Straighten Up-Bed Backs

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Straighten Up-Bed Backs

• Gentle Wake Up Exercises for Your Back and Body

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Introduction

• Straighten Up Bed Backs are a great way to start
  your day!
• The gentle spinal warm-up, wake-up exercises are
  short and easy completed in about 3 minutes. You
  may perform Bed Backs on a mattress or a floor
  mat.
• To make sure that the exercises are right for
  you, check with your health care provider or
  health coach before beginning Bed Backs,
  especially if you have spinal disabilities or a
  heart condition.
• If any activity hurts, stop doing it right away
  and consult your health care provider. Only do
  what feels comfortable and pain-free. Adapt
  exercises to fit your comfort level.

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Straighten Up-Bed Backs Overview

• Seven gentle wake-up activities
• Backs
• Ceilings
• Ins and Outs
• Helicopters
• Twists
• Belly Breathing
• Wiggles

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Backs

• Lying on your back head level, arms out to the
  side, elbows bent at 90 degrees, fingers pointing
  up.
• Gently press your head, back, arms and legs into
  the mattress in 5 easy pulses of 1-2 seconds
  each. (15 seconds) Do not force the movement. If
  straight leg position causes you discomfort, you
  may bend your knees.
• Relax with hands down.

Child Version
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Ceilings

• Bring your palms together moving your fingers
  tips and arms towards the ceiling as far as you
  can, 5 times in gentle pulses of 1-2 seconds. (15
  seconds) Feel free to bend your knees if you feel
  low back discomfort. You may also alternate left
  and right hand reaches.
• Then bring your hands down and relax.

Alternate Version
Child Version
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Ins and Outs

• Lying on your back, gently rotate your arms,
  hands, legs and feet inwardly and then outwardly
  5 times to each side. Arms and legs may be done
  at the same time or separately. (15 seconds) For
  comfort keep your neck relaxed in a neutral
  position.
• Relax.

Child Version
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Helicopters

• Lying on your back, heels relaxed and down, arms
  at your sides, palms up - circle your hands and
  feet inwardly 5 times and outwardly 5 times. (15
  seconds)
• Relax

Youth Version
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Twists

• (Consult with your health care provider before
  performing, if you have low back pain or lumbar
  disc problems.)
• Make sure you stay toward the middle of your bed,
  not on the edge where you could fall off.
• Lying on your back, bend your knees to a 45
  degree angle with your feet flat.
• Looking left, gently touch your right hand to
  your left shoulder while slowly gently rolling
  both your knees to the right 45 degrees. (Only do
  what feels comfortable not painful. For stability
  both arms may be kept open out to the sides.)
• Alternate sides 5 times each. (30 seconds)

Alternate Version
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Belly Breathing

• As a warm up lying on your back with knees bent
  and feet flat, slowly arch your low back and then
  flatten your low back into the bed 3 times. (15
  seconds) If this procedure produces low back pain
  discontinue the exercise.
• Next with flattened low back, slowly breathe in
  deeply. (Imagine filling your whole abdomen with
  air.)
• Then slowly breathe out completely, tightening
  your abdomen and bringing your belly button to
  your spine. Repeat 10 times. (70 seconds)

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Wiggles

• Lying on your back gently wiggle your whole body.
  (10 seconds)
• Make wiggly funny faces. (5 seconds)
• Relax. If time permits you may also gently tap
  your face, head, neck, torso and limbs with your
  finger tips .
• If you wish the entire series of exercises could
  be repeated.

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After your Bed Backs warm-up/wake-up, greet the
day refreshed and ready to go!Have a great day!