For most of us, the moment we get into bed becomes a battlefield for our thoughts- worries from the day, tasks for the next, and an overactive mind usually conspire to steal from us this peaceful slumber we all yearn for. If you are stuck in this cycle, the cure lies in a simple yet effective remedy of a 5-minute gentle workout before going to bed. Research has shown that such low-impact exercises not only make relaxation easy, but also get your body and mind ready for restful sleep.

Contrary to outdated beliefs that evening workouts disrupt sleep, studies like the one published in *Sports Medicine* in 2019 reveal that moderate pre-bedtime exercise can actually enhance sleep quality. However, it's important to avoid high-intensity workouts close to bedtime, as they can elevate adrenaline levels. This guide focuses on five calming exercises designed to clear your mind and relax your body, setting the stage for restorative sleep.

Why a Pre-Bedtime Exercise Works?

A light exercise before bed will help you release the physical tension, improve blood flow, and relax your muscles. With controlled breathing and being mindful of the movements involved, these exercises serve as a mental reset to move from busyness in the day to be calm and restful.

5-Minute Bedtime Routine

Plank

The plank is a full-body exercise that targets your core, shoulders, and glutes.

• Lie on your stomach with your forearms on the ground, elbows under your shoulders.
• Press into your forearms and lift your body up, creating a straight line from shoulders to feet.
• Tighten your glutes and draw your navel toward your spine.
• Hold for up to 60 seconds while breathing deeply.

Planks help increase strength and stability while promoting mindful breathing, making it a great exercise to do before sleep.

Glute Bridge

This low-impact exercise strengthens your posterior chain and improves body alignment.

• Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Press through your heels and lift your hips, forming a straight line from your knees to your upper back.
• Squeeze your glutes at the top, wait a second or two, and then lower slowly. Repeat 10–15 times.

The glute bridge also helps to ease discomfort in the lower back, bringing about more general physical relaxation.

Butterfly Stretch

The butterfly stretch softly opens up the hips and groin region, releasing tension that often comes from being tight up in areas throughout the day.

• Sit with your feet touching and knees bent, letting your knees fall outward.
• Sit tall with your feet crossed now, holding the crossed feet and gently pushing your knees toward the ground.
• Take in deep breaths and stay for 30–60 seconds.

This is a nice stretch to relax your body and mind before bedtime.

Also Read: Waking At 3 a.m. Every Night? It's Not A Ghost—It’s Your Body’s Warning Signal

Child's Pose

Child's pose is the favorite in yoga, which lets go of all the tension stored within the lower back, hips, and shoulders. It also cultivates deep breathing.

• Get down on the floor and place your knees far apart.
• Bend forward. Extend your arms on the floor with palms down.
• Press your hips into your heels. Let your torso rest between your thighs.
• Hold for 30–60 seconds, concentrating on slow, deep breaths.

The stretch gives a sense of grounding and helps calm an overactive mind.

Figure-4 Stretch

This stretch targets the glutes, hips, and lower back, which are areas commonly tight.

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor.
• Cross your right ankle over your left knee, forming a figure-4 shape.
• Gently pull back on your left hamstring to deepen the stretch in your right hip. Hold for 30 seconds and switch sides.

Ending with the figure-4 stretch is a great way to release tension that may remain after your practice, preparing your body for a restful slumber.

How to Create Your Bedtime Routine

Integrating this 5-minute workout into your nightly routine will completely change the nature of bedtime for you. Not only will these exercises help eliminate physical stress but also remind your brain that it is time to unwind. Continue to do these exercises in a sequence, but ensure each movement is executed with the intent to increase controlled breathing.

With consistency, this gentle workout can become a cornerstone of your sleep hygiene, leading to better rest and improved well-being.

What Helps You Sleep More Peacefully

Improving sleep quality involves creating the right environment and habits. Here's what can help:

Lifestyle Tips

- Maintain a consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends.

- Avoid heavy meals, caffeine, and alcohol close to bedtime.

- Practice mindfulness or meditation to calm your mind.

Bedroom Environment

- Keep the room cool, dark, and quiet.

- Invest in a comfortable mattress and pillows.

