Stretches to help you Sleep [Infographic]

Stretching before bed is one of the best ways to release that built up tension and get the best night’s sleep you’ve had in a while. Most people know to stretch before and after exercise, or in the morning to energize themselves, but there’s actually a ton of reasons to stretch before bed as well.

So why exactly is stretching before bed so helpful for sleep? In addition to getting regular exercise, stretching offers many perks for your body and mind.

For starters, developing an evening stretching routine helps your body to enter a relaxed state more quickly, and stay in a deeper sleep for longer. With fewer points of pain along your back, neck, and shoulders, you’re less likely to toss and turn. This is great for your sleep — and your partner’s sleep, too.

Stretching provides a great alternative nighttime activity to scrolling through social media or reading emails on a screen. When done correctly, studies have shown that practices like yoga and stretching can be incredibly relaxing and meditative. Focusing on your body and the present actions can be a great way to separate yourself from the day’s stresses and signal to your subconscious to stop worrying.

For those more concerned with their beauty sleep, there have been studies that demonstrate that regular mindful stretching actually reduces signs of aging. Since stress has been proven to affect aging on a cellular level, stretching before bed can reduce stress and actually keep you looking younger, for longer.

For some great stretching routine that will relax your whole body, check out these stretches:

Stretches to help your Sleep [Infographic] | ecogreenlove — Visual by Sleep Advisor

Copy the code below to share it on your page:

<img class="wp-image-11342 size-full" title="Stretches to help your Sleep [Infographic] | ecogreenlove" src="https://ecogreenlove.files.wordpress.com/2019/07/stretches_best_nights_sleep.gif" alt="Stretches to help your Sleep [Infographic] | ecogreenlove" width="760" height="5181" /> Visual by <a href="https://www.sleepadvisor.org/stretching-before-bed/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sleep Advisor</a>