- After a busy day, you may feel like you're being pulled in many directions, with your mind racing, making it difficult to fall asleep.

Hello, I'm Cassy with a pre-bed stretch routine to help you transition from frazzled to fine so you can fall asleep fast.

Have some comfy clothes, a mat, and we'll get started.

[gentle music] Since we'll be working down on the floor, let's work on getting down there, but slowly.

Let's lift those arms up overhead, stretch, [inhales] and then exhale.

Let's just stretch the back first.

And again, roll it up one more time with a big stretch [inhales] and a big inhale, and then an extra long exhale.

[exhales] Then we'll get our hands down to the floor, and walk your hands out and the feet back.

Get down to those knees, and then just let your hips sink forward and your shoulders come up by your ears.

And now move those hips back towards your heels in a yoga child pose, stretching the upper back.

Coming back up into more of a cat pose, so you have your hands under your shoulders.

Tuck your chin.

Arch that spine up towards the ceiling.

[inhales] Breathe in nice and big because we'll exhale as we do the opposite.

Now we'll arch your spine.

And this is just called cow.

Super common.

All right, now we're going to do what's called the greatest stretch.

Let's bring one leg forward, okay?

And you can sink your hips forward.

You have your hand on the inside of your foot.

Reach the other one towards the ceiling.

I mean, this is great.

A hip stretch, a spine stretch.

Let's do the other leg.

[inhales] Bring the other leg forward.

You can keep your hand down on the floor inside and stretch.

And we'll go through that one more time.

So get your legs back behind you.

Sink those hips forward.

[inhales] Exhale.

[exhales] Let those shoulders come up by your ears if it feels good.

You can also do this with your elbows on the floor.

And now hips go back into more of a child's pose.

I like to have my knees fairly wide.

Shift the hips around.

You can even cross one hand past the other.

Other side.

Up into your spine, arching up towards the ceiling.

Tuck that chin.

[inhales] Exhale.

[exhales] Make sure your hands are right under your shoulders.

Nice.

And one more time with the greatest stretch.

One hand down, the other reaches.

[inhales] Exhale.

[exhales] Those feel so good.

Other side.

Get that leg up there.

One hand down [inhales] and adjust your back leg to make it comfortable for your knee.

All right, now let's sit on our bottom with your knees bent.

Get ready to lay back, okay?

Big breath in [inhales] and exhale.

Roll it back.

And let's do some counting, some deep breath counting.

So as you breathe in, I would like you to let the belly expand.

So for four, three, two, one.

And then exhale for four, three, two, one, pulling the belly in to expel all the air.

Again, breathe it in for four, three, two, one.

And exhale, four, three, two, and one.

Very nice.

Let's open your arms so that your elbows are down and your palms are up, against the floor.

You're making kind of a W with your arms, and then slide your arms along the floor to make a big letter Y.

[inhales] Breathe it in.

And then exhale.

Remember, just continue in that pattern of the four in, four out, [exhales] using your belly.

Let's make another Y.

[inhales] And exhale.

Make another W, stretching those shoulders.

And again, up overhead.

[inhales] And as you bring your arms down this time, I'd like you to bring your right knee to your chest and pull.

[exhales] And switch legs.

Pull that left leg towards your chest.

And both knees, pull 'em in and lift your head, bringing your nose towards your knees.

Relax the head and cross your legs at the knees if you can or at the ankles, but try for above the knees to cross.

And then see if you can grab your shins and just shift your hips around right and left.

I find it a little easier if I can get my neck and some of my shoulders off the floor.

All right, put your feet back on the floor, and let's just drop your right knee open and let gravity stretch that inner thigh.

Okay, relax.

Lift it halfway, and exhale as you let it open 'cause you're continuing your slow breathing.

Very systematic, in and out.

Let's do the other leg.

Let that leg fall open.

Maybe your legs only fall open a small amount.

Don't compare yourselves to me.

Halfway up, [inhales] and blow as you... As you let the gravity pull the leg, you'll exhale.

All right, two knees are up.

Let's widen the feet quite a bit so that now you can let your knee fall to the center.

Maybe it'll only move an inch or two.

Maybe you're super flexible and your knee gets closer to the floor.

It doesn't matter.

This is about you feeling good and stretching for you before you go to bed.

So I've done it twice now on this side.

Let's do the other leg.

[inhales] Exhale.

[exhales] Let gravity do the work.

No cringing necessary; just gentle, and lift.

[inhales] One more time to the center.

And then bring your feet and knees together again at the top.

Open your arms, and we'll let your knees fall to the left and turn your face to the right.

Breathe it in big for four, three, two, one.

Exhale for four, three, two, one.

And we'll go to the other side.

Breathe in as you switch [inhales] and exhale.

[exhales] Of course, you're switching your face to face the opposite position.

Breathe it in [inhales] and blow.

You can even try extending the top leg, making the leg a little heavier and getting a little deeper spine stretch.

Okay.

Let's bring the legs up to the top, and then extend your legs and reach those arms overhead.

[inhales] Reach, reach, reach in two directions.

Overhead with the hands and the opposite direction with the feet.

And now paddle your feet opposite.

One leg and then the other.

[inhales and exhales] You can relax your arms onto the floor, but continue to paddle your feet.

And then stop that.

And I'd like you to clench your feet, your hands, your glutes, your face, your abs.

Clench for five, four, three, two.

[inhales] Release everything, starting with your fingers, up your arms.

Relax your face, relax your neck, your shoulders, your abs.

Let your feet fall open and continue your pattern breathing, four in and four out.

Nice and slow.

Staying here for as long as you like.

[inhales and exhales] Practice that pattern breathing for maybe another several minutes.

And if you know anyone else who would benefit from a routine like this, send them here to pbswisconsin.org/quickfit so they too can bring healing to their body and transition easier toward a restful night's sleep.

Sleep well.

And I'll see you tomorrow.

- Announcer: Funding for Quick Fit with Cassy is provided by Focus Fund for Wisconsin Programs and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.