6 Stretching Movements Before Bed to Sleep Better • Hello Sehat
Do you often have trouble sleeping, even if you don’t sleep well? If so, now might be a good time for you to try doing yoga or tai chi. According to the latest reviews from Sleep Medicine Reviews, this movement can help sleep faster and soundly. If you want a shorter way, you can stretch before bed. How to?
The benefits of stretching before bed
As sports, stretching or movement stretching before bedtime will help focus your thoughts on body movements and breath control. Indirectly, stress and other unpleasant things that happened that day can be forgotten.
The benefits of stretching exercise before bed can also help you relieve tense muscles from your daily activities. This easy activity for you to do is also a deterrent cramps during sleep which often makes you wake up at night.
Variety of stretching movements before bed
These simple stretches you can do before you don’t and usually only take a few minutes. Here are some movement guides and their benefits that you can follow to help improve sleep quality.
1. Seated forward
The stretching movement is also a yoga poses named paschimottanasana this will help relax the muscles of the legs, thighs, calves, back, and shoulders.
Make a move seated forward with the following steps.
- Sit with your legs straight forward and your hands lifted up.
- Move your body forward with your hands straight, trying to reach your toes. Perform this movement as if you were kissing your knees.
- If your back hurts, bend your knees slightly or provide support under your knees to apply pressure.
- Hold this position for about 5 minutes.
2. Bear hug
This stretching exercise before bed can relax the muscles in the back. Especially for those of you who complain of pain or soreness in the shoulders and back because they often carry heavy loads or in the wrong sitting position.
As the name implies, movement bear hug similar to when you hug someone. Here’s an easy way to do it.
- Stand straight with your hands wide apart, then inhale deeply.
- Exhale slowly while crossing your arms up to your back, hold this position for 30 seconds.
- Return to starting position with your hands spread apart, taking a deep breath.
- Repeat the movement of crossing your arms and exhaling slowly. Do this movement alternately up to about 7 times.
3. Neck Stretches
Neck stretches or neck stretch useful for relieving tense head, neck and shoulder muscles. This stretching movement is right for you to do before bed.
To do neck stretching movements properly, you can follow the following guidelines.
- Sit or stand with an upright body position, then raise your hands around your head to hold your left ear.
- Still in the same position, slowly tilt your head until it almost touches your right shoulder.
- Hold this position for about 8 seconds, then repeat on the opposite side.
- If so, replace the stretching motion by lowering your head and resting your chin on your chest.
- Hold this position also for 8 seconds.
- Return to starting position with your head and body upright, then repeat the previous movement about 5 times.
4. Child’s pose
In addition to relaxing the body, regulate breathing, and reduce stress, this movement can also help relieve pain and stiffness in the muscles of the back, shoulders, and neck.
Child’s pose You can do between other stretching movements before going to sleep, it aims to provide a little break for the body.
- Sit with your knees touching the floor and your buttocks resting on your heels.
- Relax your knees and feet, then let your body seem like you are lying on your stomach towards the front with your face facing the floor.
- Extend your arms forward to relax the muscles of your shoulders and hands. To make it more comfortable, you can use a pillow that is placed on the lower part of your thigh or face to provide more energy.
- Take a deep breath, then let it out slowly.
- Hold this position for about 3-5 minutes.
5. Legs up the wall
Movement which is also known as viparita karani in yoga terms, it is intended that the back, shoulders, and neck that often feel stiff or sore can be more comfortable while sleeping.
The lower part of the body that is on top, similar movement headstandit is also beneficial for increasing blood flow to the head. Do this movement with the following steps.
- Lie down with your feet lifted and against the wall.
- Place your hips and feet against the wall, then choose how far away from the wall you feel comfortable.
- To make it more comfortable, you can place a pillow at the bottom of your hips.
- Place your hands in a comfortable position, generally at your sides.
- Then, hold this position for 5-8 minutes.
6. Reclining bound angle pose
After a tiring day, doing these stretches can help reduce tension in your hips and around your groin muscles.
Especially if you often spend time sitting all day. Well, the steps you need to take are as follows.
- Sit on the floor with your feet together. Automatically the legs will be bent and wide open.
- Slowly, bring your body back until your back is against the floor. If necessary, use a pillow at the bottom of the knee to make it more comfortable.
- Place your hands in a comfortable position, usually at your sides.
- Take a deep breath and feel the relaxation from the waist to the thigh.
- Hold this movement for 5-8 minutes.
In the morning, you can do too stretching movements after waking up to improve blood flow and heat up the muscles before doing activities.
Movement stretching before sleeping you can practice this easily, but if you experience pain or discomfort you should stop immediately. Consult your doctor first if you have previous muscle, bone and joint problems.
Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Streifeneder, C. (2017). The 4 Most Relaxing Pre-Bedtime Stretches Ever. Prevention. Retrieved 7 December 2021, from https://www.prevention.com/fitness/a20505600/stretches-you-can-do-before-bed/.
Cronkleton, E., & Hildreth, D. (2018). 8 Stretches to Do at Night Before Sleep. Healthline. Retrieved 7 December 2021, from https://www.healthline.com/health/stretching-before-bed.
Wang, F., Eun-Kyoung Lee, O., Feng, F., Vitiello, M., Wang, W., & Benson, H. et al. (2016). The effect of meditative movement on sleep quality: A systematic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 30, 43-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2015.12.001
