wake up workout live well nhs choices
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ÂTRANSCRIPT
Your health, your choices
5minute wakeup workout
Start your day feeling on top of the world with this fiveminute bedroom routine combining strength and flexibility exercises.
This routine from physiotherapist Nick Sinfield starts with some gentle inbed tensionreleasing stretches and finishes with a series of energising power moves.
Try to do this workout every morning to burn calories, ease away aches and pains, boost your mood and feel more alert.
Overhead stretch
Extend your arms over your head, feeling your body stretch from your toes to your fingertips. Take three to four deep relaxing breaths.
Knee to chest stretch
Bring one knee to your chest, keeping the other leg bent. Don’t raise your head or tense your neck. Take three to four deep relaxing breaths feeling the stretch in thebuttocks and lower back. Repeat with opposite knee.
Hamstring stretch
Grasp one leg and pull it towards you, then straighten it as far as is comfortable. Keep the other leg flat or bent on the bed. Take three to four deep relaxing breathsfeeling your hamstring lengthen. Repeat with opposite leg.
Knees to chest
Bring both knees to your chest and gently grasp your legs. Don’t raise your head or tense your neck. Take three to four deep relaxing breaths feeling the stretch in thebuttocks and lower back.
Knee rolls
Slowly roll knees to one side, keeping them together and ensuring both shoulders remain in contact with the bed at all times. Take three to four deep relaxing breathsfeeling the stretch in your lower back. Repeat on opposite side.
Trunk rotation
With your feet parallel and shoulders back and down, rotate your upper body to one side as far as comfortable without moving your hips. Repeat six to eight times onboth sides, taking a deep relaxing breath on each side to release stiffness in your lower back.
Chest stretch
Shoulders back and down and hands on hips, push your chest up and out. Take three to four deep relaxing breaths feeling your chest muscles lengthen.
Upper back stretch
Clasp both hands and extend arms out in front of you at shoulder level. Look down and slightly round your back. Take three to four deep relaxing breaths feeling thestretch between the shoulders.
Seated hamstring stretch
Sitting upright with both legs straight and hipwidth apart or closer, bend from the hips bringing your chest towards your thighs, keeping a straight back. Take three tofour deep relaxing breaths feeling your hamstrings lengthen.
Onthespot power walking
Walk on the spot for about 30 seconds, raising your heels to your buttocks while bending both elbows together into a bicep curl.
Squats
With your feet parallel and shoulderwidth apart, lower yourself as far as is comfortable or until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Don't let your knees lean over yourtoes. As soon as you touch the bed come up and repeat. Perform eight to 10 slow and controlled squats.
Side stretch
Hands on hips, cross your left leg in front of your right leg. Raise your right arm and reach towards the left side. Hold for three to four deep relaxing breaths feeling astretch across your side. Repeat on the opposite side.
Forward bend
Feet parallel and hipwidth apart, bend from the waist, bringing your chest towards your thighs, keeping legs and back straight. Hold for three to four deep relaxingbreaths feeling the stretch in the hamstrings.
With thanks to the H10 London Waterloo hotel for providing their facilities for the photoshoot.
Page last reviewed: 03/06/2014
Next review due: 03/06/2016