Before you begin, choose a passage of scripture or an area of prayer or conversation that you need to press into before unwinding before bed! Having an area of focus and dedication as you breathe and slowly stretch will even more bless you as you steward your evening routine.

Set Your Mind First on Christ Jesus!

 If you don’t know where to let your mind rest, try Psalm 63. I love this Psalm as it notes the power of pondering on the Lord as we lay down before bed. We all have experienced our thoughts before bed not glorifying God or bringing peace to us. Before bed, this is the time that Satan and our flesh want to inflict anxiety, fear, overthinking, pointless scenarios, or endlessly scrolling on our phones to the point that we stay up hours past our original intent.

So tonight, write down these 10 stretches, put your phone away, and open your Bible to Psalm 63 and be at peace! Your Creator loves you and wants to meet with you tonight. Sweet stretching and resting!

Psalm 63

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
    my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
    as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
    beholding your power and glory.

Because your steadfast love is better than life,
    my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live;
    in your name I will lift up my hands.

My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
    and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
when I remember you upon my bed,
    and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
for you have been my help,
    and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.

My soul clings to you;
    your right hand upholds me.

But those who seek to destroy my life
    shall go down into the depths of the earth;
they shall be given over to the power of the sword;
    they shall be a portion for jackals. 

But the king shall rejoice in God;
    all who swear by him shall exult,
    for the mouths of liars will be stopped.

English Standard Version

Quick Tips for Better Sleep and Stretching

• Go tech-free: write down these 10 stretches and put away any screens, read hard cover books, or journal on paper
• Use aromas: invest in burning incense or a diffuser (lavender is best for sleep!)
• Make Sleepy Time Tea: drinking tea with soothing properties will help calm your nervous system and prepare you for better rest
• Set the mood: turn the big lights down, turn on candles and or low lighting
• Set a bed time: try to be consistent, give yourself a 30min-1hour window every night.

10 Stretches to Try in Bed or on the Floor

1. Knees to chest + full body stretch 

As you begin your stretches to unwind before bed, it is important to show a little love to your spine after a long day. Take a deep inhale and wrap your hands around your knees bringing your knees to your chest. On your exhale, release your hug and stretch the body returning to flat on your back with arms over head and legs stitched together. 

Repeat on every exhale.

2. Reclined pigeon (side twist L/R)

Remaining in a rest position on your back, take a few deep breaths, and when you’re ready, inhale planting your right foot close to the body and extending the left leg and resting the left foot on the right thigh. Creating somewhat of a right angle. Option to hang out here, if you want a bit of a deeper stretch to help unwind further before bed, try wrapping the hands under the right thigh and pulling the legs close to the chest. If you want to go further, straighten the right leg as if you were a flamingo standing on the ceiling. 

Hold for a few breaths, focusing in on every inhale and every exhale. When you feel ready, slowly release your bind and repeat on the opposite side! Be sure to always even out your stretches UNLESS you have an injury. You know your body best. Don’t push yourself too far when stretching, be kind to yourself!

3. Reclined Spinal Twist

Here is a perfect transition from pigeon. Entering back into that reclined pigeon base, send the arms out like the shape of the letter T. Straightening both legs, shift the hips to the right, attempting to stack the left hip over the right. The left leg goes long over the right side of the body. The right leg is hanging out straight underneath the body. If it feels good in your body, try stretching the neck and sending your gaze over the left shoulder. 

Hold as long as it feels good in your body. Preparing your body further for bed by unwinding every ligament and limb for better sleep and better peace. When you are ready, repeat on the opposite side. 

4. Gentle Bridge (with variations)

Unwind before bed further by giving further love to your hips and spine. Laying flat on your back, place the arms along the sides of the body, palms facing the ground. Walk both feet closer to the body, as close as you can. When youre ready, inhale pressing your weight into the palms of the hands and feet pressing the hips up to the ceiling. Be mindful of your neck and head, making sure to allow your breath to flow with ease as you hold this stretch. It may feel good to shimmy the shoulders underneath the body and even intertwine the finger tips.

