After a good night’s sleep, we can all perform at our highest levels. It might be difficult to persuade our mental and physical faculties to stop functioning for the day.
According to Anna Ribaudo, Capp-OB, DPT, PT, OCS, and a clinical lead for the Integrative Care Centre at HSS, most individuals consider lying down a relaxation method. After long hours, your body needs to shift into a relaxed state before bed.
She suggests adding 10 minutes of stretching every night. Just like someone on a marathon, you have to push yourself.
Your muscles are constantly active regardless of whether you’re standing, walking, or sitting. Therefore, you can relax them by stretching, allowing you to rest peacefully.
According to Ribaudo, if you have trouble falling asleep, stretching before bed could help you go to sleep more easily.
It may also enhance blood circulation and decrease muscular tension, contributing to a good night of sleep and the rate at which muscles recover. The greater the physical relaxation you can achieve, the more you’ll sleep well.
Sheena Alva, OCS, DPT, and clinical expert at HSS, also says that when sleeping, your body is at complete rest; you don’t use joints or muscle groups. You need to stretch before bed to make the most of the restorative power of sleep.
Additionally, it may assist you in relieving pain when you are sleeping, which is particularly helpful if you suffer from muscular spasms throughout the day.
Ribaudo explains that some muscles you overuse while active during the day, such as the quads, neck, hamstrings, and calves, may spasm while sleeping.
When you transition directly from being engaged to sleep, you increase the risk of getting muscle spasms that may be severe enough to force you out of sleep.
How and When Should You Stretch Before Going To Sleep?
You should find a suitable time (about an hour) and location, when you can regularly do your evening stretches before bed. Ribaudo suggests that you don’t have to wait to stretch when your body is exhausted and needs rest; you’ll have a greater chance of not doing it.
She advises beginning by having a couple of deep breaths before getting started. Use about five to ten minutes to calm your body and mind if you’re worried or stressed.
As with all types of stretching, the objective is to extend your muscles rather than overstretching them. According to Ribaudo, you should only do what’s comfortable.
You’ll experience discomfort, but don’t go to the extent of pain. You shouldn’t have any trouble breathing at any point while stretching.
Why You Should Stretch Before Sleeping
1. Stress Reduction
Stretching has numerous beneficial effects on the mind and body.
Establishing a nightly stretching regimen may assist your body in entering a state of relaxation, making it easier to sleep. It is an excellent substitute for screen-based activities like late-night browsing, which may interfere with sleep.
Many studies have demonstrated that physical activities such as yoga and stretching when appropriately practised, have the potential to be very contemplative and soothing.
Focusing on the moment and the activity is an excellent method to detach from stressors and signal your mind to quit worrying.
2. Enhanced Blood Circulation
Stretching before a competition is common practice for athletes, helping to enhance blood circulation. With proper blood flow, your joints and muscles can perform to their full potential because they will get a more excellent supply of nutrients and oxygen.
3. Eases Tension in the Muscles
Prolonged periods of activity may cause muscle tension, causing pain when you are about to sleep. It can prevent you from getting a good night’s rest.
However, stretching will help you relieve muscle tension. When a muscle stretches, it expands, and the strain it can maintain decreases.
4. Aids in Relieving Lower Back Pain
If you suffer from lower back pain, you may not have a peaceful night of sleep.
Even while getting a high-quality mattress might be helpful, experts agree that regular stretching will lessen the pain even more.
5. Reduces the Risk of Injuries
Besides relieving back pain, stretching minimises the chance of injuries in other parts of your body.
Your joints and muscles experience excellent motion by stretching them. But by avoiding stretching, your muscles tighten up, and while active, they won’t be able to perform well.
This will increase the likelihood that you may stress your muscles, injure your joints, or otherwise cause harm.
Because relieving stress is critical to getting excellent sleep, specialists advocate adopting a pattern in the late hours for winding down and relieving any tension that may have built up throughout the day.
Reading a book or relaxing in a hot tub are peaceful hobbies that could help some individuals. However, some people find that little stretching provides them with stress alleviation.
Stretches to Incorporate Before Bedtime
This section will assist you in winding down, relieving tension, and relaxing so you may sleep peacefully. From standing to lying stretches, the goal is to get your body as relaxed as possible.
1. Hip Flexor Stretch
If you remain seated for extended periods, the flexor muscles in your hips get stiff. It is necessary to counteract a long time of hip flexion by doing hip extensions to avoid back discomfort.
