Evening Yoga for Women Over 40 - Relaxing Routine

Are you over 40 and struggling to relax after a long day? Well, you’re not alone, as many women are challenged by their careers, family life, and menopause, which impacts their quality of life, and their ability to get a restful night’s sleep.

If this is you, you must try evening yoga.

Known for its meditative, and relaxing qualities, it can help you unwind, decompress, and calm the nervous system after challenging days and help you get a restful night's sleep.

In this article, we discuss evening yoga for women over 40. We cover why it works, the best types, key poses, and a sample routine so you can start today.

Why Evening Yoga Works After 40

Yoga has long been associated with improving flexibility, posture, strength, and balance, however, its benefits go beyond this. Below, we highlight the reasons evening yoga is great for women over 40 and how it can help you unwind after a long day.

Calms the Nervous System and Support Sleep

A major issue many women struggle with during their 40s is high-stress levels and mental tension. Sources show that this is due to fluctuation and decline of the reproductive hormone estrogen, which increases levels of stress hormone cortisol. Further studies show that elevated cortisol levels were associated with greater sleep problems.

Evidence shows that yoga can lower cortisol levels, ultimately reducing stress and anxiety. Performing in the evening as a part of your bedtime routine can help improve sleep, supporting overall health and well-being.

Eases Joint Stiffness and Muscle Tension

Women in their 40s can also experience increased inflammation which can lead to muscle and joint aches and pain. Sources show that estrogen deficiencies around menopause can impact the health of bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, collagen, cartilage, and joint capsules.

Fortunately, this can be remedied with yoga, which is scientifically shown to be effective for relief and improving function. Performing evening yoga can help relieve muscular tension and joint stiffness accumulated from sedentary or strenuous daily activities, allowing you to be loose and relaxed.

Best Types of Evening Yoga

There are several types of yoga, all with slightly different approaches for achieving different results. Below, we show you the best types for evening yoga to help you deepen relaxation, and release tension.

Restorative Yoga for Deep Relaxation

Restorative yoga is a gentle, and calming form of yoga that prioritizes relaxation and mindfulness. It uses traditional yoga poses such as the child’s pose, reclining butterfly, and leg up the wall along with props including bolsters, blocks, and blankets to support holds which can last between 5-20 minutes, helping to enhance relaxation.

This form of yoga is perfect for evening yoga, allowing you to focus on breathwork to calm the nervous system before bed.

Yin Yoga to Release Tension

If you are experiencing tension throughout the body, you should try yin yoga. Yin yoga is a gentle, slow-paced form of yoga that focuses on lengthening deep connective tissue such as ligaments, fascia, and tendons.

Yin yoga's brilliance comes from its intermediate hold duration, where poses are held for 3–5 minutes, allowing the body and gravity to release the tension of the deep connective tissue.

Gentle Hatha for Light Movement

Hatha yoga is a traditional style of yoga that uses light movement, postures (asanas), and breathwork (pranayam) to balance the mind, body, and spirit. Poses and postures are held for 15–30 seconds and even minutes, making it a more dynamic form of yoga.

This means it may be more suitable for women wanting to move and mobilize the body after a long day.

Key Poses for Evening Practice

If you are unsure of which style of yoga you want to try, here is a list of key poses to try from each style. Below we provide a brief description of each, and a step-by-step guide so you can try them right now.

Reclined Butterfly for Hip and Pelvic Release

When we think of restorative yoga, one pose that always comes to mind is the reclining butterfly. Performed lying on the back with knees bent and opened to the sides, this pose uses gravity and body weight to open the hip and release the deep connective tissue of the pelvis.

How To Do The Reclining Butterfly

1. Place your mat on the floor and place three bolsters on the mat. One down the middle at one end, and two on the sides of the mat on the other end.
2. Sit in the middle of the mat so your back is facing the single bolster and your feet and legs are positioned between the two side bolsters.
3. Place your feet on the floor so that your knees are bent at 90 degrees.
4. Lie back on the single bolster, aligning it with your spine.
5. Place the soles of your feet together, open your hips, and lower your knees outward onto the side bolsters.
6. Lay your hands out to the side, palms facing toward the ceiling.
7. Hold for the desired duration, taking deep, controlled breaths.

Modifications

• If you do not have a yoga bolster, you can use a couch cushion, rolled-up blankets, or towels.
• If you struggle with lying back or lowering the knees outward, you can place blocks or additional bolsters in either position for support. Once you are comfortable, try removing the blocks or additional bolster to gradually increase flexibility.

Legs-Up-the-Wall for Circulation and Calm

The legs-up-the-wall pose is excellent for alleviating stress, improving circulation, and calming the nervous system.

How To Do Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose

1. Place your mat on the floor perpendicular to a wall.
2. Place a towel or padding on the end closest to the wall.
3. Lie on your back and position your hips on the padding and against the wall.
4. Rest your legs vertically against the wall.
5. Hold this position for your designated duration.

