The 10-Minute Bedtime Back‑Pain Relief Routine

Setup. Come onto your hands and knees in the centre of the bed. Place your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. Let your spine settle long and parallel to the mattress.

The movement.

1. On an inhale, drop your belly toward the bed. Let your chest open forward and your tailbone tilt up. Lift your gaze gently. This is cow.
2. On an exhale, round your back up toward the ceiling. Let your tailbone tuck under and your head soften down. This is cat.
3. Keep the motion slow and continuous, breath leading the spine.

Repeat for 3 rounds. One round is one cow plus one cat.

Skip or modify if you have a wrist injury. Make fists or come down onto your forearms.

Setup. Kneel on the bed with your knees splayed wider than your hips and your big toes touching behind you. Sit your hips back toward your heels.

The movement.

1. Walk your hands forward along the mattress.
2. Let your torso lower between your thighs as your hips settle further back.
3. Rest your forehead toward the bed. Stretch both arms long and parallel in front of you, palms down.
4. Soften the breath. Let the front of your body sink toward the back of your body.

Hold for 30 seconds.

Skip or modify if your knees are sensitive. Place a folded blanket between your hips and heels for support.

Setup. Start on your hands and knees on the bed. Knees stay directly under your hips, hip-width apart. Hands stay under your shoulders.

The movement.

1. Walk your hands slowly forward along the mattress, keeping your hips stacked over your knees.
2. As your arms extend, let your chest melt toward the bed. Forehead and chin lower softly.
3. Keep your hips lifted high. They should not sink back toward your heels.
4. Let your spine form a long, gentle curve from hips to fingertips.

Hold for 30 seconds. Feel the front of your shoulders open with each inhale.

Skip or modify if your shoulders are tight. Bend your elbows lightly rather than forcing them straight.

Setup. Sit back on your heels in the centre of the bed, knees together, hands resting on your thighs. Take one settling breath.

The movement.

1. Rise up onto your shins so your thighs are vertical, knees still hip-width.
2. Place your hands on your lower back with your fingers pointing up toward your shoulder blades.
3. On an inhale, lift your chest gently up and back. Let your gaze rise softly toward the ceiling.
4. Keep your hips stacked over your knees. The bend lives in your upper back, not your lower back.

Hold for 20 seconds. Come back to seated on the heels for one breath in between if you want to repeat.

Skip or modify if you have any acute lower back pain or have had recent spinal surgery.

Setup. Lie face-down on the bed, legs extended straight back, hip-width apart. Place your hands flat on the mattress directly under your shoulders, elbows bent and tucked close to your ribs.

The movement.

1. Press gently into your hands and lift your chest off the bed.
2. Keep a small bend in your elbows. You do not need to straighten them all the way.
3. Roll your shoulders back and down. Lengthen the back of your neck and let your gaze rise softly forward.
4. Keep your hips, pelvis, and the tops of your feet pressed firmly into the mattress.

Hold for 20 seconds. Lower down on an exhale.

Skip or modify if you feel any pinch in your lower back. Only lift as high as feels comfortable, or stay on your forearms (sphinx pose).

Setup. Start on your hands and knees. Knees stay under your hips, hands stay under your shoulders.

The movement.

1. Walk your right hand forward and lower your right shoulder toward the bed.
2. Slide your left arm underneath your right arm, threading it across the bed with the palm facing up.
3. Let your left shoulder and the side of your face rest gently on the mattress.
4. Keep your hips lifted directly over your knees throughout. The twist lives in your upper back, not your hips.

Hold for 30 seconds on each side. Press through your right hand to come up, then repeat on the other side.

Skip or modify if you have shoulder pain. Keep both hands on the mattress and just rotate your gaze up toward the ceiling instead.

Setup. From hands and knees, bring your right shin forward across the bed at a comfortable diagonal. Slide your left leg straight back behind you, top of the foot resting on the mattress.

The movement.

1. Square your hips so they face the headboard rather than dropping to one side.
2. Sit upright for a moment, hands planted by your hips. Lengthen the spine.
3. Walk your hands forward along the bed and lower your torso over your front shin.
4. Rest your forearms or forehead on the mattress in front of you. Let the front hip soften.

Hold for 45 seconds on each side. Walk back up, switch sides, and repeat.

Skip or modify if you have any sharp knee pain. Slide a folded blanket under the front hip for support, or skip this pose entirely.

A note on the hips. Tight hip flexors are usually a chair problem. What you sit in by day keeps them loose.

Setup. Lie flat on your back with your head on the pillow. Extend both arms out to either side in a soft T-shape, palms pressing gently into the mattress.

The movement.

1. Bend both knees and draw them up over your chest, knees together.
2. Slowly lower both knees together to one side of your body. Let them rest on the mattress.
3. As your knees fall, turn your head softly the other way. Both shoulder blades stay anchored on the bed.
4. Soften your jaw. Let gravity do the work.

Hold for 30 seconds on each side. Bring your knees back to centre and switch sides.

Skip or modify if you have any disc concerns or sciatica that worsens with twisting. Place a pillow under your knees to make the twist much smaller, or skip.

Setup. Lie flat on your back with your head on the pillow. Let your legs extend long and your arms rest at your sides.

The movement.

1. Bend both knees deeply and draw them in toward your chest.
2. Wrap your hands or forearms around your shins, just below the knees. Hug your thighs in toward your belly and ribs.
3. Let the back of your head, your shoulders, and your lower back stay heavy on the mattress.
4. Breathe softly. Each exhale, draw the knees a touch closer.

Hold for 45 seconds. When you release, let your legs lower slowly.

Skip or modify if you have a hip replacement or recent abdominal surgery. Keep one foot on the bed and draw only one knee in at a time.