Best Way to Get a Good Night’s Sleep through Exercise

Most exercises have both a calming and an energizing effect, which can lead to broken nights if done too close to bedtime. The following exercises, however, will help to release and unwind you, especially after a warm bath, without affecting your sleep.

All the movements should be done slowly and softly, as if moving through syrup. Breathe evenly and rhythmically throughout, focusing on the exhalations, which should be long and slow. Use a small cushion beneath your head for extra comfort.

Instructions

• Lay on your back, breathe in and bring your right knee to your chest, holding the shin with both hands. Breathe out and bring your leg closer. Breathe in and, as you breathe out, straighten the right leg back onto the floor. Repeat with the left leg. Repeat on both sides once more.
• Hold both your shins just below your knees, bringing both knees to your chest. Rock slowly and gently from side to side, massaging your lower back on the floor, for about thirty seconds. Keeping them together, make small circles with your knees, first in a clockwise direction, then anti-clockwise.
• Now place your hands on your knees and push them away from you and then out. Make circles with your knees bringing them back into your chest. Continue for two more circles then reverse direction for another three, finishing with your knees in to your chest.
• Keeping your knees to your chest, take your arms out sideways onto the floor a little lower than your shoulders, with your palms facing up. Breathe in and then lower your legs towards your left elbow as you breathe out, trying to keep your right shoulder on the floor. Let your left leg rest on the floor and relax your right leg towards your left leg, placing the cushion between your thighs if the legs do not come together. Stay for a couple breaths, relaxing a little further with each long exhalation. Breathe in and come back to the centre. Repeat to the right.
• With your knees bent and your feet on the floor, and your arms out sideways as in the previous exercise, breathe in slowly, lifting the arms up to vertical. Move slowly as if pushing the air. Breathe out, lowering your arms over your head slowly towards the floor, keeping them straight but not overstretching. Breathe in and return to vertical. Breathe out and return your arms to the starting position. Repeat four to five times.