Stretching before bed: Tip of the Day 7-6-22
Last night, I got some AMAZING sleep. Since I returned from Italy last week, I’ve been trying to be more physically active (to work off some of the many delicious pizzas, pastas and wines I consumed). For about a week, I’ve been starting every morning stretching for an hour. Last night, I decided to stretch again before bed. I noticed how easily I drifted off the sleep afterwards, and woke up feeling like I got some goooood sleep. I looked into it, and it turns out, stretching before bed offers wonderful sleep benefits.
Experts say, the more you can get your body to relax before sleep, the more effective your sleep will be. According to orthopedic clinical specialist Sheena Alva, "Stretching before bed helps your body rejuvenate itself during sleep. It can also help you avoid discomfort during sleep, especially if you're someone who experiences muscle spasms during the day.”
Plan to gently stretch at least 30 minutes before bed. If stretching is uncomfortable for you, try 10 minutes of deep breathing before starting to stretch.
For 10 stretching exercises to try before bed, see this article.