SteadyStrong
Gentle StretchStanding, low impact15 minutes

Bedtime Wind-Down Stretch

Fifteen quiet minutes that tell your body the day is over.

Gentle startLast reviewed 24 September 2026
Bedtime Wind-Down Stretch: An older woman sitting cross-legged with her eyes closed, breathing slowly

Start guided session

7 steps · about 15 minutes. You can pause at any time, and every step shows a gentler alternative.

Step instructions shown as you goThree paces to choose from
Length
15 minutes
Effort
Gentle
Position
Standing
Steps
7
Full bodyA chair, a bed or a mat

Why this routine helps

Three reasons this session is worth your ten minutes, and what you should notice changing over the first few weeks.

  • Calms the body before sleep with long, slow exhales
  • Releases the day’s tension from the back and hips
  • Gentle enough to do in pyjamas beside the bed

Safety cues for this routine

Read our full safety guidelines if this is your first week of exercise, or if anything here feels unclear.

Step by step

All 7 steps, with a gentler version of each

Open any step to read the full instruction and how to make it easier. The timing is a guide — going slower is always allowed.
  1. Slow the breath firstAbout 120 seconds

    Sit on the edge of the bed. Breathe in for four counts and out for six. Repeat eight times.

    Modify this move

    Count silently if counting out loud is distracting.

  2. Seated foldAbout 90 seconds

    Feet wide, hands on your thighs. Fold forward only as far as comfortable and let your head relax. Hold thirty seconds.

    Modify this move

    Rest your forearms on your thighs and fold just a little.

  3. Side bend, left and rightAbout 90 seconds

    Reach one arm overhead and lean away from it. Hold twenty seconds each side, breathing slowly.

    Modify this move

    Do this seated with the other hand on the bed for support.

  4. Figure four hip openerAbout 120 seconds

    Seated, rest one ankle across the opposite knee. Sit tall and lean forward slightly. Hold thirty seconds each side.

    Modify this move

    Hold your knee and ankle rather than crossing if hips are stiff.

  5. Knee hugAbout 150 seconds

    Lie back on the bed, hug one knee to your chest and hold twenty seconds. Swap legs, then hug both.

    Modify this move

    Do this seated, drawing one knee up with your hands.

  6. Legs up, easy twistAbout 150 seconds

    Lie back and let both knees fall to one side while your shoulders stay flat. Hold thirty seconds, then swap.

    Modify this move

    Place a pillow under your knees to reduce the twist.

  7. Rest and finishAbout 150 seconds

    Lie still with your arms by your sides. Take ten slow breaths, letting each exhale be longer than the inhale.

    Modify this move

    Stay lying still and drift if sleep comes.

Keep going

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Reviewed by Dana Whitfield, PT, DPT — licensed physical therapist specialising in older-adult rehabilitation.