Garcia says this move stretches your core by gently elongating your spine and your abdominal muscles.
To begin, place your hands and knees on the floor, with your arms straight and directly under your shoulders. Slowly curve your spine by pressing your abs toward the ceiling, and drop your head toward the floor. Hold for a few seconds, and then reverse the movement by slowly arching your back and lifting your face toward the ceiling. Hold for a few seconds, then repeat.
"The alternating movement that transitions your body from the cat position and the cow position is gentle enough to be relaxing while still offering a deep stretch," says Garcia.
Lately, the word "full-time" has taken over my entire schedule: I have a full-time job, I'm a full-time student, and I've been a full-time health freak since this whole "new year, new you" idea started trending. So naturally, there's hardly any room to fit sleep into my jam-packed agenda. As sad as it is to say, sleep has become just another task on my checklist instead of a rejuvenating activity I need to, well...live. By the time I get home, I have just enough energy to shower, scarf down some food and watch the latest episode of "Scandal" before passing out with my iPhone in one hand and a to-do list running through my head. Basically, I'm a sleep-deprived mess.
Thankfully there's a solution to my bad sleeping habit. Truth is, sprawling out onto my bed isn't the most efficient way to get a good night's sleep and wake up feeling refreshed. After talking with personal trainers, fitness experts, and health and wellness gurus, I've learned that stretching before bed reaps way more amazing benefits than you might think.
DailyBurn fitness trainer Anja Garcia says, "Sometimes it can be hard to calm your body and your mind after a busy day. I'm a fitness trainer and pediatric nurse, so I'm always on the go. But I've found that stretching before bed is one of the best ways to wind down after a long day."
Similarly, Alice Beckett-Wilson, physical therapist and wellness expert says, "Stretching before going to bed is helpful in getting a good night's sleep, and all stretches should be done with a focus on breathing."
So if you're desperately awaiting some much-needed R&R, fluff your pillows, toss the sheets back and keep clicking to see how to prepare for the best sleep of your life.
