Do This Stretching Routine Before Bed To Enhance Digestion As You Sleep

You'll be feeling relief in no time.

Aliver Aliver
Nov 24, 2022 - 21:02
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Do This Stretching Routine Before Bed To Enhance Digestion As You Sleep

Sarah Regan

Author:

November 24, 2022

Sarah Regan

mbg Spirituality & Relationships Writer

By Sarah Regan

mbg Spirituality & Relationships Writer

Sarah Regan is a Spirituality & Relationships Writer, and a registered yoga instructor. She received her bachelor's in broadcasting and mass communication from SUNY Oswego, and lives in Buffalo, New York.

Woman sleeping in bed

November 24, 2022

Whether you hit the turkey a little too hard or just want to give your gut a hand in digesting Thanksgiving dinner, there are a ton of stretches and yoga postures you can do to help beat bloat—and some of them can even help you get to sleep easier, too.

This quick 5-pose yoga sequence can be done just before bed (and actually right in your bed, if you wanted) so you can fall asleep without feeling stuffed.

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Come into a seated position, with legs stretched out long (bend your knees if needed). Stretch your arms overhead, then hinge at your hips and allow your arms to fold over your legs. Hold for at least 30 seconds.When you're ready, make your way to your back for half-wind relieving pose.
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2.

Half-wind relieving pose:

Lie on your back.Hug your right knee into your chest. Hold your knee close to you, and start to sway it side to side. Create circles with your knee, massaging out your belly.Repeat for five to eight breaths. Then repeat on the left side.Continue to reclined twist.
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While lying on your back, bring both knees into your chest.Slowly allow them to fall to the right side. Let your left hand extend out to the side, and bring your gaze to your right hand.Hold for five to eight breaths, then slowly bring your legs back up to center, and repeat on the left side.Bring your knees back to center, and roll side to side for a couple of moments.Make your way to child's pose.
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Image by mbg Creative / mbg Creative

From tabletop, sit back onto your heels with the toes together and the knees out wide.Reach and extend your fingertips forward, allowing your forehead to rest on the mat.Lengthen from the hips up to the fingertips.Breathe here for as long as you like.
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Image by Claire Grieves / Contributor

Start by sitting down facing a wall, with a block or folded blanket underneath you if desired.Lay your upper body down, and extend your legs up the wall.Your sitz bones don't need to be touching the wall, so adjust to a length that feels comfortable for you.Legs should be relatively active but not completely stiff.Hold for around 10 minutes, breathing gently.

The takeaway.

Nothing can keep you tossing and turning quite like feeling stuffed or bloated. If that's sounding all too familiar post-Thanksgiving dinner, this quick sequence will help you digest, de-bloat, and get to sleep with ease. (And if you need some extra help in the de-bloating department, check out our favorite probiotics, chosen by a nutrition PhD.)