Irrespective of your age stretching relaxes the body by releasing the all-day build-up tension & prepares it for a deep sleep making you feel rejuvenated when you wake up!
These bedtimes stretch routine can be followed in the comfort of your bed,
Extended Cone Stretch
Stand near your bed with your feet about hip-width apart. If you find this challenging, you can do it seated on your bed with feet on the floor. Raise both arms above your head and clasp the fingers together. Breathe in deeply and bend your whole body to the left. Try to feel yourself lengthening through the side-body. Hold here for a breath, then return to the middle on your next inhale. On your next exhale, bend your body to the right and repeat. Perform these three more times on each side.
Seated Forward Fold
Sit with your legs long in front of you, reach your arms up (without lifting your shoulders up). If this feels tight on your back and legs, slightly bend knees or prop your bottom up on a rolled mat to take some pressure off those muscles. On an exhale, fold your body and reach for your toes. Hold here and breathe, then roll back up to a tall seated position. Repeat 3 to 5 times. (If you have tight hamstrings, add these 3 gentle stretches to your routine.)
Lying Side Quad Stretch
Lie on your left side. Bend your left elbow and rest your head up on your left hand. Bend your right knee and hold on to the top of your foot with your right hand. Pull your heel toward your butt. If you find it tough to balance, bend your bottom knee as well. Hold for 30 seconds, pressing your hips slightly forward to increase the stretch in the front of your thigh. Release the stretch, roll over onto your right side and stretch your left quad. This stretch will relax your quads, hip flexors, and shoulders.
Happy Baby
To begin with lie on your back, bend both knees and hold on to the outside edges of your feet. Gently use your arm muscles to pull your knees toward the floor beside your chest. Relax your shoulders and your head, staying here for 30 seconds.
Corpse Pose
Climb into bed and lie down, legs slightly apart and stretched out in front of you, arms long by your sides with palms up. Close your eyes and focus on your breath. Hold for 15 seconds or until you fall asleep. The best way to end the day is to let go of everything you’re holding onto, especially stress.
My advice to one and all is to follow a healthy bedtime stretch routine to let you know where your body stands, and just how many extensions, rotation, and flex your body can take. This will help you find out your desired level of flexibility.