A gentle morning mobilization routine, sometimes called “bed yoga,” involves intentionally moving the body before fully rising. Many people wake up feeling stiff due to prolonged static posture during the night. These stretches, performed while still lying down, help transition the body from rest to activity.
The State of the Body After Sleep
Waking up stiff is a common experience rooted in physiological changes that occur during sleep. Throughout the day, spinal discs lose fluid due to gravity and movement. During horizontal rest, these discs rehydrate and temporarily expand, which contributes to morning stiffness and reduced spinal flexibility upon waking.
Circulation also slows down during the night, and muscle tissue can contract from remaining in a single position for hours. Gentle, controlled movement signals the nervous system that it is time to transition to wakefulness. This low-intensity stretching increases blood flow, delivering oxygen and nutrients while helping to clear metabolic waste products.
Essential Stretches for Spinal Mobility
Begin by lying on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the mattress, and arms relaxed at your sides. The first movement is a posterior pelvic tilt: gently exhale and press your lower back into the bed, subtly rocking your hips backward. Hold this core activation for about six seconds before slowly returning to a neutral spine, repeating the action five to ten times.
Next, perform the single knee-to-chest stretch, which targets the lower back and glutes. Keeping the opposite foot flat, gently pull one knee toward your chest by grasping behind the thigh or shin. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds, maintaining deep breathing before releasing the leg and repeating on the other side.
Conclude the spinal sequence with a supine spinal twist, promoting rotational mobility in the mid-back. Extend your arms out to the sides at shoulder height, then allow both knees to fall slowly to one side, keeping your shoulder blades anchored to the bed. Hold this gentle twist for five to ten breaths, then carefully bring the knees back to center to perform the twist on the opposite side.
Mobilizing the Extremities
Move to the lower body by performing ankle circles to wake up the feet and ankles. With your legs extended or slightly bent, slowly rotate your ankles in large, deliberate circles, clockwise and then counterclockwise, for 30 seconds on each foot. This dynamic movement lubricates the ankle joints and improves foot flexibility.
The supine figure-four stretch mobilizes the hips and stretches the gluteal muscles. While lying on your back with knees bent, cross one ankle over the opposite thigh, letting the knee fall open. Deepen the stretch by interlacing your fingers behind the bottom thigh and pulling the shape toward your chest, holding for 20 to 30 seconds per side.
For the upper extremities, start with simple wrist rotations and finger extensions. Clench your hands into fists and rotate your wrists slowly in both directions, then spread your fingers wide and stretch them. For the neck, gently turn your head from side to side only to the point of a mild stretch, or perform slow chin-to-chest tucks to release tension.
Safety and Transitioning Out of Bed
The goal of this routine is gentle mobilization, so avoid bouncy or jerky motions, known as ballistic stretching. Ballistic movements can trigger a protective reflex, increasing the risk of muscle strain or injury, especially when muscles are cold. Listen to your body and immediately ease out of any position that causes sharp pain.
When finished, resist the urge to sit straight up, which strains the lumbar spine and can cause orthostatic hypotension (a sudden drop in blood pressure). Instead, roll your entire body onto one side, keeping your knees together and your spine aligned. From this side-lying position, use your top arm to push your torso up while swinging your legs off the side of the bed.
Sit on the edge of the mattress for 30 to 60 seconds, allowing your blood pressure to stabilize and preventing lightheadedness or dizziness. Once steady, use your leg muscles to rise slowly to a standing position, maintaining a straight back. This controlled transition protects your spine and prepares your balance for the day ahead.