In addition, many yoga practitioners believe that holding emotions in the hips causes rigidity. Hip openers and stretches help relieve stress for some people by reducing the emotional tension that builds up in the muscles and promoting sleep.
Practice this simple hip stretch: Move a single foot forward until you’re in the lunge position with toes and hips forward, front knee bent, and rear knee very slightly bent. The weight is distributed evenly between the front heel and the mat.
By looking down at it, ensure you can observe your toes on your front foot.
Exerting excessive force on the knee joint might cause it to wear out prematurely if the front knee is positioned too far over the toes.
If you notice you’re in that position, move your weight backward so your torso aligns with your feet.
Slowly lower your rear foot to the ground to relieve the hip flexor while bringing the back knee to the ground. Let your weight fall onto your legs to intensify the contraction. Proceed on the other side after holding the position for whatever long.
2. Calf Stretch
Many people often have muscular cramps in their calves, which may be uncomfortable and bothersome at sleep. Besides drinking a lot of water regularly, consider stretching your calf before bed to lessen the incidence and length of nocturnal muscle cramps.
You need to extend one foot to assume an uneven posture. The feet should be closer than during the hip flexor stretch; the front knee should be slightly bent, and the hips and toes forward. Confirm the front of your front knee, looking at the front foot and ensuring you can observe your toes.
Lower your back heel until it pushes onto the ground, and squeeze the back foot downward. You should feel a stretch on your rear leg throughout, especially in the calf region. Stretch one side first, then switch to the opposite.
3. Doorway Stretch
Your chest muscles become narrowed and constricted, and your shoulders move forward when you’re on your computer, using your phone, or driving. This may cause stiffness and discomfort in the back, shoulders, and neck.
Apply this stretching technique to enhance your posture and lessen pain. Lay your hands on top of the door, palms facing front, as you enter a doorway, then step past while maintaining your hands in position. The shoulder and chest should start stretching out.
4. Lying Hamstring Stretch
To alleviate stiffness and lessen the likelihood of cramping throughout the night, consider doing the hamstring stretch while lying on the ground, on a mat or in bed. Lay yourself utterly flat on the back.
While exhaling, bring a single knee towards the chest and hug it. The next step is to bring that heel up upwards while supporting the weight of your leg by wrapping both hands over the knee, hamstring, or calf.
Make a concerted effort to lift your heel as high as you can toward the ceiling, and then bend your foot so that your toes come down. As a result, the hamstring stretch will become more intense, and the calves even further.
Take a few deep breaths, and then, as your muscles start to relax, slowly work your way up your leg towards the foot to extend the stretching even more. Once you’re ready, pull your knee toward the chest, then leave the leg to drop back slowly to the ground. After that, make this motion on the opposite leg.
5. Upper Body Clamshell
Along with the doorway stretch, you may release neck, shoulders, and back tension by executing the clamshell stretch. This will also add a mild twist to the motion, improving your backache and stomach pain.
Begin by reclining on a single side with your legs relaxed and your knees drawn up toward your chest. Start by reaching one of your arms toward the sky, then let it stretch out and drop to the other side. At the same time, you should open your chest upwards and let your arm stay on the ground.
Let your eyes trail the hand while moving and settling down into a position. The stretch extends from your neck to the hips, determining which areas may harbour tension. Turn the body to the opposite side, down and allow the upper arm to return to its original position.
Do this exercise as many times as you feel your chest opening up and the shoulders and neck beginning to loosen up, and then go on to the other side and do the same thing.
6. Ragdoll Pose
Ragdoll pose is an excellent stretching routine. It is simple to execute and has several advantages, including easing calves, hamstring, and low back stiffness. This exercise is also an effective way to relax your neck and shoulders.
Try the ragdoll stance to loosen up and feel less stressed. Start standing hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, and feet on the ground. Take a deep breath and extend your body by raising your arms over your head.
Maintaining a bent knee position will let your head drop, and your torso sinks over your thighs, simultaneously relaxing your shoulders and neck. Use your body weight to intensify the stretch while holding the opposite elbow with both hands.
7. Cat, Cow and Cobra
The cobra, cat, and cow stretch yoga positions target the abdominal and back muscles. These stretches are performed in a particular order to maximise their effectiveness.
This easy sequence is a beautiful approach to alleviate back discomfort and encourage deep breathing, both of which improve the quality of one’s sleep.
Begin with a hand-and-knee position, having your hands under your shoulders and pushed against the ground, your knees below your hips, and your lower limbs loose.
