In a culture that doesn’t allow for much downtime between work, family responsibilities, and social events, it’s clear why so many people struggle to wind down from the craziness and get an adequate level of sleep every night.
What Is An Adequate Amount Of Sleep, Exactly?
Our bodies can do amazing things to recover while we sleep. The National Sleep Foundation states that you should be getting 7 to 9 hours every single night to allow your heart, blood vessels, organs, muscles, and cells to repair while your immune system strengthens. Growth hormone levels rise, while cortisol (stress hormone) levels fall.
Mental stress is one of the biggest blocks to being able to relax after a busy workday — we all experience it, but we don’t all find ways to manage and reduce it. Our physical bodies may deter our relaxation and sleep, too, as sitting at a desk all day and repetitive movements lead to stiff joints, sore muscles, and injury.
This can be a vicious stress cycle. When we are stressed and can’t sleep, our bodies cannot process and lower cortisol levels properly, leading to generally higher stress levels throughout the day.
We’ve compiled a few tips and a gentle stretching routine to help you wind your mind and body down at the end of a long day and start getting a better night’s sleep tonight!
1. Create a Routine
The most important way to relax in the evening is to create a solid routine and stick with it! It doesn’t matter what is in your routine so much as it matters that you make something you can stick to with ease. Make your routine include things you enjoy and keep it short enough that it won’t feel like a burden.
2. Ditch the Phone
It’s no surprise that all of the time we spend scrolling through our phones can keep us wired late into the evening hours and leave us feeling more stressed than we were to start.
The blue light emitted by most screened electronic devices like television, cell phones, tablets, and computers suppresses our natural ability to produce melatonin and throws off our circadian rhythm.
Not only can these be physically detrimental to relaxing at night, but their use can be emotionally stressful. There have been studies that show growing evidence of the correlation between excessive use of social media and depression. FOMO (“Fear Of Missing Out”) is too real, and social media interactions aren’t comparable to face-to-face — they can leave us feeling socially isolated.
When it comes to unwinding, it’s best to leave these devices out of our nighttime routines — drop the phones 2 to 3 hours before you plan to sleep.
3. Stretching Before Bed
Practicing yoga and performing gentle stretches are a fantastic way to unwind and release stress in the evening. They have been shown in clinical studies to reduce anxiety, stress, and improve general psychological health. It even aids in digestion, which is especially important in the evening hours after dinner and before bed.
Grab a looped resistance band, like this one from Victorem, for some extra support and comfort to get deep into these stretches for a more relaxed body and clear mind.
Hamstring Stretch with Band
- Lie on your back on a mat. Stretch both legs out directly in front of you.
- Wrap one end of a looped resistance band around the arch of your right foot.
- Keep your arms in at your sides with both elbows bent and place some resistance on the band as you lift your right foot in the air.
- Hold for 30 to 60 seconds. Lower leg, and repeat with the left leg.
Overhead Stretch with Resistance Band
- Lie on your back on a mat. Stretch out your arms and legs.
- Grab your looped resistance band with both hands and raise your arms to the floor above your head.
- Gently pull the band out to each side, stretching your arms, back, and shoulders.
- Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.
Child’s Pose
- Get onto all fours on a yoga mat, with hands under shoulders and knees under hips.
- Lean your hips back until you are sitting on your feet (or as close as your body will allow). Keep arms outstretched in front of you.
- If you’re low enough to place your forehead on the floor, do so.
- Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.
Final Word
We hope you find a few of these tips helpful in winding down your body and clearing your brain after a stressful day. Not only will these stretches help calm you down in the evening, but with regular use, you should notice your body begins to feel better and more relaxed in the morning and throughout your day.
