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In another article, Dr. Shiori Yamada, director of the No. 16 Orthopedic Clinic, taught us how to resolve issues that disrupt sleep. This time, we'll learn some small additions that can be implemented starting today to achieve deeper, more comfortable sleep! They can also help relieve fatigue from long hours of desk work, so please give them a try.
Just by loosening your neck and shoulders before bed, you can change the quality of your sleep!
Maintaining the same posture all day while working at a desk can cause shoulder and neck stiffness to peak by nightfall. If you go to bed like this, it's often difficult to reset, and your body might not move flexibly during sleep, leading to a lack of deep sleep.
Therefore, it’s a good idea to make it a habit to relieve the stiffness accumulated from the day's work before going to sleep.
The method is simple. One way is to improve blood circulation with a "full-body bath."
It is more effective to immerse yourself up to your neck than to take a half-body bath. By submerging up to your neck, your neck will loosen, and you'll experience a sense of buoyancy throughout your body, releasing tension and enhancing relaxation. After about five minutes of warming up to your neck, your whole body will feel cozy and warm.
Next, let's try the simple stretches introduced below.
Prepare for deep sleep with sleep-enhancing stretches!
We will perform exercises to loosen the area around the shoulder blades, where fatigue tends to accumulate throughout the day. It is even more effective when done after a warm bath. All you need is one sports towel. These are quick and easy exercises, so please give them a try!
【Shoulder Blade Upward Diagonal Stretch】
① Hold both ends of a sports towel and spread your arms. Extend both ends in front of your chest without bending your elbows. Raise your arms until your body and arms form a right angle when viewed from the side, and keep your elbows straight.
② Keep the towel taut and slowly raise both arms upwards. Hold this position for 10 seconds, slightly behind your head. When viewed from the side, ensure your arms are behind your ears. Be careful not to arch your lower back during this movement.
【Shoulder Blade Upward Movement Stretch】
① Hold both ends of a sports towel behind your hips with both hands, extend your elbows, and spread your arms with your arms lowered. Spread your arms as if extending them diagonally downwards.
② Keeping the towel taut, slowly raise both arms. Hold for 10 seconds when your arms reach your waist. Be careful not to arch your back. If you can't raise your arms to your waist, don't force it; gradually work your way up.
LET'S TRY Practical Tips
Tips for significantly improving sleep quality- Before sleep, loosen your neck and shoulder stiffness
- Relax and warm up with a full-body bath rather than a half-body bath
- Develop a habit of stretching before getting into bed