Modifications

• To increase the stretch, scoot your pelvis toward the wall.
• If you experience pins and needles, tuck your knees to your chest for relief.

Supported Forward Fold to Ease the Mind

The support forward fold is a seated yoga pose that is great for reducing stress and calming the nervous system.

How To Do Support Forward Fold

1. Place your mat on the floor and sit down upright with your legs straight and feet together.
2. Position a bolster under your knees and stack two bolsters on top of your legs.
3. Lean forward and rest on the bolsters.
4. Hold this position and perform deep, controlled breaths for your chosen duration.

Modifications

• If you struggle to sit upright with your legs straight, place a folded towel or blanket under your hips. This will make it easier to hold this position.
• If you are a beginner, we recommend stacking two bolsters on the legs. This will make it easier to lean forward and rest. Once flexibility increases, the bolster can be removed to increase the stretch.

Supine Twist for Spine and Digestion

The supine twist is a phenomenal exercise that boasts many benefits including, improving mobility, relaxation, and digestion.

How To Do Supine Twist Pose

1. Lie down on your mat with your legs and feet together.
2. Bend your left knee so that your left foot is planted on the floor.
3. Inhale, then exhale as you bring your left leg over your right leg.
4. Allow your lower back to rotate until your left knee reaches the floor.
5. Hold for your chosen duration. Then switch sides.

Modifications

• As you focus on correct breathing, inhaling, then exhaling as you rotate the body. This will help you bring your leg across the body.

Savasana with Guided Breath

Savasana, also known as corpse pose is a resting position where the body and mind can align, and tension can be released from the body.

How To Do Savasana

1. Place your mat on the floor and lie on your back.
2. Position your arms at the side of your body with your palms facing up.
3. Place your feet shoulder-width apart.
4. Staying in the position and focus on box breathing for your desired duration.

Modifications

• If you feel pressure in your back, place a bolster under your knees.

Breath and Mindfulness Techniques

Two powerful tools that make yoga so effective are breathing and mindfulness techniques. Below we discuss different techniques to help you maximize each pose

Box Breathing or 4-7-8 Method

The box breathing method and the 4-7-8 method are two popular breathing techniques that improve relaxation and focus and reduce stress.

The box breathing method is performed with 4 seconds of inhaling, 4 seconds holding your breath, 4 seconds exhaling, and 4 seconds holding your breath. This methodical approach is easy to remember, follow, and perform, allowing you to focus and relax in your poses.

Like the box breathing method, the 4-7-8 method describes the duration of each phase. Here you inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds.

This can be challenging for beginners, so we recommend being patient, and giving yourself grace when trying them for the first time.

Body Scan for Releasing Tension

The body scan is a technique where you scan the body for tension, pain, or sensory abnormalities. Performing in the sitting or lying position, focus on breathing and scan your body for feelings of tension and pain.

Starting from your toes and scanning upward until you reach the top of your head, making note of the different sensations. From here, use your breath, body weight, and gravity to imagine releasing these areas of tension.

Evening Intention-Setting or Journaling

As the name suggests, evening intention-setting and journaling are used to direct your attention and focus on goals for the following day or upcoming event. Setting your intention when the nervous system is calm allows you to think clearly without being encumbered by external stressors and thought processes.

Journaling plays an important role in the process, allowing you to process daily experiences, and assess how you can respond to them in the future. These two practices combine to help you relax, become present, and improve clarity surrounding life events.

Sample Evening Yoga Routine (20–30 Minutes)

Below is a sample evening yoga routine to help you take advantage of the amazing benefits. The routine contains a warm-up, poses, and breathwork to help you calm your nervous system, reduce stress, and practice mindfulness.

Gentle Warm-Up and Seated Poses

Reclining and Restorative Poses

Closing Breathwork and Stillness

The following pranayama is a combination practice of box breathing and 4-7-8 breathing methods to practice stillness and calm the nervous system.

Recap: Why Evening Yoga Supports Midlife Wellness

Evening yoga is incredible for supporting midlife wellness, providing women with an outlet to decompress from daily stressors. Performing yoga in the evening as one of the final activities of the day means you can calm the nervous system, which encourages a restful evening.

Summary of Benefits

Evening yoga can overhaul your health, with benefits including:

• Calm the nervous system
• Reduce joint stiffness
• Relieve muscle tension
• Decrease stress
• Improve sleep

Sustainable Practice Tips

Evening yoga has considerable benefits, however, this doesn’t automatically mean fitting in sessions will be easy. Below, are tips to improve training sustainability:

• Make it fit your schedule (plan sessions when there will be no disruptions).
• Adjust the session and pose duration to match your preferences.
• Take it slow, focus on breathing, and be present.
• Create a dedicated and inviting evening yoga space.

Combining Yoga with Evening Rituals

Evening yoga is highly effective when it is paired with a healthy evening routine. We recommend performing your session one to two hours before bed, focusing on restorative poses. This provides you enough time to take your time and relax into each pose while allowing enough time after your session to perform your bedtime routine.

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