A 19-Minute Morning Stretches for Seniors Routine

September 11, 2023

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If the words creaky, tight, and sluggish define your mornings, a dose of breath and movement could be just what the doctor ordered. Luckily, the latest episode of Well+Good’s Trainer of the Month Club offers morning stretches for seniors to help you start the day off on the right foot (and leg, hips, back, shoulders, and neck).

Stretching in the morning is a way your body naturally wakes up, which is why you see babies and dogs intuitively doing those big, yawning, body-opening stretches—officially called “pandiculation”—as they get their day started.

“The theory is that pandiculation is the body’s way of shifting from a resting state into an active state by increasing nervous system arousal and focusing attention,” exercise physiologist Sharon Gam, PhD, CSCS, previously told Well+Good about the biology of morning stretches. “It’s thought that the brain activates a cascade of reactions that prepare the body for action, including redirecting blood flow to the muscles, increasing heart rate and breathing, and shifting attention to the outside world.”

But if you’re a senior, stretching might not come as naturally or easily as it does to a wee babe. In fact, the way we approach stretching should change as we age.

“What you should focus on are stretches that will help you obtain the proper range, postures, and positions necessary for your desired activities,” Kassandra Reagan, DPT, CSCS, physical therapist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, previously told Well+Good about the best stretches for seniors. “So, depending on what you want to be able to do, your stretches may vary. But a nonspecific full-body stretching routine can also be very beneficial for your general health.” It can also be useful to hold the poses for longer than you might think, since it may take a little more time to open up those muscles and joints.

That’s just what Crunch group fitness instructor Liz Fichtner has in store in this new 19-minute morning stretches for seniors video.

“As a senior myself, being 64 years old, I like to start my morning with some mobility in the body, and some good energy running through,” Fichtner says. Throughout the session, Fichtner wants you to hold the poses for the amount of time that feels good to you, based on your body’s particular needs that day. “You can back off. We’re not in any rush to get anywhere. We’re taking a nice slow morning.”

The 19-minute stretch series contains a section of seated floor exercises where you’ll focus on connecting your breath with moves like arm circles, side bends, twists, and folds. You’ll release stress pressure points, like those in your wrist and neck, and start to activate your muscles with a few moves done on your hands and knees. You’ll cap it all off with a gentle yoga flow and a delicious savasana (resting pose). What a way to start the day!

You can do the routine in the video above, or follow along with the instructions below.

A 20-minute morning stretches for seniors routine

Format: Stretching and mobility exercises done seated, standing, on hands and knees, and laying down

Equipment needed: A stretch of floor to lay on (like a yoga mat), and something to sit on, like a pillow or yoga block

Who is this floor?: Seniors who want to bring a bit of movement to their mornings.

Moves 1-11 are done sitting in a supported cross-legged position

1. Seated breathing exercise

Sit on a pillow, yoga block, or other support with legs crossed
Breathe and grow tall in the spine, feeling space in between your vertebrae
Repeat for 30 seconds

2. Arm circles

Lift your arms above your head so your palms meet
Bring your joined arms out in front of you and interlace your fingers, flip your palms to push out and round your spine
Release your arms to the sides
Repeat for 30 seconds

3. Side bends

Take one arm up and over your head and lean over to the opposite side
Repeat on the other side and continue alternating for 30 seconds

4. Side bend look-ups

While at the top of the side bend pose, look up and open up your shoulder
Repeat on the other side and continue alternating for 30 seconds

5. Twists

Raise both arms above your head
Twist over to the right side and as you do so, bring your arms down to place your front hand on the opposite knee, with the back hand on the ground
Return to center, then repeat on the other side
Continue alternating for 30 seconds

6. Twist and holds

At the bottom of the twist, with your front hand on the opposite knee, twist over your back shoulder and briefly hold
Repeat on the other side

7. Forward fold

With your hands raised above your head, bend forward over your feet and place your hands on the ground.
Walk your hands to one side, hold, then walk them over to the other side.

Change the cross of your legs, bringing the opposite foot on top.

8. Neck stretches

Lengthen the top of your spine through your neck
Envision creating space between the joints of your neck and shoulder
Holding that space open in your mind, tilt your head to the side, so you get a stretch along the opposite side of your neck
On the side that is getting the stretch, float the arm up, somewhere between your waist and shoulder.
Make a fist and rotate your wrist one way, and then the other way
Gently release the fist, arm, and neck stretch
Repeat on the other side

9. Neck circles

Drop your chin to your chest
Rock your head gently from side to side
Place your thumbs underneath your chin and use them to lift your head up
Make a full circle with your head, switching directions at the top of each circle
Return to center with your head in a neutral position
Jut your head out, and bring it back, pulling your chin into your neck

10. Shoulder rolls

Place your hands on your shoulders, with your bent elbows out in front of you
Open your elbows out to the side, up, back, and back to the front, making a circle

11. Wrist stretches

Extend your arms out in front of you
Flip your palms face up
Extend your fingers down and pull gently with the opposite hand creating a wrist stretch.
Repeat on the other side
With your palm face down, make a fist
Rotate your wrist out to the side

12. Leg lifts on your hands and knees

Come onto your hands and knees
Slide one leg back so that your knee is straight and your toes are on the floor
Lift the leg up to parallel with your hips
Lower back down and return to hands and knees position
Repeat on the other side.
Repeat the move but lift the arm of the opposite arm when you lift the leg.
Repeat on the other side
Come out of the hands and knees pose by lifting your hips into a downward dog with bent knees, and then slowly walking your hands and knees together until you can lift up into standing

13. Standing side bend

Standing upright, lift your arms above your head
Grab your wrist with the opposite hand, and side bend as you pull your wrist to the opposite side
Repeat on the other side

14. Sun salutation

From standing with your hands up above your head, bend over and let your hands rest where they fall naturally
Place your hands on your shins or your thighs so that you can bring your straight back parallel with the floor
Bend forward
Slowly rise back up into standing
Repeat
Add a twist: At the top of the pose, twist over one shoulder, and bring your back arm behind you and your front arm in front of you, so your chest is open to the side
Repeat the twist on the other side, then go through the sun salutation again

15. Vinyasa

Come into a modified plank pose, with your knees on the ground
Bend your elbows straight back behind you as you lower down onto your belly
Lift your head, neck, and shoulders into a baby cobra
Lower back down
Push back into a child’s pose

16. Hip stretch

Sit on the floor with your legs out in front of you
Gently bend your knees, feet flat on the floor, and cross one ankle over the opposite knee
Hold, then repeat on the other side