gentle
15-Minute Evening Stretch & Release
A consistent pre-sleep movement practice can support the transition to rest — many women find it genuinely useful for sleep quality.
20 min · Kit: Yoga mat or bed
The session
- 12 min: Seated forward fold — round over legs, breathe into lower back
- 22 min: Neck and shoulder release — tilt ear to shoulder, 30 sec each side; chest opener
- 32 min: Figure-four hip stretch — lying on back, ankle over knee, flex hip
- 42 min: Supine hamstring stretch — leg raised, foot flexed, gentle hold
- 52 min: Supine spinal twist — both sides, slow and relaxed
- 62 min: Butterfly — soles of feet together, let knees drop gently
- 72 min: Legs up the wall — deeply restorative; stay 2 min or longer
- 82 min: Child's pose or savasana
Worth knowing
- Evening stretching is a wind-down practice — no pushing into discomfort
- Dim the lights and move slowly — this is a signal to the nervous system that sleep is approaching
- Long holds (60–90 sec) in each stretch are more useful than brief ones for relaxation
- Phone down; this is the transition from doing to resting
