and digest) activation," she adds.
In fact, research indicates that yoga promotes better sleep quality, daytime functioning and reduces the number of times you tend to wake up during the night.
What is yoga sleep therapy?
"I began doing yoga therapy about one year ago due to a back injury," says Dr Kaylor. She was at the time looking to engage in a physical activity which would help her winddown at the end of a busy day.
The challenge before her was to ensure that it didn't aggravate her injury or cause pain in any way.
She then sat with her yoga therapist and created a special movement plan to address her injury and induce a sense of calm which led her to practice yoga therapy.
It is essentially a combination of specific gentle movements and breathing practices to promote relaxation and also target specific areas of the body, similar to that of physical therapy.
"I have been a sleep expert for over 6 years now, but adding yoga therapy to my routine was a game changer in helping me transition to sleepiness," she says.
"While I do a lot of other activities to support my sleep (including strict sleep hygiene rules), this has proved to be an amazing addition to my wind down routine."
Yoga poses for better sleep
Yoga therapy is more than just stretching—it’s a powerful tool for better sleep and overall mental well-being.
Yes, it might seem unapproachable or unachievable to some, but in reality, it can be as easy as you need.
To simplify the experience and maximise the benefits, Dr Kaylor recommends the following yoga poses to try within just 15 minutes before your usual bedtime.
Child’s Pose: Relieves tension in the back, shoulders, and hips and promotes a sense of calm and grounding.
Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position. Bring your big toes to touch and spread your knees wide apart. Sit back onto your heels, lowering your hips toward your feet. Stretch your arms forward on the floor, palms down, and let your forehead rest gently on the floor. For additional support, place a bolster or pillow under your chest and forehead, allowing your body to fully relax. Breathe deeply, feeling your back stretch and hips relax. Hold for 1–3 minutes.
Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose: Encourages blood flow, reduces swelling in the legs, and calms the nervous system.
Sit sideways next to a wall, with your hips as close to the wall as possible. Swing your legs up onto the wall as you lower your upper body to the floor. Adjust your position so your legs are straight up against the wall, and your back is resting flat on the ground. Rest your arms by your sides, palms up. You may close your eyes. Breathe deeply and hold the pose for a few minutes.
Supported Forward Fold: Stretches the hamstrings and lower back while promoting a sense of calm and tranquility.
Sit with your legs extended straight in front of you. Place a pillow or folded blanket on your thighs. Slowly fold forward from your hips, resting your torso on the support in front of you. Let your head relax down and breathe deeply. Hold the position for a few minutes, allowing your body to fully relax into the stretch.
Gentle Twist: Relieves tension in the spine, hips and lower back and promotes gentle detoxification through twisting.
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Drop both knees to one side, keeping your shoulders grounded. If needed, place a pillow between your knees for added comfort. Extend your arms out to the sides in a “T” shape and turn your head to face the opposite direction of your knees. Breathe deeply and hold for a few minutes on each side.
Supported Savasana: Encourages deep relaxation, reduces muscle tension and provides a restorative pause for the body and mind.
Lie on your back with your legs extended straight and arms relaxed by your sides, palms facing upward. For added comfort, you may place a pillow under your knees to support your lower back or place a small cushion under your head. Close your eyes, take slow, deep breaths, and focus on relaxing every part of your body. Stay in this position for a few minutes.
Expert tips for better sleep
Yoga therapy will distract your mind from the day's stresses and get your body ready for rest. However, you'll be able to make the most of it by tweaking your bedtime routine to include some basic practises that leads to better sleep.
Avoid screens in the evening
Blue light from screens impacts sleep quality in two ways. It suppresses melatonin production (the sleepy hormone), thereby confuses your body's sleep and wake cycle.
It also stimulates your mind, keeping you entranced in the latest news, music or work which can make you forget about sleep altogether. Continuous nights without getting the recommended hours of rest will lead to sleep deprivation.
Create a calming sleep environment
Just like how yoga therapy brings clarity and peace to your mind, decluttering your bedroom and keeping it neat can reduce anxiety and stress while inducing relaxation.
A simple way to do this is to always keep whatever is in your direct line of sight while lying in bed very minimal.
Making your bed every day also instantly gives a tidier look to your sleep space. You can also invest in cozy bedding products like one of the best weighted blankets to ensure you're as comfortable as possible.
Block out external distractors
"I perform my yoga therapy exercises in a very dimly lit room with soothing ocean sounds," says Dr Kaylor.
It is crucial that you set up the right ambiance for practicing yoga therapy and for your sleep. It is near impossible to enter into a peaceful slumber in a bright, noisy room. Dimming your lights in the evening or using blackout curtains can easily resolve this issue.
If you're part of the 38% of the American population who cannot rest in an extremely silent room, a white noise machine or gentle meditative music is your ideal work-around to achieve a peaceful night's sleep.