After holding for a few breaths, release the stretch on your exhale. Slowly lower the hips to the ground. When you are ready, repeat as often as you’d like.

Try these few variations for a deeper stretch and to further support unwinding before bed. After pressing your hips to the ceiling and shimming the shoulders under the body. Try to lift up onto your tippy toes. Take in another step by lifting up one leg to the ceiling, repeat on both sides as often as you’d like.

5. Legs up a wall 

Fan favorite. You have two options. If you are wanting to target your core a bit to exhaust you more while unwinding before bed, try this stretch without a wall. If you are like me, and exhausted after a long day, find a comfortable spot next to the wall either on the floor or on your bed. 

Simply, send both legs straight up the wall. Imagine your feet are walking on the ceiling, making sure to flex the feet, allowing your core to do most of the work. If you are using the wall support, as I usually do before bed, option to keep the gets straight up or play around opening the legs for a stretch in the inner thigh.

The main goal is to allow your circulation and nervous system to be refreshed. Holding this posture for about five minutes a day will come with a boat load of benefits. Consider including this posture into your daily and nightly routine! 

6. Shoulder Stand 

 This one will help you unwind before bed even more by promoting further circulation and decompressing in the spinal cord. If you have had shoulder or neck injuries, avoid this stretch. When getting into a shoulder stand, it is exactly what it sounds like except with your hands and arms supporting you up! Sending the legs straight up towards the ceiling, shift the body onto the shoulders. Support your shoulder stand by placing the elbows on the floor and hands on your lower back. Stretch the head backwards to open up the airways.

 Hold for a few inhales and exhales. 

7. Plow

If you felt good in your shoulder stand, take it a step further into the plow stretch. Take it easy if you have never done this one before. As it requires a deep stretch in the lower back. If it is causing pain or irritation anywhere in the body, slowly come out of it and return to the shoulder stand or legs up a wall.

Start by sending the legs behind the head. Your toes could land on the floor behind you or they may float a few inches off the ground. Depending on your body, it might feel good to rest your hands alongside the body or keep them supporting the lower back.

Don’t forget to breathe! Hold as long as this feels good for you.

8. Happy Baby 

Don’t be afraid to hold this one all night! Happy baby is called that name for a reason. If you have ever witnessed a new born baby playing in the crib joyfully and grabbing their feet. This is exactly that. Since the ration of a newborn’s body is different than a grown adult, this might be more of challenging stretch than you think! 

Long term, the goal is to have the elbows tucked into the shoulders. My body isn’t even there yet, but I attempt to go deeper in this stretch every day! Grabbing the outsides or insides of the feet (or the big toe), whatever feels best for you. Open the legs wide and allow the body to massage the lower back. You might feel like you need to fart, no stress, that’s normal. Just be happy you’re doing this at home and not in a class. Let it all out LOL!

As you can tell, this posture really massages the lower organs and digestive track. At this point, if you tried out the previous 8 stretches, your body has begun to truly decompress and really unwind before bed. Hang out here as long as it feels good to you. Play around and don’t forget to take deep breaths! 

9. Butterfly

Ahh, after coming out of happy baby, it is time to unwind even further. Laying flat on your back, bring the pads of your feet together and let the knees fall open. Place a pillow underneath either knee or your head for additional comfort.

10. Fetal

This isn’t as much of a stretch as it is to bring comfort and a conclusion to your stretching and breath work. Bring the knees to your chest and give them a nice squeeze. Let the knees fall to either side and rest for a few moments before shifting into your final rest (or sleep) position. 

You have stretched wide, long, and strong tonight! It is time for you to fully unwind before bed. Finish off your nighttime routine well, avoid screens, read a few pages from the Bible, thank and talk to the Lord, and hop into those sheets! Get some extra hours of sleep tonight if you can, your body needs it, YOU need it! 

Happy Resting,

Cosette 🙂