Stretching for Better Sleep

Stretching for Bed

Can help alleviate Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) and help you relax more and sleep more deeply.

Seated Leg Stretches

Sitting in your chair or bed and keeping your back straight. Simple stretches done by flexing and pointing your toes while keeping your leg straight.

1. Sitting up straight, raise feet up, and hold legs straight.
2. Breathing in bend toes back towards shins, holding for a few seconds.
3. Breathing out releasing toes straight again.
4. Breathing in point toes and hold for a few seconds with breath.
5. Breathing out releasing toes straight again.
6. Repeat holding the stretches with breath.

Ankle Rotations

Simple rotational movements done to relax and strengthen the ankle joint.

1. Sitting up straight, raise feet up, and hold legs straight.
2. Breathing slowly, evenly, and smoothly in through nose, out through mouth.
3. Point your toes and draw circles in clockwise direction with them.
4. Stop and draw circles in counterclockwise direction.

Shoulder Scrunches

1. Sitting up with back straight, chin parallel to the floor, legs resting and feet relaxed.
2. Breathing in through your nose, bring your shoulders up to your ears.
3. Hold your shoulders to your ears while holding breath, for a few seconds.
4. Breathing out through your mouth releasing your shoulders back down and relaxing.
5. Pause and repeat at least five times.

Shoulder Squeezes

1. Sitting up with back straight, chin parallel to the floor, legs resting and feet relaxed.
2. Breathing in bring your shoulders back, squeezing the shoulder blades together.
3. Hold your shoulder blades together while holding breath for a few seconds.
4. Breathing out release the shoulders and relaxing them.
5. Repeating shoulder squeezes with breaths and pauses at least five times.

Head Roll

1. Sitting with back straight, feet flat, chin parallel to floor, and palms resting on knees.
2. Breathing slowly and deeply, bring your chin to your chest. Then roll the head to the left, drawing a circle with your head.
3. Straighten up, pause, and relax.
4. Bring chin back to chest and roll head to the right, drawing a circle.
5. Straighten up, pause, relax, and repeat.

Neck Twist

1. Sitting with back straight, feet flat, chin parallel to floor, and palms resting on knees. Breathing slowly and deeply, relaxing the neck.
2. Gently turn to the left, as far as your head will turn without injury, hold and stretch. Face forward again. Relaxing the neck.
3. Gently turn to the right, as far as your head will turn without injury, hold and stretch.