Bedtime Stretch Routine: 14 Minutes to Unwind Before Sleep

By the end of the day, most of us carry the day in our bodies: a stiff neck from the screen, a tight lower back from sitting, legs that have been on their feet for hours. This short routine from Sanjana Sripathi is designed for the few minutes before you get into bed. It is not a workout and there is nothing to achieve. As Sanjana says at the start, try not to push yourself or force your way into deeper stretches. The aim is simply to feel good, unwind and sleep more comfortably.

What you'll need

Just a pillow, plus a second one if you'd like extra support, and a stretch of free wall for the final pose. The whole class happens on the floor (or a firm bed, if that's easier), so it suits complete beginners and people who feel too tired for a "real" practice. Sanjana counts a few slow breaths in each pose. When you have more time, she suggests staying for two to five minutes in each one.

The seven stretches

1. Supported Child's Pose

Place the pillow lengthwise in front of you, widen the knees and sit back on the heels. Crawl the hands forward and rest your belly and chest on the pillow, turning the head to one side. Halfway through, turn the head the other way so both sides of the neck get a rest. A supported Child's Pose like this is one of the simplest ways to signal to the body that the day is over.

2. Supported Seated Forward Fold

Sit with the legs out in front and slide the pillow under the knees. That small bend takes the strain out of the hamstrings and lower back. Keep the legs together or a little apart, inhale, and as you exhale fold forward, resting the hands wherever they land. Unlike a classic Seated Forward Fold, the back is allowed to round and the neck simply hangs. Come up slowly, one step at a time.

3. Reclined Butterfly

Bring the soles of the feet together. If the knees sit high or the inner thighs feel strained, tuck a pillow under each one. Then lean back in stages: onto the hands, onto the elbows, and, only if it still feels good, all the way down. Rest the arms by your sides, overhead or on the belly and let the hips soften. This is a gentle version of Reclined Bound Angle (Supta Baddha Konasana).

4. Supported Fish Pose

Place one or two pillows crosswise and lie back so they support the upper back and shoulders, letting the head drop gently back. Keep the knees bent or stretch the legs out. Sanjana describes this as very good for releasing the neck, upper back and shoulders, the areas that round forward over phones and laptops all day. It is a soft, propped take on Fish Pose.

5. Lying Twist

Lie down, hug the knees in, then let both knees drop towards one side while you turn your head the opposite way, arms resting out to the sides. Five slow breaths, then the other side. A reclined twist like this gently eases the hips and back.

6. Happy Baby

Hold the inner arches of the feet, stack each heel over its knee and little by little let the knees draw down while the lower back settles towards the floor. Then rock slowly from side to side, which Sanjana describes as massaging the muscles along your back.

7. Legs-Up-the-Wall (Viparita Karani)

The routine ends with the legs resting up a wall and the arms wherever they're comfortable. Sanjana recommends it as an end-of-day pose because it relaxes the legs, and many people find it especially soothing after a day of standing or travelling. Stay for five breaths, or much longer if you like, then bend the knees, roll onto one side and come up slowly. Read more about Legs-Up-the-Wall.

Why a short routine helps before bed

Slow stretching paired with long, unhurried breathing gives the body a clear transition from "doing" to "resting". Sanjana closes by reminding you that deep breaths are what help calm the nervous system. That's why the counting matters more than how far you fold. Done regularly, a short routine like this can become a cue the body recognises, and simple, consistent habits tend to matter more for sleep than any single pose. For more ideas, see our guide to yoga for better sleep and these Ayurvedic tips for better sleep.

A few cautions

Everything here is gentle, but listen to your body. If you have a knee injury, keep a pillow under the knees in Child's Pose or skip it. If you have neck problems, keep the head supported rather than dropping it back in the fish pose. Legs-Up-the-Wall is not advised for everyone. Check with your doctor if you have glaucoma, uncontrolled high blood pressure or a heart condition, or if you are in later pregnancy. Persistent trouble sleeping is worth discussing with a doctor too.