- Use blackout curtains or an eye mask to block light.

Pre-Bedtime Routine

- Engage in a relaxing activity, such as reading or listening to calming music.

- Add gentle stretches or a 5-minute workout to release tension.

- Avoid screens for an hour before bedtime to avoid the blue light effect.

All these, together with the workout routine, help maximize your potential to fall into a deep rejuvenating sleep.

Yoga is an adaptable exercise that has poses and asanas to accommodate people according to their needs. Not everyone can perform the exercises at the same level as an experienced yoga practitioner. There are standing, flowing as well as sitting poses, these ranges allow people with all kinds of abilities to practice yoga, whether they have mobility issue, or motor control issues etc.

When it comes to conditions like heart issues, high blood pressure and blood sugar issues, people have to be very cautious. While controlling food helps them improve their health, without exercise it is not easy to do so. If you are also struggling with these issues but are unsure of what exercises you must do, try yoga. There are many poses that can help you build your health and live a healthier life like Vajrasana pose. It is a simple sitting pose that not only improves high blood pressure, but also reduces back pain, increases focus etc.

What is Vajrasana Pose?

In Vajrasana, when you kneel and sit back, it gently takes some of the pressure off your knees. This position is often used when you're doing breathing exercises to calm your mind or when you're meditating to feel more peaceful inside. People who follow Ayurvedic medicine, an old Indian system of health, believe that sitting in this way helps your body become as strong and stable as a diamond. It's about finding strength in being still and focusing your energy.

Here’s how to do it

• Begin by kneeling down on the floor. Consider placing a yoga mat underneath for added comfort to your knees and shins.
• Bring your knees and ankles together so they are touching. Point your feet straight back behind you, in line with your legs. The soles of your feet should face upward, and your big toes should touch gently.
• Exhale slowly as you gently lower your buttocks down to rest on your heels. Your thighs will naturally rest on top of your calves in this position.
• Place your hands on the tops of your thighs. Gently adjust your pelvis by rocking slightly backward and forward until you find a comfortable and balanced seated position.
• As you inhale and exhale slowly, focus on straightening your spine. Imagine a gentle lift from the base of your spine to the crown of your head, helping you sit tall. Gently press your tailbone slightly towards the floor.
• Straighten your head so you are looking directly forward, with your chin parallel to the floor. Rest your hands on your thighs with your palms facing down, keeping your arms relaxed. Breathe gently and evenly in this pose.

When Should You Avoid Doing Vajrasana

Before you start doing any yoga exercises, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor. They can tell you how yoga might affect your current health and suggest ways to do it safely so you don't have any problems. Here are some reasons why you should avoid doing this pose.

• If you have recently undergone surgery on your knees.
• If you have a condition that affects your spinal cord, particularly in the lower vertebrae (lower back)
• If you have intestinal ulcers, a hernia, or any other intestinal problems such as an ulcer or hernia
• If you are pregnant, it's important to speak with your doctor before attempting Vajrasana.

One of the biggest benefits of yoga is its effectiveness to relieve stress and help you focus on your current self of well-being. While you may think yoga needs to be done in a certain place at a certain dedicated time, most yoga poses do not need extra bells and whistles. All you need is the right yoga pose. One such yoga pose that you can do anywhere and anytime is Padmasana. It may look similar to sitting cross-legged, but there are slight differences between them.

Also known as the Lotus pose, it is a pose that symbolises peace and resilience. While you can definitely practice this at home, if you have a comfortable work chair you can practice this a well. While it may be a bit difficult to sustain this pose, you will notice many differences in your body after a while of doing it.

Benefits of Padmasana

Regular practice of Padmasana offers several physical benefits. It provides a beneficial stretch to the muscles of the thighs, calves, ankles, and hips. Additionally, it can help in correcting minor irregularities in the spinal alignment and positively affect the pelvic region and the lower abdomen.

Beyond the physical stretch, Padmasana offers therapeutic advantages. By encouraging an erect spine it helps to correct posture. It also enhances flexibility in the lower extremities, specifically stretching the ankle and knee joints. Furthermore, it can improve blood circulation in the abdominal area and may be helpful in managing menstrual discomfort and sciatica issues.

