6 simple yoga moves may help you sleep better

Sometimes, no matter how hard you try and relax, it's hard to nod off to sleep.

"I have clients who have really grueling schedules in professional sports, so they have trouble sleeping," said yoga mobility trainer Dana Santas.

Santas teaches pro athletes in different sports to use yoga to help call it a day.

"What are poses we can do right before we get into bed to sort of realign our bodies and inhibit those muscles that have been overactive all day long," said Santas.

Mayo Clinic studies suggest yoga helps reduce injury risk, lower blood pressure, and help improve balance. Santa's believes six minutes of specific yoga poses before bed is all it takes for a better night's sleep...regardless of your calling in life.

"Oh, my mind's racing and so, you have the thoughts jumping around," said yoga student, Jeannine Timmins.

"Your brain function, everything, relies on sleep," said yoga student, Mary Derkevics.

So here's Santas' six minutes to sleep routine:

First, hold onto the bed frame and do a squat.

Then, a warrior one pose with one leg in front and the back leg straight.

Next, get into bed with a pillow under the legs. Once you're set, try a bent knee twist. This stretches your low back muscles and opens your chest.

Finally, take deep or diaphragmatic breaths, counting them backwards from 20 to one.

Experts say diaphragmatic breathing actually taps into your central nervous system and releases certain hormones. So rather than wake you up, it helps you relax.

"You want to start to get into this, doing this as a ritual every single night." said Santas.