Most people think of stretching as something you do before a workout. But a few minutes of gentle stretching before bed — and right when you wake up — can make a real difference in how well you sleep and how you feel in the morning.
Bedtime stretches help your body shift out of tension built up through the day. Morning stretches wake up muscles that have been still for hours and ease the transition into movement. Neither requires a yoga mat, a gym, or more than 5–10 minutes.
During the day, muscles tighten from sitting, standing, carrying tension, and physical activity. When you lie down with tight muscles, your body is more likely to shift positions frequently trying to get comfortable — which disrupts sleep depth.
A short stretching routine signals to your nervous system that it’s time to slow down. Your heart rate drops slightly, your breathing deepens, and your muscles relax enough to let you fall asleep faster and stay there longer.
Morning stretching serves a different purpose. After hours of stillness, joints are stiff and muscles are cool. Gentle movement gets blood flowing, loosens the back, hips, and legs, and helps your body transition into the day without the stiffness that often comes from sleeping in one position too long.
These are designed to be gentle and calming — not vigorous. Do them on the floor, your yoga mat, or even on top of your bed.
What it does: Releases tension in the lower back, hamstrings, and calves.
How to do it: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Slowly hinge forward from your hips, letting your head and arms hang loose. Don’t strain for your toes — just let gravity do the work. Hold for 30–60 seconds, breathing slowly.
Good for: Anyone who sits for long periods or carries tension in their back and legs.
What it does: Gently decompresses the lower back, opens the hips, and calms the nervous system.
How to do it: Start on your hands and knees. Sit your hips back toward your heels as your arms extend forward, forehead resting on the floor (or a folded pillow). Hold for 1–2 minutes. Breathe into your lower back.
Good for: Lower back tension, hip tightness, stress. This is one of the most calming stretches you can do before sleep.
What it does: Opens the hips and glutes — common spots for tension buildup.
How to do it: Lie on your back with knees bent. Cross your right ankle over your left knee to form a figure-4 shape. Gently pull your left knee toward your chest until you feel the stretch in your right hip. Hold 30–45 seconds, then switch sides.
Good for: People who sit a lot, runners, and anyone with tight hips or glutes.
What it does: Gently rotates the spine and releases tension across the lower and mid back.
How to do it: Lie on your back. Pull your right knee toward your chest, then let it fall across your body to the left while you extend your right arm out to the side. Look to the right if comfortable. Hold 30–45 seconds. Repeat on the other side.
Good for: Back tension, people who feel tight across the mid-spine after a full day.
These can be done in bed or on the floor right when you wake up. The goal is gradual, gentle movement — not intensity.
What it does: Loosens the lower back and sacrum — often stiff after a night of lying still.
How to do it: Lie on your back. Slowly pull both knees toward your chest and hold them there. Rock gently side to side if it feels good. Hold 30–60 seconds.
Good for: Lower back stiffness, anyone who wakes up feeling tight in the hips.
What it does: Warms up the entire spine — from lower back to neck — with a gentle flexion-extension movement.
How to do it: Get on hands and knees (or sit upright in bed). For cat: round your spine upward and tuck your chin. For cow: let your belly drop, lift your chest and look slightly up. Flow between these two positions slowly for 8–10 rounds.
Good for: Morning spine stiffness. One of the best ways to reintroduce movement to the back before standing.
What it does: Releases tight hamstrings, which pull on the lower back and can contribute to morning stiffness.
How to do it: Sit on the edge of the bed with legs straight out in front of you. Keeping your back straight, slowly lean forward toward your toes. Hold the stretch for 20–30 seconds. Don’t force it — lean only as far as you can with a flat back.
Good for: Back sleepers, people with tight legs, anyone who wakes with lower back tightness.
What it does: Opens up the side body and ribcage — areas that compress when you sleep on your side.
How to do it: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Interlace your fingers and raise your arms overhead, palms facing up. Lean gently to one side, feeling the stretch along your torso. Hold 20–30 seconds, then switch sides.
Good for: Side sleepers, anyone who wakes up feeling compressed or tight on one side.
Stretching helps — but if you’re waking up sore regularly, the mattress itself may be part of the problem. A mattress that doesn’t match your sleep position and body type creates pressure points and misalignment that no amount of stretching will fully fix.
Signs your mattress may be contributing to morning stiffness:
If any of those sound familiar, it’s worth exploring a change. LA Mattress has 5 showrooms across Los Angeles where you can test mattresses in person and get guidance from our sleep team. All purchases come with a 120-night comfort guarantee — so if the mattress doesn’t work for you at home, you’re not stuck with it.
Browse our full mattress collection, or visit us in-store to find the right fit.
Even 5–10 minutes makes a meaningful difference. You don’t need a full yoga session — a few targeted stretches held for 30–60 seconds each is enough to reduce tension and signal to your body that sleep is coming.
Yes — gentle movement right after waking is generally fine and beneficial. Avoid aggressive stretching or high-range movements immediately upon waking, since joints and muscles are cold. Start slow and build from there.
Gentle stretching can help relieve mild lower back tension and stiffness. If you have chronic or acute back pain, speak with a physical therapist or doctor before starting a new stretching routine — some stretches can aggravate certain conditions.
The standing side stretch and cat-cow are both excellent for side sleepers, who tend to compress one side of the torso and accumulate tension in the spine through the night.
There’s evidence that light stretching and yoga-style movement before bed can reduce cortisol (stress hormone) levels and activate the parasympathetic nervous system — both of which support faster sleep onset. It’s not a cure for insomnia, but it’s a reliable part of a calming bedtime routine for most people.
Sleep position, pillow height, stress levels, hydration, and overall physical activity all factor into morning stiffness. A good bedtime and morning stretch routine addresses the muscular side. If stiffness persists, it’s worth talking to a healthcare provider to rule out other causes.
Buying guides and sleep advice — no email signup required.