Stretching is a natural way to improve your sleep. Stretching regularly before going to sleep might help you reduce body pain, improve circulation, increase mobility, and more.

According to research, stretching can help in improving chronic insomnia. Unlike heavy workouts, stretching doesn’t make you wide awake. Instead, it reduces your stress or tension and helps in relaxing your body.

In this article, we will mention several stretches that can help you loosen up your body and let you sleep better.

10 Stretches For Best Sleep

1. Neck Stretch

Performing neck stretches every night before going to sleep helps relieve tension in your neck, head, and shoulders.

How To Do This Neck Stretch:

For this, you can either sit in a comfortable chair or stand Take your left hand on top of your head or to your right ear.
Slowly bring your left ear towards your right shoulder and hold this position for five breaths.
Then, take your right hand to your left ear and stretch by bringing your right ear towards your left shoulder.
Continue this again on both sides and make sure you maintain a good posture while doing these stretches.

2. Child’s Pose

Child’s pose is an excellent stretch for your breath, reducing stress and relaxing your body. It helps in relieving the tension and pain from your neck, shoulder and back. The child’s pose stretch is also pretty similar to the kneeling lat stretch.

How To Do This Child Pose Stretch:

Take your mat and kneel with your feet close behind you and your palms on your thighs.
Keep your knees hip-width apart.
Rest your forehead on the mat with hinge hips fold forward.
Then, start extending your arms in front of you.
Hold this posture for about thirty seconds.

3. Sphinx Pose

Sphinx pose is excellent for strengthening your back muscles and tightening your gluteus muscles which help in supporting your spine, hips and pelvis.

This pose can also help relieve your back pain by opening tight areas around the spine and strengthening them.

How To Do Sphinx Pose:

Lay down on your stomach with both your legs out straight behind you.
Place both your elbows under your shoulder
Your forearms should be on the floor as you start raising your chest off the floor.
Push your hips and thighs towards the floor.
After lifting your chest, hold to the position for about 30 seconds and then bring your upper body down and repeat.
Ensure you raise your body just enough to feel a good stretch on your lower back, and don’t forcefully extend your stretch as it causes pain.

4. Butterfly Stretch

Butterfly stretch can be great for strengthening and loosening up your body. This stretch might also help relieve your head and neck tension. It can also help in improving your body posture and treating your back pain issues.

How To Do Butterfly Stretch:

Sit with your head and back aligned.
Then bend your legs in front of your body with your feet sole facing and touching each other.
Put both your palms on the tip of your feet.
Gently bend forward by engaging your abdominal muscles and keeping your hips and back straight.
Lower your elbows than rest your inner thighs.
Then press your thighs downwards, bend them down as much as you are comfortable. Then hold the posture for about 15 seconds and then release.
Repeat this step around five times.

5. Bear Hug Stretch

A bear hug helps in stretching your shoulder muscles along with your upper back. It is also great in relieving the discomfort and pain caused due to frozen shoulder, elbows or bad posture.

How Do The Bear Hug Stretch:

Stand tall with your back straight and wide open your arms.
Cross your arms by placing your left arm on top of the right side and your right arm over the left side of your body like you are hugging yourself.
Breathe in as you use your hands while drawing your shoulders forward.
Stay in this position for around forty seconds.
Inhale when you release your arms wide open
Then exhale and repeat with your right arm on top.

6. Low Lunge Stretch

Low lunge can be an excellent stretch for relaxing your body by relieving the tight muscles in your legs and hips. This pose also strengthens your calves, shoulders, quadriceps, hamstrings, and arms.

How To Do Low Lunge Stretch:

Start by keeping your body in a low lunge position; bring your right foot behind your knee along with your left leg, lengthened back and get your knee on the floor.
Keep both your hands on the floor beneath your shoulder, on your knees.
Then, focus on lengthening your spine and then open your chest raise your chest.
You can also keep your hands up towards the ceiling while lifting your chest.
Hold this position for 30 seconds.
Repeat this with the opposite leg.

7. Kneeling Lat Stretch

This stretch helps in providing preventing discomfort and relieving pain and aches from muscles in your shoulders and back.

This is a great way to stabilize and protect your spine while strengthening your back and shoulder. By following this stretch, you can improve and strengthen your upper body.

How To Do Kneeling Lat Stretch:

Start by kneeling in front of a low table, chair, or couch
Ensure your knees are below your hips.
Hinge your hips to fold front.
Lay your forearms on the surface with your palms facing front.
Wait in this posture for around thirty seconds.
You can then repeat it three times again.

8. Legs Up The Wall Pose Stretch

The legs-up-the-wall pose is an excellent method to relax your body. It is a restorative pose that helps in eliminating tension in your shoulders, neck and back.

This pose might also help in relieving headaches, feet, and leg cramps and promoting lymph flow.

How To Do Legs Up The Wall Stretch:

Sit with your right side with your knees bent, and feet drawn towards your hip against a wall.
Then lay down on your back and swing both your legs up against the wall. Make sure your legs are entirely straight when during this stretch.
You can place your hips entirely against the wall, or you can keep them slightly away.
Rest your arms in a comfortable pose and hold this position for ten minutes.
To release, just move your body away from the wall.

9. Seated Forward Bend Stretch

Seated forward bend is a calming pose that helps in relieving your stress. It is excellent for stretching your body along with opening up your hips. This pose is also great for loosening up your shoulders, spine, hamstring, and lower back.

How Do Seated Forward Bend Stretch:

For this stretch, start by Sitting down on your yoga mat with your legs straight in front of you.
Then, hinge your hip to fold forward and blend forward by moving your arms in front.
Try reaching your toes through your arms or just bend as far you can to make sure your back is in good posture.
Relax your head.
Hold this position for one minute.

10. Spinal Twist

A spinal twist can help you stretch your back muscles and your knees. It also supports the soft tissues and increases your spine’s natural motion. This pose also allows you to relax and decrease your stress.

How To Do The Spinal Twist:

Lay down on the mat with your arms and legs straight out in one direction.
Bring both your knees up and twist it to your right side.
Keep both your legs twisting for 10 seconds, and then switch to your left side.
You can either open your hands or keep them over your head while twisting your legs.
Repeat it for around one minute.
In case you feel any pain while performing this stretch, then stop it right away.

Even though all these stretches are great for the body, you should make sure you are taking care of other essential parts for sleep, such as the mattress and pillow.

It’s necessary to invest in the best mattress and pillow, such as memory foam, to provide your body with the proper comfort and support.

FAQs

1. How long should I stretch for before going to sleep?

You can stretch for around 10 to 15 minutes before going to sleep. This way, you can relax your body and relieve any stress or tension before you sleep.

2. Can I perform exercises after stretching before going to sleep?

You shouldn’t do exercises at night before going to sleep as this wakes your mind and body, which can cause difficulty in sleeping. Meanwhile, stretching helps relax your body as it’s not extreme, which can be beneficial for sleep.

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Conclusion

Stretching at night before going to sleep can help relax your mind and body. A good stretch can help relieve your body pain and decreases your muscles soreness. Here we have mentioned several stretches that can help you provide a good night’s sleep.

If you have any doubts about these stretches, then tell us in the comments.

10 Stretches To Do Before Bed For Better Sleep