Do You Stretch Before Bed?

Yoga, pilates, tai chi, and general stretching are harder than you think. There are many benefits to stretching in the short term but also for later on in life. We found 10 of the best stretches to do before bed.

Benefits Of Stretching

Many studies have linked gentle exercise and stretching with an overall improvement in sleep quality as well as mood and quality of life. One study showed improvements with insomnia, another found that older adults reported improved sleep quality even after performing low level physical and cognitive activity, and a third found improvements in postmenopausal women.

There are many different studies on many different groups of individuals that have shown success in sleep improvement through stretching. In general, stretching before bed helps:

• reduce body pain
• reduce  and improve mood
• increase mobility and flexibility
• improve muscle health and performance
• reduce the risk of injury
• promote weight loss
• improve circulation

10 Beneficial Stretches To Try Before Bed

*Only stretch as much is comfortable and stop if any stretches cause pain or intense discomfort‍

1.Bear Hug

1. Stand with the feet hip-width apart and open the arms wide.
2. Cross one arm over the other arm at the elbows, reach over opposite shoulders and grab the backs of the shoulders.
3. Gently pull the shoulders forward and hold the stretch for 20 seconds while breathing deeply.
4. Repeat the stretch, alternating the cross of the arms (right over left then left over right).

*This stretch is felt in the upper back

2.Head Rolls

1. Sit with a straight back and gently bring the chin down toward the chest.
2. Roll the head to the right, so that the ear is over the right shoulder.
3. Hold for 5 seconds, then gently roll the head back toward the chest.
4. Roll the head to the left, so that the ear is over the left shoulder.
5. Hold for 5 seconds, then slowly roll the head back in a clockwise circle three times.
6. Reverse the direction and gently roll the head in a counterclockwise circle three times.
7. Repeat steps 1–6 three times.

*This stretch should be felt in the neck and upper back

3.Spinal Twist

1. Lie on one side on the floor or a mattress.
2. Bend both knees slightly deeper than 90 degrees at the hips, keeping the knees themselves bent at 90 degrees and the feet overlapping.
3. Align the hips and shoulders and keep the head and spine in a straight line.
4. Extend the lower arm in front of the body to chest level, resting it on the floor or mattress while reaching with the upper arm down to grasp the rib cage.
5. Engage the abdominal muscles to stabilize the spine, pulling the shoulders back and down without moving the torso.
6. Gently exhale and slowly rotate the torso by pulling the rib cage around with the upper arm. Avoid rotating the hips, as this causes the upper thigh to slide backward while twisting.
7. Continue rotating the torso until comfortable. The deeper bend at the hips and engaged abdominal muscles will prevent arching in the lower back.
8. Hold this position for 15–30 seconds, then release and relax for 30 seconds.
9. Repeat steps 1–8 two to four times on each side.

*This stretch should be felt in the abs, chest, full back, and shoulders

4.Kneeling back extension with Child’s Pose

1. Start on the hands and knees, with the shoulders over the hands.
2. Gently rock forward onto the arms, rounding the shoulders and allowing the lower back to drop toward the floor.
3. Hold for 5 seconds.
4. Gently rock backward and sit with the buttocks as close to the heels as possible.
5. Extend the arms, looking down to the floor to keep the neck aligned with the spine.
6. Hold for 5 seconds.

*This stretch should be felt in the lower back and ab muscles

5.Seated forward bend

1. Sit upright on the floor or a mattress, with the legs extended in front of the body and the toes pointing toward the ceiling. Do not bend the knees. Keep the head aligned with the spine and the hands on the tops of the thighs.
2. Engage the abdominal muscles to stabilize the spine.
3. Gently exhale and slowly bend the torso forward at the hips with a flat back, sliding the hands down the legs toward the ankles or toes. Avoid rounding the shoulders, and keep the head and spine aligned and the toes pointing up.
4. Bend forward as far as is comfortable. Grasp the ankles or toes if necessary.
5. Hold for 15–30 seconds, then relax for 30 seconds.
6. Repeat steps 1–5 two to four times.

*This stretch should be felt in the calves, shins, thighs, lower back, and bottoms of the feet

6.Legs up the wall

1. Lie on the floor or a bed with a flat back and raise both legs until they are straight, as if they are resting against a wall.
2. Clasp the hands behind the thighs, below the knees, and gently pull the legs toward the chest. Use a towel or resistance band if it is difficult to reach or grasp the thighs.
3. Hold for 30–60 seconds, then release and relax for 30 seconds.
4. Repeat these steps two to four times.

*This stretch should be felt on the back of the thigh and behind the knees

7.Butterfly

1. Sit upright with the spine and head aligned, the legs bent on each side in front of the body, and the soles of the feet facing each other. Place the hands on the tops of the feet.
2. Engage the abdominal muscles and gently bend forward at the hips with a straight back, lowering the elbows to rest against the inner thighs, then gently push the thighs downward.
3. Continue to press down on the thighs as much as is comfortable. Hold for 15–30 seconds, then release and relax for 30 seconds.
4. Repeat these steps two to four times.

*This stretch should be felt in the inner thighs and hips

8.Seated side stretch

1. Sit upright with a straight back, the knees folded, the head and spine aligned, and the hands resting at the sides.
2. Press one hand into the floor or a mattress and engage the abdominal muscles, then slowly bend the torso sideways in the direction of the pressing hand, lowering the elbow to the floor while the opposite arm stretches to extend over and across the body.
3. Continue to bend sideways as much as is comfortable. Hold for 15–30 seconds, then relax for 30 seconds.
4. Repeat these steps two to four times on each side of the body.

*This stretch should be felt in the sides, abs, and lower back

9.Knee to the chest and figure four

1. Lie on the floor or a bed with a flat back and both the knees bent.
2. Hold one thigh behind the knee and gently pull the knee toward the chest.
3. Hold for 20 seconds, then relax for 30 seconds.
4. Repeat five times on each side, then return to the position in step 1.
5. Cross one leg over the other, just above the knee.
6. Grasp the back of the opposite thigh above the knee and gently pull it toward the chest.
7. Hold for 20 seconds, then relax for 30 seconds.
8. Repeat these steps five times on each side.

*This stretch should be felt in the butt, hips, ad backs of thighs

10.Standing quadriceps stretch

1. Stand with the feet hip-width apart and a straight back.
2. Hold a wall or the back of a chair with one arm for balance.
3. Lift one leg up behind the body, bringing the heel toward the buttocks.
4. Grasp the ankle and gently pull the heel closer to the body. Avoid arching or twisting the back.
5. Hold for 30–60 seconds, then release and repeat with the opposite leg for a total of three repetitions.

*This stretch should be felt in the front of the thighs

Safety

Don't be fooled, stretching can be strenuous and can cause injury if not done properly. Make sure you maximize the benefits and reduce the risks with these steps:

1. Warm Up

• Muscles stretch better when they are warm. Try warming up your muscles before stretching such as a hot shower or bath.

2. Practice controlled breathing

• Breathing slowly with a rhythm helps with holding stretches as well as helping the muscles stretch further. A good pace of breath is 6 to 10 slow and deep breaths for each stretch

3. Avoid strenuous stretching or exercise

• Intense workouts before bed actually to the opposite of help you fall asleep. It raises the body temperature and causes adrenaline to rush helping you stay awake longer (hence why intense workouts are usually done in the morning).

4. Stop if anything is painful

• This is a sign that the stretching is too intense and can cause injury. Stop if there is pain or if the discomfort is unbearable.

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Gentle stretching has been proven very beneficial in helping to improve sleep. Test out these exercises, gently, yourself and see if you wake up feeling more awake and refreshed!