Neck and Shoulder Stretches Before Bed and After Waking Up
Even for people who say "I don't have time to stretch," there's actually a time every day when you're guaranteed to be lying down. That's in bed. Today, I'll introduce stretches you can do before bed and after waking up.
Why is "before bed" effective?
When you do light stretching before bed, you can relax and ease muscle tension. During sleep, muscles become more relaxed, which helps prevent shoulder stiffness the next morning.
By loosening the muscles around the neck, blood circulation improves and fatigue substances are efficiently eliminated, which also leads to fundamental improvement of chronic shoulder stiffness.
Pre-sleep stretch ①: Neck stretch (1-3 minutes)
Lie on your side with your legs bent and extended forward. Place your hands behind your head and clasp them together, then gently pull your head toward your chest using your arm strength to stretch the back of your neck, and hold for 1-3 minutes.
This is a movement unique to bedtime that allows you to relieve nerve compression while lying down.
Pre-sleep stretch ②: Shoulder blade twist
Lie on your back with both hands placed behind your head and elbows spread parallel to the floor. While exhaling, gently twist your upper body by drawing one elbow toward the opposite knee. Be conscious of your shoulder blades moving as you do this.
Post-wake stretch: Chin tuck neck stretch
Lie on your back, bend your knees slightly, and relax your body. Gently tuck your chin and lightly press the pillow with the back of your head, creating a slight double chin for about 5 seconds, and repeat 5-10 times.
This movement also serves as practice for correcting your head position, which tends to move forward from smartphone and computer work.
Don't forget to check your pillow height
Pillows that are too high or too low put strain on your neck and shoulders. It's a good idea to start by reconsidering your pillow height.
Similar to the mattress discussion introduced previously, bedding directly impacts your shoulder stiffness every night.
Summary
Even on days when you think "I didn't have time to stretch today," everyone has a few minutes before bed and after waking up. Try this habit that can be completed in bed starting tonight.
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寝る前・寝起きの首肩ストレッチ
「ストレッチする時間がない」という人でも、実は毎日必ず横になる時間があります。それが布団の中です。今日は寝る前・寝起きにできるストレッチを紹介します。
なぜ「寝る前」が効果的なのか
寝る前に軽くストレッチを行うと、リラックスできて筋肉の緊張がほぐれます。寝ている間に筋肉がリラックスしやすくなり、翌朝の肩こりの予防につながります。
首回りの筋肉をほぐすことで血行が良くなり、疲労物質が効率よく排出されるため、慢性的な肩こりの根本的な改善にもつながります。
寝る前ストレッチ①：首伸ばし（1〜3分）
横向きに寝て、足は曲げて前に出します。手は後頭部に当てて両手を組み、腕の力で頭を胸に引き寄せるようにして首の後ろ側を伸ばし、1〜3分キープします。
横になったまま神経の圧迫を解除できる、寝る前ならではの動きです。
寝る前ストレッチ②：肩甲骨ねじり
仰向けになり、両手を頭の後ろに置いて肘を床と平行に広げます。息を吐きながら、片方の肘を反対の膝に向かって引き寄せるように、上半身を軽くねじります。肩甲骨が動いていることを意識しながら行いましょう。
寝起きストレッチ：あご引き首伸ばし
仰向けになり、膝を軽く曲げて体の力を抜きます。あごを軽く引き、後頭部で枕をそっと押すように、二重あごを軽く作るイメージで5秒ほど保ち、5〜10回繰り返します。
この動きは、スマホやパソコン作業で前に出やすい頭の位置を整える練習にもなります。
枕の高さも忘れずにチェック
高すぎる枕や低すぎる枕は、首や肩への負担になります。まずは枕の高さの見直しから考えるとよいでしょう。
以前紹介したマットレスの話と同様、寝具は毎晩の肩こりに直結しています。
まとめ
「今日はストレッチする時間がなかった」という日でも、寝る前・寝起きの数分は誰にでもあります。布団の中で完結するこの習慣を、今夜から試してみてください。
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