For the cat pose, exhale and lower your head between your arms while you draw your abdomen out and in, hunch your hips, and let your back bend toward the sky.
To do the cobra pose, return to the hand-and-knee position and let your body relax, all while bending down into the mat to lay on your stomach. Put both hands in front of your shoulders and bring your elbows close to the sides while maintaining this position.
Keeping your legs relaxed down and on your mat, and your shoulders pulled down and into the body and away from the ears, begin to press into your palms to lift your chest gently off of the mat and stretch the muscles in your stomach.
Lower your entire body to the floor and perform the previous step. To make the stretch more intense, keep pressing into your hands to pull the upper body upwards to the ceiling as you can without shutting your elbows. It will allow you to get a deeper stretch.
8. Child’s Pose
The shoulders, low back, and hips stretch well in this comfortable position. The most significant thing is that once you are in the posture, you ease up your body and let gravity take care of the rest.
Begin on your hands and knees to enter this posture. To pull your hips down onto the balls of your feet, converge your big toes and open up your knees. Let your arms move forward while firmly planted on your heels.
Continue doing this until your legs support your torso, as your forehead lies on a mat, floor or bed. Let your body unwind, your muscles loosen, and your body falls deeper into the motion while you relax and breathe.
Morning Versus. Evening Stretches
When we wake up, our bodies undergo a complete physical and physiological transformation shortly before we sleep.
When you get up, it’s a good idea to stretch out your muscles to release any tension or soreness that may have built up during the night. It assists in the acceleration of blood circulation and gets your body ready for a busy day.
On the other hand, stretching your muscles before sleep can help you feel more relaxed and reduce the likelihood of waking up in more significant discomfort.
Morning Stretching
Nobody enjoys getting out of bed uncomfortable. Pinched knots and nerves may cause us to get up some mornings feeling stiff, unpleasant, or worse with painful, numbing, or tingling feelings. These mornings have happened to all of us at some point.
While sleeping, the body often assumes unnatural postures that it maintains for several hours. While you may stretch before bedtime, leaving your muscles feeling supple and at ease, you may still wake up with stiffness and soreness in your muscles.
In this situation, one of the most significant harm you could do to yourself is waking up and immediately going for a jog. Particularly if you’re the kind of person who enjoys going for a run or working out as soon as they get out of bed. Stretching is a great activity that may help you relax into the morning.
At that point, checking your body and noticing what feels stiffness and discomfort is essential. Give yourself sufficient time to stretch your body carefully and gently.
Before you start your day, realign your body. When you’re conscious, and your body starts to move, this might assist you in waking up.
Best Morning Stretches
After stretching after waking in the morning, you become more active and ready for the day’s activities. This may be an effective technique to awaken the body and start getting blood pumping gradually.
Play some upbeat music, throw open the shades, put on the lighting, and take advantage of this priceless opportunity to care for yourself before you begin any other activity.
Morning Routine
The most effective way to begin the morning is to stretch from the bed as if you were to keep staying in the posture you were in overnight. Starting with the lower part of your body and working towards your neck and head, gradually wake up your muscles and joints.
Legs and Hips Stretches
Laying on your back on the ground with a bent knee is a great way to ease this exercise. Bring your knees towards your torso, then wrap your arms over them. Take a few breaths while in this posture. Repeat this process, but focus on one foot while keeping the other leg flat.
Stand up straight with your feet wider than shoulder-width. After that, bring your arms down until they are parallel to the floor. Repeatedly, maintain a good, straight back as you carry out this stretch. It is even more vital that your spine be straight to contact the ground while doing back extensions.
After that, move your arms to stretch toward your left foot, and inhale and exhale normally. Grab both hands, reach the right foot, and take a few more deep breaths.
Assume the “butterfly position” on your mat and sit up straight. You get to this position by sitting on the ground, bringing your heels jointly, and bending your knees until they almost touch the ground. You’ll have an effective motion by getting your knees near the ground and stretching while leaning forward. Remember to retain a straight back as you do this movement.
Back Stretches
Regain your upright position and proceed to a nearby door frame or wall. You will stretch your back by rotating the upper body. The goal is to loosen up your back muscles. Put your left hand on the opposite side of the wall while standing towards the wall.
The next thing you should do is rotate your shoulders to the left. Repeat the technique using the right side to loosen things up in your back.
Next, do the stretches you did before going to bed. Begin by straightening up and taking a few deep breaths. As you exhale, bring your head down towards the ground and slowly and gently stretch your spine.
