5-Minute Bedtime Stretch
- Time
- 5:00
- Level
- All levels
- Equipment
- Your bed, or the floor.
This is the opposite of a workout. Long, quiet holds and slow breathing, to switch your body from busy to resting.
Most of it can be done in bed. Dim the lights and put the phone face down once the timer starts.
Seated neck release
Ear toward shoulder, breathe slowly. Switch at halfway.
0:30
Next: Seated forward fold
The routine
- 30s
Seated neck release
Ear toward shoulder, breathe slowly. Switch at halfway.
- 30s
Seated forward fold
Legs out, soft knees, fold forward and relax.
- 40s
Child's pose
Forehead down, arms by your sides. Long breaths out.
- 30s
Lying knees to chest
Hug the knees in. Let the low back soften.
- 30s
Supine twist (left)
Knees to the left, arms wide.
- 30s
Supine twist (right)
Knees to the right.
- 40s
Figure-four stretch
Ankle over opposite knee, gentle pull. Switch at halfway.
- 40s
Legs up the wall or bed headboard
Hips close to the wall, legs resting up. Just breathe.
- 30s
4–6 breathing
Breathe in for 4, out for 6. Nothing else.
Tips
- Make the exhale longer than the inhale. That small change is one of the simplest ways to calm down.
Questions
Does stretching before bed help you sleep?
Many people find gentle stretching and slow breathing helps them unwind. Keep it gentle — intense exercise right before bed can do the opposite.
Can I do these stretches in bed?
All of them except child's pose work on a mattress, and child's pose works too if the bed is firm.
Got another five minutes?
Why five minutes at a time works: movement snacks.