What Else Does It Help You With?

Beyond the physical stretch, Padmasana offers therapeutic advantages. By encouraging an erect spine, it helps to correct posture. It also enhances flexibility in the lower extremities, specifically stretching the ankle and knee joints. Furthermore, it can improve blood circulation in the abdominal area and may be helpful in managing menstrual discomfort and sciatica issues.

The practice of Padmasana involves several muscle groups working together. These include the hip abductors, flexors, and medial rotators in the hips. The pose also engages the muscles around the knees and elbows, as well as the ankle plantar flexors in the ankles.

How to Do Padmasana

1. Gently bend your right leg at the knee. Carefully fold it inwards and place your right heel on top of your left thigh. The sole of your right foot should be facing upwards.
2. Now, bend your left leg at the knee and fold it. Bring your left heel on top of your right thigh, aiming to cross your ankles. Ideally, your heels should be positioned as closely together as is comfortable.
3. Try to gently press both of your knees down towards the ground as much as feels natural and safe.
4. Maintain an upright posture with your head, neck, and torso aligned in a straight line. Gently draw your abdomen inwards to support your spine.
5. Place your left hand below your navel, with the palm facing upwards. Rest your right hand on top of your left hand, also with the palm facing upwards. Allow your shoulders and hands to relax.
6. Remain in this pose, focusing on your natural breath or gently directing your gaze towards a chosen point.
7. Gently release your hand position, allowing them to rest comfortably on your knees or thighs.
8. Slowly and carefully lift the leg that is on top with the support of your hands and place it back down on the mat. Then, gently unfold your other leg.
9. Finally, slowly straighten both of your legs back to the initial stretched-out position.

Seeing kids grow up is a rewarding feat for parents. The kids who used to be no taller than your legs seem to grow up too soon. While kids are biologically bound to grow taller, many factors can affect it. We are often reprimanded for slouching and sitting in a bad posture, however these often fell on deaf ears. However, these are very important factors to consider, not just for height, but also for your back health.

Many times, your posture prevents you from reaching your true height potential. When you slouch and compress your spine for long, you are bound to shorten your height. The Cleveland clinic explains that doing yoga can help you strengthen your posture and express your height properly.

For children, exercise plays a big role in their height growth. Other factors include what kind of food they eat and their lifestyle choices. Certain yoga poses are believed to stretch the body in ways that can potentially stimulate growth hormone production and improve posture, contributing to a taller appearance. Additionally, yoga is known for its relaxing properties, helping to alleviate emotional and mental stress, which can indirectly support overall well-being. Here are some you should try.

Yoga Asanas Children Should Do To Grow Taller

It is important to note that all the yoga postures (asanas) and breathing exercises (pranayama) described below should be practiced under the careful supervision of a certified yoga instructor. They can provide personalized guidance, ensure correct alignment, and help you avoid potential injuries.

Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

This standing pose stretches the whole body, from your feet to your fingertips. This lengthening action feels good and is thought to encourage the body to produce more growth hormones. Stand tall with feet together, raise arms overhead while inhaling, lift onto your toes, stretch upwards, and then gently come back down.

Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

Lying on your stomach, this pose stretches your lower and upper back, along with your abdominal muscles. It can also help reduce fat around your waist. By lifting your upper body using your arms while keeping your lower body grounded, you lengthen your spine, which is beneficial for increasing height.

Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)

Sitting with legs straight out, bend forward from your hips, reaching for your toes. This stretches your hamstrings and spine. Practicing on an empty stomach, ideally in the morning, is recommended. Besides stretching, it's believed to aid digestion and stimulate organs involved in growth.

Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)

Standing on one leg with the other foot placed on your inner thigh, raise your arms overhead with palms together. This balancing pose is thought to stimulate the pituitary gland, which is key in producing growth hormone. Hold the pose steadily, focusing on balance and a gentle neck stretch.

Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)

Standing with feet wide apart, bend sideways, reaching one hand towards your foot while extending the other upwards. This pose strengthens your legs and core, stretches your hips and hamstrings, and helps align your spine. Proper spinal alignment can contribute to a taller and more upright posture.