This time, when you’re at the bottom, hold your arms as relaxed as possible and give yourself a jump up and down. Keep it soft. Afterwards, return to standing while drawing in a full breath, and then exhale completely.
Neck and Shoulders Stretches
You should position your left hand behind the nape of your neck while stretching up and above your head. Your arm should bend at the elbow, with the palm facing the ceiling.
Next, grab the right hand and press on your left elbow moderately and steadily. Be careful not to use too much force since this is only a method of assisting the stretching process.
Do the same on the right side. After completing the remainder of your morning stretches, relax your head on one shoulder as you breathe deeply.
After that, do the same thing on the opposite side. Once the process is complete, you’re all prepared to begin your busy day!
Evening Stretching
During the day, your entire system goes under tension. Therefore, going to bed in a state of stress may mean waking up with discomfort. However, you may avoid this if you take the time to stretch your muscles and release any tension that has built up before bed.
It can also be a great time to treat yourself with kindness and relax while you wind down before bed. While you are winding down before bed, stretching can be a fantastic activity as it provides a beautiful opportunity to be refreshed and relaxed.
Evening Routine:
Perform this routine to assist you in unwinding and letting go of any stress from your brain to your toes just before bed.
Hips and Legs Stretches
After lying down, sit up straight and bring your legs forward to spread out. Stretch your arms slowly while moving them towards the floor. Try to get a firm but gentle hold on the bottoms of your feet if you can. If this is not possible, balance yourself by placing your hands on the bottoms of your feet.
After that, step forward again while spreading your legs wide. Extend towards one leg, then switch back and forth between the two. When you are stretching, make sure to focus on your breathing and gradually move deeper.
When stretching before bed, you should always consider your body and what it needs. Always understand what your body needs and respond accordingly.
Just do that when stretching a specific region longer or including other postures. It is essential to include stretching into your everyday life, before and after bed, to improve your health and sleep quality.
Shoulders and Neck Stretches
First, stand erect and ensure your knees are not locked and are slightly bent. Pull your shoulders close to your ears, then press them down and back to complete the exercise. You are allowed to repeat this movement a few more times if desired.
Lower your head to the left, moving your ear nearer your shoulders. Take a few full breaths in. While you gradually let your breath out, let yourself through the stretching. The next step is to return your head to its natural posture slowly. Repeat the process on the opposite side.
Back Stretches
Maintain the same stance for the time being. Let your head slowly sink forward. After then, carefully, inch by inch, bring your head downwards until it is parallel to the ground. As you approach nearer to the ground, you should feel your back rounding and stretching.
While doing this, ensure you don’t restain your arms; avoid keeping them tightly by the sides.
Stretch as much as possible without completely folding your knees, then hold there for a few seconds while allowing gravity to spread your back. Take a few deep breaths in and out while encircling your back with your arms. After that, carefully raise yourself to an upright posture.
Change positions and lie on your back while lying on the ground. Although you might perform this while lying in bed, the floor provides extra resistance, resulting in a practical, comprehensive stretch.
Change positions and lie on your back while lying on the ground. Although you might perform this while lying in bed, the floor provides extra resistance, resulting in a practical, comprehensive stretch. Stretch your arms open to make a T shape.
Move your right knee to the left while keeping your left leg straight. Strive to maintain your shoulders on the floor while moving your knee to the floor. Go back and do it on the opposite side.
How To Deal With Sleep Problems
1. Put Your Devices Away
Sleep doctors advise you not to use your mobile device, laptop, or tablet immediately before bed. In addition to disrupting your melatonin synthesis, which makes it physically harder to fall asleep, the light from electronic displays may also make you feel more anxious and stressed if you’re consuming upsetting news on them.
Additionally, those who developed these apps, websites, or news you are accessing had consumer attention span and cognitive function in mind. The World Wide Web draws your attention to make you spend more time staring at displays, which is often detrimental to sleep.
To improve the quality of your sleep, you should turn off your electronic devices at least half an hour before retiring to bed.
2. Plan A Little “Worry Time.”
Give yourself time to deal with your issues precisely how you would create time to meet friends. Plan to jot down your anxieties for 15 to 30 minutes each day, preferably one hour before sleep.
Additionally, think of at least one thing you can do to address the problem. Chan advises considering these possible stresses early in the day to lessen your anxiety when you lay your head down to sleep. He claims establishing habits and timetables is essential for getting the best sleep.
