Stretching does a lot for your body. It improves your range of motion and flexibility. It supports healthy blood flow and helps you avoid injury. And it can help to alleviate tension, both physically and mentally.
In fact, with just a few moves, you can do some stretches to help you relax. Try them when you’re feeling stressed about work or school or having trouble sleeping. You might be surprised how good you feel afterward.
We’ve lined up three simple options to help you stretch your back, legs, and neck. In each stretch, try to take at least a few deep, slow breaths.
Ready to try these stretches to help you relax? Let’s go.
Forward fold
You have options here, which is why the forward fold is one of our favorite easy stretches to help you relax. You can fold forward from standing or you can sit with your legs extended out straight in front of you and fold forward from there.
If you fold from standing, keep a bend in your knees to let your lower back release. You might want to grab your elbows and try swaying side to side for more sensation. Check in with your neck and shoulders to make sure you’re keeping them relaxed.
If you fold from seated, keep your knees gently bent here, too. The goal isn’t to touch your toes. Instead, it’s to fold forward while keeping your spine relatively straight. You should feel this in your lower back and through the backs of your legs. To make sure you’re not pulling yourself into a specific shape, you might want to let your arms rest alongside your legs instead of grabbing your shins or feet.
Supine twist
This one’s so easy you could even do it in bed.
Lying on your back, hug your knees into your chest. Then, gently let your knees drop off to one side. Extend your arms out to either side of you like a T. Slowly, look over your shoulder away from your knees. (So, if you dropped your knees over to the right side, look to your left.)
Work to keep both of your shoulders in contact with the ground. If your knees don’t make it all the way to the floor (or bed), don’t worry. The goal here is to relax and let your muscles release, not to force yourself into a certain shape.
If you’re at your desk, you can still give your spine some love by performing this twist in your chair. Keep your knees pointing forward, then gently twist your upper body in one direction. You can grab the back of your chair to help yourself into the twist, but remember not to push or pull. Let your body tell you how much twisting it needs.
Whether you do this twist sitting or lying down, take deep breathes and picture your spine lengthening as you relax into your twist.
Neck stretches
Most of us walk around carrying more tension in our necks than we even realize. In fact, if you get recurrent headaches, that stress might be to blame. That’s why this is one of the best stretches to help you relax.
Inhale. As you exhale, gently guide your right ear toward your right shoulder. Remember, the goal is to relax here, not to pull or force anything. Take a few breaths, enjoying the stretching sensation from your left ear down to your left shoulder.
When you’re ready, inhale. On your exhale, gently guide your nose toward your sternum, letting the back of your neck stretch long. Let your head feel heavy. Take a few slow, deep breaths here.
On your next exhale, guide your left ear toward your left shoulder, feeling the stretch along the right side of your neck.
You can continue this pattern, moving back to center between each side. Or you can hang in one place that feels like it really needs the stretch. Listen to your neck so you can give it the stretch it needs.
You can do these three stretches to help you relax in ten minutes or less, so give it a try. Check in with how you feel after. You might be surprised how much your body needed the opportunity to release some tension.
While stretching is a great at-home way to help yourself relax, it’s not a cure-all for tension. If you’re feeling stressed or anxious, our team of therapists can help. To explore your treatment options — from talk therapy to holistic healing — get in touch with us today.
