Stretching can help you get better sleep. According to the Sleep Doctor, not enough exercise is one of the main things that prevents people from getting enough sleep. Stiff muscles cause most to be restless at night; however, studies show that as people exercise and stretch, their quality of sleep improves as well as their feeling of alertness during the day.
Utilize the Chirp Wheel+ when stretching to get the best sleep you’ve ever had. As you can see through the pictures, each individual is at a different stage in stretching. Some can do more than others. Only do what your body can handle and work up to deeper stretching. Read the explanations of the stretches to know what you can do to individualize the stretch. Our goal at Chirp is to provide you with options so that anyone can have back pain relief no matter how flexible or athletic you are. Here are some ideas:
Bear Hug with the Chirp Wheel+
- Lie back against the wheel, lifting your glutes off the floor.
- Start to gently roll back and forth to loosen up the muscles along your spine.
- Stop the wheel when it is between your shoulder blades.
- Inhale as you open up your arms, and exhale as you hug your body, drawing your shoulders forward with your hands. Reach as far as you can to grab your shoulders. The more you reach the greater the stretch. If using the Chirp Wheel+ while bear hugging is too much, just simply stand and hug yourself for a stretch.
This stretch provides a deeper stretch in the rhomboids and trapezius muscles of your upper back, helping to ease upper back pain that comes from poor posture.
Chirp Wheel+ Shoulder Stretch
- Start on your hands and knees with the Chirp Wheel+ in front of you.
- Put your palms together and place your hands on the top of the wheel.
- Gently roll the wheel forward with your hands. You will feel a stretch in your shoulders and chest.
- Reach out as far as you can with the wheel, pushing your shoulders to the ground.
This stretch can help you reverse any damage done from poor posture and can help relieve upper back and shoulder pain.
Child’s Pose
You can do this with or without the Chirp Wheel+. Use the Chirp Wheel+ for a deeper stretch.
- To begin, get on your hands and knees.
- Bend your knees to put your butt to the heels of your feet, and reach your hands forward.
- For the regular pose, let your hands rest on the ground. If you want a deeper stretch, let your hands rest on the top of the Chirp Wheel+.
- Let your body sink into the ground.
- For this pose, you want to try and get your butt to touch your heels. If that is too much of a stretch for you, try it without the Chirp Wheel+ or just go down as far as is comfortable.
If your lower back is tight, you will feel a stretch in the muscles that need it the most. This pose also helps relieve tension in your back, shoulders, and neck.
Low Lunge
- Start on your hands and legs. Slowly bring your right foot up between your hands with your heel and knee aligned.
- Stretch your left leg back, keeping your knee on the floor.
- For a deeper stretch, place the Chirp Wheel+ (any size) under your left leg.
- Do this on both sides.
- For this pose, you want to try and get your back knee all the way to the ground and rest your hands on the ground. If that is not enough for you, you can use the Chirp Wheel+ to lift your back leg up for an extra stretch and a balance challenge. Do what feels right for you.
This lunge relieves hip, thigh, and groin pain by stretching out your muscles.
Seated Forward Bend
- Sit on the ground with your legs straight in front of you.
- Bend forward at the hips while reaching your hands in front of you to touch your toes.
- Relax your head by tucking your chin to your chest.
- If you need a deeper stretch, place the Chirp Wheel+ (any size) under your ankles.
This stretch loosens the muscles around your spine (especially your lower back), shoulders, and hamstrings.
Butterfly Pose
- Sit with the bottoms of your feet together and your knees open wide.
- Lie back onto the ground, letting your knees fall toward the ground.
- For a deeper stretch, place the Chirp Wheel+ in the small of your back, stretching your back over the wheel. Let your head relax backwards so you can stretch your neck muscles as well.
This helps relax and open your hips, which makes it a great stretch to do for those who sit all day.
Neck Stretch with the Deep Tissue Chirp Wheel+
- Lie on the ground with your legs bent if you have an extra tight back or with your legs straight if it is comfortable.
- Place the Deep Tissue Chirp Wheel+ under your neck.
- Relax.
This stretch relieves tension in your head, neck, and shoulders, helping with neck pain, upper back pain, and headaches.
Cronkleton, E. (2018, October 31). Stretching Before Bed: 8 Stretches to Do at Night Before Sleep. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/stretching-before-bed#reclining-bound-angle-pose.
Sleep Doctor. (2017, September 7). Why you wake sore, stiff, and unrested. Retrieved from https://thesleepdoctor.com/2017/09/07/why-you-wake-sore-stiff-and-unrested/.
