Rest Better At Night With These Exercises

According to reflexology, all the organs of the body are represented on the feet, so by massaging them we will achieve a general well-being that will promote sleep. What other keys could help us rest better?

There are those who cannot get to sleep and wake up during the night. Many other people who do sleep cannot make the rest restful either. It is not about sleeping more, but about resting better.

In this article, we explain what exercises you can do a while before going to bed. With these keys, you could fight insomnia and rest better, although consultation with your doctor is always recommended if the problem worsens or extends over time.

Rest better is to prevent diseases

Restful sleep is not a luxury, it is essential for good health. During those hours when the body sleeps, the body also works to regenerate and balance itself naturally, as explained in a WebMD article.

For this reason, we must give it the importance it has. It is not necessary, unless the doctor recommends it, to resort to medications or supplements to sleep. A good alternative would be to try these simple relaxing exercises first, which will promote a night’s rest.

Scalp massage

The head accumulates all the mental tension, which can even lead to headaches and migraines. That tension causes a pressure that can cause insomnia or make it difficult to rest well. According to the Mayo Clinic, stress is one of the most common triggers for these problems.

As a way to alleviate this problem, we suggest you perform a self-massage with your fingers on your scalp:

• Start with the area of ​​the forehead and temples. Press and make small circles with your fingertips.
• You must apply enough pressure to move the scalp without making it painful, although sometimes the roots of the hair can be sensitive.
• Advance to the nape of the neck.
• Try this massage for about five minutes.

This exercise, in addition to relaxing, could help improve blood circulation, as stated by research published in the Medical Science Monitor that details the benefits of massage in the lower back. Remember that if the pain becomes intense or affects your rest in a chronic way, it is essential to consult your doctor.

Back relaxation

The back musculature is another part of the body that also carries all the responsibilities. For this reason, it can make us feel overloaded and stressed and affect night’s rest, as explained in a study in The Clinical Journal of Pain .

To rest better, one help would be to restore the flexibility of the spine. Otherwise, they increase the chances of adopting uncomfortable postures or suffering pain during the night and in the morning.

To relax your back, you can try the following exercises:

• Lie on the floor on your back and hug your knees; press them against your chest each time you breathe out. As you breathe in, let them go a little. Repeat 15 times.
• On all fours, perform the yoga cat pose. Fully arch your back as you breathe out and then move into the opposite position, which consists of raising your head and extending your spine while you breathe in.
• You should feel each vertebra move. Repeat 10 times.
• In this same position, sit on your heels and leave your arms extended forward, on the floor, to stretch your back well. Rest like this for 30 seconds.

As we noted above, if the pain in the back becomes too severe or becomes limiting for everyday actions, it is best to consult with a traumatologist or physical therapist.

Stretching the feet to rest better

The feet support the body weight and provide support to the body during all the activities of the day. For those reasons, they often end up sore or inflamed. Given this, performing a foot massage yourself or letting someone else do it is a recommended alternative.

Another good idea is to relax them with a tennis ball or one that pets use to play with. You just have to stand up and step on the tennis ball. In this position, apply pressure to each point of the foot, except the toes, insisting on the parts that hurt the most.

This ‘massage’ can be done for one minute on each foot. This exercise mimics the pressure applied to the foot in a foot reflexology session.

Circular belly massage

The digestive system is one of the victims of the nerves and work, family or social problems that we face every day, as detailed in a 2008 article published in Individual Differences Research . Also, of course, this can suffer the consequences of poor diet.

To relax the belly, popular beliefs indicate using a moisturizer or vegetable oil and gently massaging the hand in a circle in the bowel. It should start on the left side of the belly, work your way up, and go down on the right side.

It should be a gentle and relaxing massage. We can do it just before going to sleep and a long time after having dinner. In any case, we recommend that you consult your doctor to rule out other more significant pathologies.

Better rest depends on yourself!

To conclude, we can also add that good rest depends largely on the lifestyle of each person. For example, physical activity contributes to improving the quality of sleep, according to the specialized medicine site Manual Merck.

Ultimately, establishing a routine before going to sleep also pays off, as detailed in a publication from the American Heart Association. Turning off screens, getting some tasks done for the next day, reading, and doing the exercises mentioned above can all contribute to the all-important act of getting a good night’s sleep.