Cat stretch
The star stretch worked on the limbs. The cat stretch works on the back:
- Kneel on all fours, knees under hips, hands under shoulders.
- Take a deep breath. As you exhale, arch your back towards the ceiling, stretching the back.
- Come back to centre and arch your back the other way. Repeat.
Take it easy at first to warm up and then stretch as much as is comfortable.
THE CAT STRETCH
For stress and mental stimulation
When your mind is stressed or overstimulated, you will need to clear it before going back to sleep. This is similar to the de-stress technique stated earlier. We have a modified version here which is simpler and quicker. When it’s late you just need a quick process to get the immediate concerns off your mind. The mind will keep worrying until it knows the problem is taken care of or you decide it’s not important enough to worry about. The trick is to get enough written down so that you know it’s taken care of, you won’t forget anything and you can come back to it at any time. It’s a good idea to keep a pen and pad by the bed, especially if you do a lot of thinking while in bed.