Gentle yoga moves you can do in bed
Tracy Adshead, 54, is a yoga teacher specialising in yoga for seniors. Passionate about bringing healing and healthy ageing to the community, here she shares four simple moves to combat stiff muscles and joints you can do in the comfort of your own bed.
“I feel so much better!” is a common exclamation from many of my clients at the end of a chair yoga class but it’s usually followed by “tomorrow morning I’ll be stiff as a board”. I’m often asked what yoga postures would be good to do in the morning to help with stiff joints and muscles – but I can go one better! Here are some simple yoga postures to do in bed before you get up:
- Leg lock – Draw your right knee up towards your chest, gently hold the knee here (don’t pull on it) and use the exhalation to consciously relax your left hip. Hold for 3 – 5 deep breaths. Repeat on the left leg.
- Hip rotations – Drawing the right knee towards your chest again, place your right hand onto your knee and then begin to guide your right knee around in a circle. This will cause the hip joint to rotate. Move 5 – 7 times in a clockwise direction and then reverse the movement in an anti-clockwise direction 5 – 7 times. Repeat on the left leg.
- Lower back – You can bring some gentle relief to your lower back by drawing both knees up into your chest, place one hand on each knee and then guide both knees around in a circle, do this as long as you like before reversing the movement. This will gently massage your lower back.
- The whole body – Use the good old morning stretch! Take your arms over head as you inhale and press out through the heels, stretch the whole body. Exhale; release the arms down by your side. Repeat this 3 – 5 times before getting up. You’ll take in more oxygen and open up your lungs.
You may be asking yourself this: What exactly is happening in the body with yoga that helps us to feel better?
Yoga helps to attract synovial fluid into the joints, which is how your body hydrates the joints. It’s a clear slightly viscous fluid that delivers nutrients and oxygen.
Keep all yoga movements gentle and relaxing, if you experience any discomfort or pain while doing these movements please see your doctor.
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