CBS News – If you lay in bed exhausted but can’t quite cross over into sleep, getting the body and mind on the same page before laying down can be really effective.
6 stretching exercises to help you fall asleep
1. Forward fold: Whether standing with wide legs or sitting with your legs out in front of you, fold forward at your hips, creating a stretch.
2. Seated ankle cross: While sitting on a bed, chair or couch, place one ankle on the opposite leg, as high as available, Pasle-Green explains, then lean forward with a long spine to move the chest as close to the top leg as is comfortable.
Hold for three deep breaths then switch legs and repeat as desired, she said.
3. Chest opener: Sit tall and place your hands behind you on the bed or couch, fingers pointing away from you.
Let your head relax back, opening your chest and front of your neck. To increase the stretch, you can finger-walk your hands further back or roll your head slightly side to side.
Hold this for three deep breaths.
4. Side stretch: While seated, place your right hand to your right and slide it away from you as you lean to the right, opening up your left side. You can also reach your left arm over your head and reaching it toward the right, Pasle-Green said.
5. Hug stretch: While seated, wrap your arms around your rib cage in a big hug with each hand on the opposite side shoulder blade.
Take a big breath in, and as you exhale, drop your chin toward your chest and round your spine forward as far as you can, pressing your bottom elbow toward your belly button. Repeat while switching which arm is on top.
6. Twist pose: While laying on your back, hug your knees into your chest.
Then drop both knees off to one side while you open up your arms nice and wide right and create some lateral flexion in the spine and a feeling of twist.
While any of these stretches can offer benefits throughout the day, they are most effective during the transition from activity to rest.
