3 Poses Jonathan Van Ness Turns to When He Can’t Sleep—And Why You Should, Too

3 Poses Jonathan Van Ness Turns to When He Can’t Sleep—And Why You Should, Too Turns out, the star of Netflix's "Queer Eye" loves a restorative practice. Updated Mar 21, 2022 ELLEN O'BRIEN Woman in Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose PHOTO: ANDREW CLARK; CLOTHING: CALIA Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app. Stars, they’re just like us. (In suffering from insomnia, that is.) In a recent interview with Self, Jonathan Van Ness, one of the hosts of Netflix’s Queer Eye, says he sometimes wakes up with anxious thoughts in the middle of the night. Relatable. To nudge his body back to a state of rest, Van Ness says he’ll listen to a calming podcast, a guided meditation—or move through some restorative yoga postures. “I do Child’s Pose, supine twists, and Legs up the Wall and hold each pose for three minutes or so and just breathe to calm my nervous system,” he says. Since I aspire to have Van Ness’ confidence, charisma, and hair (of course), I wanted to emulate his restorative nighttime sequence. I reached out to Susan Raposo, a yoga teacher with expertise in restorative yoga, to find out more about Van Ness’ favorite poses. The benefits of restorative yoga for sleep Waking up in the middle of the night is no fun—and getting back to sleep can be difficult. Enter: restorative yoga. A restorative yoga practice can calm down your nervous system and lull you back to sleep. Raposo says restorative movement can ground you in the present moment, causing your anxieties to dissipate. If you’ve had a hectic day (hello, nighttime anxiety), you may experience thoughts about the past or the future. Restorative movement helps you focus on the present. Unlike more active practices, she says restorative movement lets you reap the benefits of a practice—without the strenuous physical work. “It allows you to relax and nourish yourself from the inside out, as opposed to trying to strengthen a muscle or stretch your muscles,” Raposo says. Props can help you support your body in this way, too. She recommends adding a blanket or a bolster to certain poses in order to take stress off of your body. Additionally, she says restorative practices can boost your endorphins, leading to lower levels of stress—and better overall well-being. Jonathan Van Ness’s favorite yoga poses for better sleep Woman in Child's Pose (Photo: Andrew Clark; Clothing: Calia) Balasana (Child’s Pose) You may wake up in the middle of the night with some back pain. (Maybe Van Ness does, too.) If you’re experiencing back pain, Raposo says Child’s Pose is a great option for relieving that pain—and creating space across the back of your lungs. She says this restorative posture benefits your digestive system, calms you down, and gives you space to be introspective–all important elements in combatting insomnia.