I’ve never been great at incorporating stretching into my routine, even though I work out a lot. I know this is not ideal as stretching has immense benefits, from helping to prevent injuries to increasing flexibility—it also just feels good. So, I decided to make it a mission to incorporate it more regularly.
I started small by doing a simple stretching routine every evening before bed. I thought this would be good not only for my physical fitness but could help improve my sleep too. I committed to a week to see what happened.
What happened when I started stretching every night before bed
I looked forward to the sessions
I usually only stretch before or after a workout but doing it to wind down from the day was a game changer. I felt so relaxed and it helped to calm my mind and body down; I was immediately hooked. My muscles felt great and after the first night and I looked forward to the rest of the week.
It released built-up tension from the day
I found a slow and easy five-minute routine on YouTube for the first night but soon expanded into longer routines. Moves like the supine spinal twist, neck stretch and child’s pose appeared frequently across the videos I tried. Some routines also introduced stretches for less commonly targeted areas, such as the wrists and forearms. As a writer who spends hours at her computer, these stretches were particularly beneficial. It felt great to give attention to often-used yet under-stretched parts of the body.
It helped me wind down
I found that incorporating a stretching routine at this time of day suited me perfectly. It helped me to neatly wrap up the day and eased any lingering stress. After each evening’s stretch, I felt myself melt into bed. As someone who avoids meditation, this felt like a happy medium, offering me relaxation benefits while also giving my body the physical release it needed.
