Everybody ought to have a decent rest at night. But with our bustling timetables and the nonstop beating of our minds, we as a whole end up with sleepless nights. The current pandemic has changed the dozing examples of numerous people. Individuals go through a great deal of pressure and nervousness. And this is where the power of physical exhaustion needs to enter.
If you exercise before sleep, it can minimize the time it takes to fall asleep as you lay in bed. Additionally, it expands rest time and quality. Working out helps increase the core temperature of your body. And when it drops, that is when you’re done, you tend to feel sleepy.
Also, stretching before sleeping further develops the quality of your rest. Plus, it prevents the body from any injury or damage after the exercises. These kinds of activities get the unwinding reaction, where the body encounters a surge of quieting chemicals and physiological responses that calms the sensory system.
Benefits of Workout Before Sleep
Exercise before sleep or stretching such as yoga helps in improving sleep. It reduces insomnia for adults whose patterns of sleeping have changed due to pandemic. In general, working out before bed has not only improved sleep but also has given many benefits as below-
- Reduce anxiety,
- Allow relaxation,
- Bring your body clock to normal,
- Reduce body pain,
- Decrease stress and improves mood,
- Increases mobility and flexibility,
- Improves muscle health and performance,
- Reduces risk of injury,
- Weight loss,
- Improve blood circulation.
Top 8 Exercise Before Sleep
Over the months, we have shared several healthy sleeping habits with you. We have told you about the benefits of drinking chamomile tea before bed, maintaining a gratitude journal at the end of the day, munching on almonds, and taking a warm bath, among other supremely beneficial sleep habits.
Today, what we are sharing with you is a time-tested habit that can improve your well-being in more ways and help understand the importance of sleep.
In this post, we will tell you all about eight light and quick workout before sleep that you can do before bed.
Moreover, these 8 quick exercise for bedtime would help you reduce anxiety, bring relaxation and stabilize your body clock. Moreover, when you workout, your core temperature rises. And when it drops, you feel sleepy. So, voila! Let’s get started!
1. Hug Yourself
To do this simple exercise before sleep, follow the instructions given below:
- Breathe in and extend your arms in front of you like you are about to give someone a hug.
- Breathe out and touch your left shoulder with your right hand.
- Lightly place the right palm on your left shoulder and breathe normally.
- Breathe out and touch your right shoulder with your left hand and then slowly place the left palm on it.
- Hug yourself tightly and then repeat the exercise five times.
2. Neck rotation exercise
This is a very light and easy nighttime exercise for bedtime that you can include in your sleep habit.
To do the neck rotation exercise:
- Stand straight with your shoulders relaxed.
- Breathe out and lower your head so that your chin touches your chest.
- Now breathe in and rotate your head from left to right.
- Once your chin touches your chest, breathe out.
- Breathe in and repeat the rotation.
- Do at least five rotations.
This Neck Rotation exercise before bedtime is an asana of yoga for sleep. You can browse through other yoga asanas for sleep here.
3. Legs up
Legs up is a stretch that you can comfortably do in your bed while preparing for sleep.
The following steps will guide you on how to do the legs up stretching:
- Lie down on your back and breathe normally.
- Slowly fold your legs at the knees so that your ankles touch your glutes.
- Take a deep breath in and lift both your legs up so that your toes point toward the ceiling.
- Resume normal breathing and hold that position for 10 counts.
- Now breathe out and slowly bring your legs down.
- Rest your legs on the bed and take a few normal breaths.
- Repeat the stretch five times.
4. Child’s pose
The child’s pose is a famous bedtime yoga for sleep and digestion. It helps you stretch and relaxes you at the same time.
Here’s how you can perform the child’s pose:
- Fold your legs and sit on your heels.
- Make sure your knees are shoulder-width apart
- Breathe out and extend your arms in front of you.
- Lower your upper body so that your chest falls on your thighs.
- Your head should rest on the mattress just in front of your knees.
- Breathe normally for 10 counts.
- Breathe in and resume the initial pose.
- Perform the stretch at least three times.
5. Cat-Cow
This exercise before sleep focuses on the lower back, which can get solid from sitting, standing or strolling.
Here’s how you can perform the cat-cow:
- Get onto your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
- Curve your back by fixing your stomach muscles, pressing your rear end and wrapping up your tailbone.
- Stand firm on this footing for 10 seconds.
- Let your lower back hang toward the floor, turn your tailbone upwards and stretch the front of your neck.
- Stand firm on this foothold for 10 seconds.
- Get back to the impartial position and perform five to multiple times.
6. T-Twist
This rotation exercise for bedtime targets your upper back and spine.
Here’s how you can perform the t-twists:
- Lie on your right side with arms on top of one another, legs bowed, and knees on top of one another.
- Slide your left (top) arm across your body as you pivot your chest area and head to one side.
- Hold in a “T” position for 10 seconds, then, at that point, pivot back to the stacked position.
- Perform three to multiple times on the left, then, at that point, switch sides and rehash.
7. Legs Up The Wall
You can try this leg stretching before sleeping as it helps relax the hamstrings and provides comfort to lower back tension.
Here’s how to do the legs up the wall stretches:
- Sit with one hip close to a wall.
- Swing your legs up parallel to the wall as you lean back and rest your upper body on the ground, forming an L shape.
- If your hamstrings are tight, scoot your hips back a few inches from the wall or put a slight bend in your knees.
- For added support, you can also place a folded blanket or bolster beneath your low back. This will lift your butt off the ground slightly.
- Take your right index finger to your nose and gently close the right nostril.
- Take five to 10 slow breaths in and out through just the left nostril, which lowers blood pressure, body temperature and anxiety.
- Release the hand and breathe slowly and deeply through both nostrils.
- Then, press the feet into the wall, lift the hips slightly, and roll to one side. Stay on your side for a few breaths, taking your time to come out of the pose.
8. Knee to Chest Stretch
This exercise before sleep stretch is mainly for the neck, back, hips and shoulders to loosen up.
To perform knee to chest stretch:
- Lie down on your back with your legs stretched, bring your right knee up and hold behind it with both hands.
- Gently pull your knee toward your chest.
- Hold for 30 seconds.
- Repeat three times on the right, then switch sides and repeat.
Safety Measures To Take While Stretching Before Sleeping
Generally, It’s a safe idea to do light exercise before sleep. However, there are a few safety measures to maximize the benefit of stretching and reduce the risk of injury:
- Always Warm Up: Always warm up before you start stretching. So take a warm shower before you stretch out.
- Practice breathing: Controlled breathing can likewise assist with evaluating the force of a stretch; the vast majority confine or pause their breathing when they are extending excessively.
- Avoid too much stretching: Working out seriously around evening time is animating and raises internal heat level, making it harder to nod off. Working out around evening time may not affect everybody adversely, except a great many people ought to try not to work out just before bed.
- Stop during pain: Pain and uneasiness are regularly a sign that somebody is extending too seriously. Assuming agony or expanding distress happens, quit extending to forestall injury.
Including these simple but effective stretches into your nighttime ritual is a sleep habit that you must start immediately and get enough hours of sleep.
Do let us know if you found the post helpful. Share these bedtime yoga and stretches with your friends, and include them in your good sleep journey with Wakefit.
Apart from good sleep habits, quality sleep products play a crucial role in how well you rest. To browse through some of Wakefit’s sleep solution products like best pillows for sleeping or mattresses with 100 nights free trial, visit us here.
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