8 Useful Stretches to Perform When Going to Bed

There are quite a few things that can help us sleep better at night, like drinking chamomile tea before bed, for example, but many people underestimate the power of stretching. A review of studies conducted in 2016 found that doing stretching movements, such as those in Tai Chi or Yoga, help improve quality of sleep, and there are several reasons for this. One is that when stretching our attention is directed to our breathing and body, rather than to the stressors of everyday life, which helps relax the body. The second is the ability to soothe tense muscles that cause discomfort during sleep, such as neck, back or shoulder muscles, or even leg muscles that often strain at night. If you want to sleep better, add some of the following stretches to your evening routine, and see how much your sleep improves. 

 

1. Bear hug 

This stretch works on the rhomboid and trapezius muscles on the upper back and helps to reduce discomfort or pain in the shoulder blades caused by poor posture, bursitis or frozen shoulder. exercises

Stand upright, take a deep breath and stretch your arms to the sides. 

 

Exhale and hug yourself tightly with your hands, with your right hand above your left hand. 

 

Pull your shoulders forward with your hands and take a deep breath. 

 

Stay that way for 30 seconds. 

 

When you’re done, breathe in and stretch your arms to the sides. 

 

Breathe in and repeat again, this time with your left hand above your right hand.

2. Neck stretch 

This stretch helps reduce muscle tension that moves from head to neck to shoulder. When you perform it, keep your back straight.

Sit on a chair and put your right hand on your head - try to grab your left ear. 

 

Bring your right ear to your shoulder and stay in this position for 5 breaths. Repeat the stretch on the other side with the other hand.  

 

Then turn your head towards your right shoulder and keep your body moving forward. 

 

Stay in this position for 5 breaths. 

 

Repeat it on the other side as well. 

 

Finally, bring your chin as close to your chest as much as possible, and hold for 5 breaths. 

 

Return to a natural position and then let your head fall backward for 5 breaths. 

 

3. Kneeling lat stretch 

This stretching helps release back and shoulder muscles and reduces pain and discomfort in these areas. For this stretch, you’ll need a chair.

Start squatting in front of the chair, with your feet under your buttocks - you can place a pillow under your knees if this is hard for you. 

 

Raise your buttocks and extend your spine while placing your arms on the chair with your palms facing down. 

 

Hold for 30 seconds. 

 

Repeat 1-3 times.

4. Child's pose 

This position is very similar to the one in the previous section, but it is a little more advanced and therefore may be difficult for some. In addition to stretching and back shoulder and neck pain relief, this posture also calms the body and helps relieve stress.

Get down on your knees and place your feet under your buttocks. 

 

Now bend your body forward with a straight back until your forehead touches the floor. If this is difficult for you, place a pillow in front of you and lower your forehead to it instead. 

 

Send your arms forward to support your neck, or stretch them to the sides - whatever you feel comfortable with. 

 

Breathe deeply and hold for 5 minutes. 

 

5. Low lunge 

This exercise stretches the hips, pelvis, and groin, and it also helps open the chest and reduce pressure and pain in the back and shoulders. Try to stay calm while you do it and don’t be too rough on yourself.

Position your right leg in front of you with your thigh right under your knee, and send your left leg back so that it continues your spine – your left knee should touch the floor. 

 

Place your hands on the floor in line with your shoulders, or lift them toward the ceiling - whatever you feel comfortable with. 

 

Stay in this position for 5 breaths, switch legs and repeat. 

 

6. Forward Bend 

This stretch releases the spine, shoulders, and hamstrings, and it also stretches the lower back.

Sit with your legs straight and stretched out in front of you. 

 

Press your tailbone down to the floor, and simultaneously pull your upper body forward, from the waist; 

 

Bring your hands forward and try to touch your feet. Lower your head and try to touch your chin to your chest and chest to thighs. 

 

Hold for 5 minutes. 

 

7. Legs up the wall 

This position reduces pressure on the back, shoulders, and neck, and encourages relaxation while helping to pump more blood to the brain.

Lie on your back against a wall and lift your legs up - use the wall for support. 

 

Place your hands at your sides in any position where you feel comfortable, and make sure your legs stay straight and stretched up. 

 

Hold for 10 minutes. 

 

8. Reclining angel pose 

This stretch reduces pressure in the groin and hips and is especially recommended if you spend most of your day sitting.

Sit on the floor with your feet facing each other. 

 

Sit back on your hands and slowly bring your back, neck, and head to the floor until your lying down. 

 

You can place a pillow under your knees or back for support. 

 

Place your hands in any position where you feel comfortable. 

 

Concentrate on releasing the muscles of your thigh and pelvis, and breathe deeply. 

 

Stay in this position for 10 minutes.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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7 Effective Exercises to Help Reduce Chronic Pain

When in pain, don’t run to the medicine cabinet right away, especially if you’re someone who suffers from chronic pain, as taking painkillers frequently may be harmful to your health and may cause many side effects. On top of that, painkillers can be expensive. 