3. Develop a Habit of Turning Your Brain Off
While you may think that sleep is involuntary, like breathing, that is untrue. According to David Brodner, a medical doctor at Boynton Beach, Florida, the current lifestyle has resulted in a high level of stimulation, which makes our brains work rapidly.
Get ready no less than 30 minutes before bed; calm by reading or enjoying music. If you do it consistently, you’ll teach your brain to anticipate sleep after relaxing.
4. Make a Gratitude Journal
After getting rid of your worries, Breus advises filling the space left by concerns with constructive ones by creating an appreciation journal.
You get an amplified effect when you put those uplifting ideas on paper. Therefore, consider taking a few moments every evening to write down things you’re proud and grateful about.
5. Try 4-7-8 Breathing Technique
You may already be aware of the stress-relieving benefits of taking deep breaths, but did you also know that it may also assist you in falling asleep? Breus argues that to fall asleep, you should learn how to slow down the pace of your heart using specific breathing techniques.
Breus likes to practice the 4-7-8 breathing technique: Breath in for four counts, pause for seven, and finally exhale for eight. Repeat this pattern 5 to 7 times to lower your heartbeat.
6. Implement Gradual Relaxation of Muscles
Begin with the bottom of your feet and work your way up to your head while you lay in bed, tensing and relaxing each muscle individually.
According to Breus, this is wonderfully calming and compels you to concentrate on your physical components, diverting your focus from any worries or pressures you may be focusing on.
7. Adopt a Regular Sleep Pattern
One of the principles of excellent sleeping habits or the rules sleep doctors advise for getting a restful night’s sleep involves sleeping and waking up at the same time every day.
According to Breus, if you attempt to sleep earlier before getting ready, your brain will concentrate on something else, keeping it active and alert.
What Can You Do When You Can’t Get Back To Sleep in the Middle of the Night?
1. Leave the Bed
As strange as it may sound, sleep experts often advise clients who may lack sleep because of worries to get out of bed after roughly 20 minutes. It is also one of the main components of insomnia treatment.
According to Chan, when you spend a lot of time in deep thought while in bed, your brain operates rapidly, like during the day, waking you all night.
However, getting out of bed and engaging in something peaceful, like reading a book, doing simple tasks, or writing a journal, can be a good idea at that moment. You only get back to bed when you begin to feel drowsy. According to Chan, the intention is to ensure you sleep while in bed.
2. Lower Your Heart Rate
You might have practised deep muscular relaxation or the 4-7-8 breathing method before bed. Do the exercises again since, according to Breus, you aim to distract yourself from worries while lowering your pulse rate.
3. Make a List of Your Worries
Dr Brodner recommends keeping a notebook and a pen next to your bed so that you may jot down any anxieties that come to mind just before you sleep. It differs from pre-bed planned worry time because you are not working on finding answers during this time. Instead, you remove your problems from your thoughts so your brain gets a break.
4. Switch on the Television While Minimizing Eye Contact
According to Breus, watching a movie or television program that you like could assist you in unwinding and getting your focus off of anything that is upsetting you in the middle of the night.
Televisions produce blue light, which may interfere with your body’s natural synthesis of melatonin, causing it more challenging to fall asleep.
On the other hand, in contrast to mobile devices, which are often held relatively near the face, TVs tend to be placed far from your eyesight. Besides, you don’t have to watch television but listen to it with your eyes closed.
Frequently Asked Questions About Stretching Before Bed
1. How Should I Breathe While Stretching?
While there are many different ways to breathe when stretching, the essential thing to remember is to breathe normally. Experiment with various breathing techniques to determine what feels most natural.
Before going to bed, deep breathing is another method of relaxation that some people find helpful. First, take a deep breath through your nose until you begin to feel your abdominal cavity expand, pause your breath for a few seconds, and then profoundly exhale.
2. What Stretches Should I Avoid Before Bed?
Doing vigorous stretches just before bed won’t help you relax at all. These stretches engage your muscles in a variety of motions. You should avoid them because they can speed up your heart rate.
Instead, try completing static stretching exercises before bed. Maintaining specific poses for a longer duration is a component of static stretching practices, for example, yoga.
3. Can I Stretch While Injured?
Contact a medical professional, like a physiotherapist, before attempting stretching exercises involving injured areas. They may advise you about the most suitable stretches for your ailment and which ones you should avoid until you’ve fully healed.
How Do I Know I Have Stretched Enough?
The majority of individuals perform each stretch for 10 to 30 seconds. Stretching causes some little discomfort, but it shouldn’t hurt. Consult your healthcare professional should you have any queries regarding stretching.
