There’s no better way to prevent injury or alleviate aches and pains than regularly stretching. There are several beneficial stretches to do before waking up. Taking a little extra time before falling asleep and after waking up to focus on lengthening your muscles and opening up your range of motion is important for your overall health and mobility.
The stretches to do in bed before sleep are equally as important as the stretches to do before waking up because they prevent muscle stiffness during sleep.
It’s tempting to jump into bed and immediately hit the hay. And being jarred awake by an alarm clock in the morning isn’t a tranquil way to start the day. By starting and ending your day with stretching, you can improve your overall flexibility and become more mindful during your morning and evening routine.
As if you needed another excuse to stay in bed a few extra minutes each day — stretching is your friend and can banish back pain and get a good night’s sleep.
4 Stretches To Do Before Waking Up
Before you check your email or start getting ready for the day you should take the time to open up your muscles. Stretches to do before waking up can all be done from the comfort of your bed. Humans instinctively feel compelled to stretched out when we wake up because it increases range-of-motion, improves circulation, and relieves tension.
- Full-Body Stretch: While laying on your back in bed, reach your arms overhead, interlocking your fingers. Flip your palms out so they are facing away from your head and simultaneously straighten your legs and point your toes. Hold this position for 10 seconds and release. Repeat three times.
- Hip Lift: Lie on your back and bend your knees while placing your feet on the bed. Keep your hands on either side of you with your palms flat on the floor. Bridge your lower back and push your hips up toward the ceiling. Hold this position for 10-20 seconds. Repeat three to five times.
- Knees To Chest: Lie on your back, bend your knees and keep your feet flat on the bed. Raise your feet and bend your knees. Draw them into your chest. Wrap your arms around your knees and gently pull. Tightly hug your knees and take deep breaths. Hold this position for 20 seconds. Repeat three times.
- Seated Side Lean: Sit with your legs crisscrossed on your bed. Straighten your spine, lift your right hand above your head, and place your left hand on the bed beside you. Slowly bend left from the waist, moving your right hand over your head toward your left hand while keeping your bottom firmly planted on the bed. Hold for 10 seconds before returning upright to your center. Repeat on the other side and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat these leans three times on each side.
4 Stretches To Do Before Bed
It’s important to stretch before going to sleep to alleviate any evening pains or tension that built up over the day. A few minutes before bed are all that’s needed to drastically improve your sleep quality, bolster muscle strength and flexibility, and relax the mind. The following stretches to do in bed before sleep will reduce discomfort and leave you with nothing but sweet dreams.
- Sleeping Swan: Sit on the floor and bend left knee, bringing the sole of your left foot to your right inner thigh. Lift your butt and extend your right leg behind you while extending arms overhead and slowly leaning forward. Hold for 60 seconds and repeat on the right side.
- Rag Doll: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent. Place your right hand on your left elbow and left hand on your right elbow. Bend your shoulders over from your hips and try to touch your nose to your knees. Allow your arms and head to hang down. Hold for 20 seconds and repeat three times.
- Cat Arch: Get onto your hands and knees on the floor. Place your arms straight under your shoulders and breathe out slowly as your round your spine back like a spooked cat. Tighten your abdominal muscles around round your neck downward. Hold for 10 seconds. Slowly breathe in as you straighten your back and look toward the ceiling. Repeat three to five more times.
- Lying Piriformis Stretch: Lie on your back with your knees slightly bent and feet planted flat on the floor. Lift your right leg and place the right ankle against the top of your left thigh. Loop your hands behind your left thigh and pull your thigh toward you until you feel the muscle tension. This stretch will lead to greater flexibility in your glutes and hips, which is especially important for sleepers who sprawl out.
New habits for better health
If stretching is out of the norm for you, then it might be worthwhile to incorporate these movements into your regular bedtime routine for adults. However, stretching has proved to be useful when it comes to eliminating aches and pains in muscles and joints, according to the American Council on Exercise. Stretching and exercise affect sleep quality, so it’s important to include them into your schedule.
If stretching hasn’t helped improve morning stiffness or night pains, then it might be a sign that you need a new mattress. Many people want to know what is the best mattress for back pain, but there’s no universal answer to this question. Aches and pains are a super personalized experience, so why should your mattress be generic?
Using a patented diagnostic sleep tool, the sleep experts at Mattress Warehouse are able to align all parts of your body composition and lifestyle to find the best bed for quality sleep.
By completing thebedMATCH® process, your best mattress will be identified by your body type, sleeping position, and discomfort or pain.
When you and your mattress are aligned, you’ll not only wake up feeling rejuvenated — you might even become more flexible. Start getting the best night’s sleep possible and greet the day with stretching. Visit your local Mattress Warehouse today to get fit for a new bed using bedMATCH®.