 

Instead, try exercising more often. In fact, exercise is considered a common and effective treatment of chronic pain:

It can help decrease inflammation in the body. 

Exercise increases your mobility. 

It can lower overall pain levels. 

 

In order to get the most of your exercises, it is necessary to include a combination of different types of exercises: strength, relaxation, stretching, and cardio. Try sticking to some of these 7 exercises and their different combinations for some time, and it is likely that the pain will decrease or even go away. 

 

Build Strength 

Strength-building exercise help stabilize the joints and develop muscles that protect your skeletal system from damage and injuries. Generally speaking, everyone can benefit from core strengthening exercises, as they improve your posture and sense of balance. 

 

Back muscle development, hip exercises and gaining abdominal strength are all necessary to have a strong core. Here are 2 strengthening exercises you can try: 

 

 

1. Dead Bug Step 

1. Lie down on your back, arms extended up, as if you were reaching for the sky. 

 

Step 2. Hike up your feet into the air, bending your knees in a 90 degree angle. Activate your core by drawing your belly button down in the direction of your spine. You can catch you feet with your arms to aid yourself. 

 

Step 3. When you exhale, extend one leg down without letting it touch the floor. Simultaneously, lower the opposite arm above your head. Hold for 1 second and then return to the starting position. 

 

Don’t forget to repeat on the other side. This will count as 1 rep. All in all, do 10 repetitions. 

 

2. Leg Lifts 

Step 1. Kneel on all fours (your wrists directly under your shoulders and knees right under your hips). 

 

Step 2. Draw your shoulder blades close to your body and extend the neck. At the same time, engage the core like you did in the previous exercise as well. 

 

Step 3. Now extend one leg out like the woman on the picture, but keep your core engaged during the whole exercise. 

 

Step 4. Now lower the leg for just a second, and then lift again. No need to lift the leg too high, it’s better to stay mindful and protect your core and spine by engaging it. 

 

Repeat the exercise 10 times on both sides.

 

Stretch Your Muscles For Immediate Pain Relief 

Many people experience chronic pain because of tension building up in their muscles, especially those who have a sedentary lifestyle. Stretches are a wonderful method of relieving tension in the stiff areas These stretches can help you relieve the pain in your lower back and neck, 2 of the most common areas to experience this kind of pain. 

 

3. Leg to Chest Pose 

Step 1. Lie on your back on a mat or on the floor.  

 

Step 2. Slowly bring your knees towards your chest, wrapping your hands around them as if you’re giving your knees a hug.

Step 3. Rock side to side in this positions. You should feel a stretch in your lower back and in your hips. 

Hold as long as you can.  

 

4. Neck Stretch 

Step 1. Sit up with a straight spine in a comfortable position. 

 

Step 2. Raise one of your arms up straight, then bend it in the elbow and put your hand on the opposite ear.  

 

Step 3. Use your hand to gently and slowly pull down the head, which should make you feel a pleasant stretch on one side of the neck. Make sure not to lift the other shoulder, as it will counteract the stretch. 

 

Hold for a few minutes and repeat on the other side.

Relax and Contemplate 

 

Learning how to relax and breathe deeply and mindfully are essential for people with chronic pain, as it can help relieve the anxiety that comes with any pain. This is an easy exercise that doesn’t require any equipment.  

 

5. Visualization 

Step 1. Lie down in a comfortable position and close your eyes (choose your location, be it a bed, a couch or the floor). 

 

Step 2. Put your hands on the belly and mindfully relax your feet, hips, shoulders and neck. 

 

Step 3. Start breathing deeply and slowly through your nose. 

 

Step 4. If you feel a lot of tension, exhale through your mouth, as if sighing, a few times. Feeling how your belly rises and falls with each breath.

 

Step 5. Continue breathing mindfully and visualize the pain leaving the part of your body that hurts more and more, with every breath. 

 

Continue as long as you need it and repeat as much as you like. 

Get the Blood Going With Cardio Exercises

 

Cardio exercises are beneficial for chronic pain sufferers, as it has many mental and physical health benefits, among which is bone and joint strengthening, as well as mood stabilizing. 

 

6. Walking 

 

The goal is to walk at least for 30 minutes, 3-5 times per week, as it was proven to help increase endurance and heart health without straining your body too much. If this goal seems unattainable, start from as much as you can and slowly increase the time, and don’t forget to take your walker or cane on the walk if you’re using one.

 

7. Swimming or Water Aerobics 

If walking proves difficult, water aerobics is a great alternative. The benefits of in-water exercise are that it will help you exercise your body without overwhelming your joints and muscles, as it is easier to move around in water. Swimming also has its mental benefits: it can calm you down and help clear your mind as nothing else.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
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