I’m a yoga therapist and these are the two spine-stretching moves I start my day with before even getting out of bed

Every morning when I wake up, my spine tells me it needs to stretch.

And now that I’m in my late-40s, I’ve learned to not just ignore it. Plus, with my yoga therapist and personal trainer hats on, I know how important daily movement is.

Neglecting tight muscles can limit how well joints move—and range of motion tends to shrink with age anyway.

So before I even roll out of bed, I’ve started using two simple yoga poses to ease away overnight tension—no need for a mat, and I don’t even change out of my pajamas.

First, I come onto my front for a sphinx pose. With my palms by my head, I press into my forearms for a gentle spinal extension.

As this is the first movement of the day, I make sure not to overstretch—sometimes lifting my chest and head just a few inches is enough.

If I feel the need to go deeper, I extend this into cobra pose. Both variations gently decompress the spine, softly stretch the shoulders and chest, and revive blood flow to the upper body, all within a minute or two.

Next, I widen my knees and push my hips up and back toward my heels, into a child’s pose—keeping my head down and my forehead resting. I take a moment here to shift my hips around, noticing how they feel, and acknowledge any tight spots in my lower back or hips.

These short, simple movements are a way of releasing tension before the day begins.

Both poses are suitable for all levels, but if you have a specific back injury or significant stiffness, take extra care and listen to how your body feels that day.

Sphinx pose (salamba bhujangasana)

• Lie on your front with your hands by your head, palms down, forearms in line with your shoulders and forehead resting on the bed.
• Inhale to engage your upper body and raise your chest and head, pressing into your forearms.
• Exhale, lower your chest and head back to the starting position.
• Perform these movements three to five times, moving slowly, with control and in sync with your breath.
• Optional: On your last rep, hold for a few rounds of breath.

Child’s pose (balasana)

• From lying on your front, widen your knees.
• Press through your hands to push your hips up and back toward your heels.
• Rest your forehead on the bed, pillow or your stacked hands.
• Shift your hips back further or move them from side to side.
• Hold this position for three to five breaths, or longer if you wish.