If you find that you are still stressed or tense when you go to bed, relaxation exercises may offer a solution. Yoga, meditation or other therapeutic disciplines offer such exercises. But there are also simple exercises that anyone can do, without preparation or special training.

Relaxation Exercises

Below are a few examples of simple relaxation exercises

Exercise 1: breathing

Lie on your back, breathe in and out a few times as deeply as you can and relax as much as possible. Try to spend five minutes concentrating on your breathing: in – out – in – out. You can also count along: one – two – one – two. You will notice that you often fall asleep before the five minutes are up.

Exercise 2: relaxing

Tense your left foot and keep it tensed for five seconds. Release the tension and feel your foot relax. Wait a few counts and then repeat with the right foot, then your legs, hands, arms, shoulders, neck and head.

Exercise 3: rewinding the film

Lie on your back and think of what you did just before you went to bed, like undressing, washing yourself or brushing your teeth. Then think of what you did before that. And continue back through your day, like rewinding the film of your day. By the time you reach the start of your day, when you got out of bed in the morning, you will be so relaxed that you will easily fall into a fabulous night’s sleep.

Still can’t sleep?

If you don’t manage to fall asleep within the first 20 minutes, you might as well get up again. Instead of lying in bed thinking, it is better to do something simple until you feel drowsy (again). You don’t have to look at the clock; you aren’t supposed to lie in bed awake for a long time, the bed should only be associated with sleep. Only go back to bed when you feel drowsy. If again you can’t sleep, repeat the procedure.