Do These Morning Bed Stretches for People with Parkinson’s Part 2

I hope you liked part one of my bed stretches series. If you missed it, the link is at the bottom of this article.

It’s so important to “lube” up the soft tissue and brain before asking your body to bear weight, walk, and perform daily activities after lying in bed for hours.

We get really stiffened up throughout the night, and many people with Parkinson’s have a bit of time before their first dose of medication takes effect. Of course, it’s easier to move during your medication’s “on” period, but you can use this waiting time to do some easy stretches.

Getting your body warmed up and primed for movement makes it easier to get around the rest of the day. Even more importantly, it could prevent an accidental fall when you stand up or start to walk.

Let’s work on this together. I’m only giving you a couple of exercises at a time. After you get used to doing them slowly, you’ll be more likely to remember how to do them. Let’s chunk it out!

We left off with the head and eyes. I like to include the eyes because many people have trouble visually tracking. Now we are going to work on the arms and upper back.

Watch this video to see part two of my bed stretches series, continuing with the arms and upper back:

Here are the step-by-step instructions:

• Lying on your back with your head facing straight ahead, take some deep breaths in and out, all the way down to the base of your lungs. Concentrate on the rhythm of your breath. Take 10-20 breaths.
• Stretch your arms up with your fingers splayed open and feel your shoulder blades separate and come off of the mattress.

• Bend your elbows and slide them by your ribs, pushing your elbows into the mattress. Glide your shoulder blades together and hold for a count of five.

• Next exercise: Bend your elbows and bring your fists to your shoulders.

• Alternate lifting your elbows up to point at the ceiling. This will stretch your underarm area (your “lats”).

• If you have room overhead, and the headboard is not in the way, you can straighten your arms and do a simple scissor action.

• Do several repetitions of all these exercises, adding them to part one (eyes and neck exercises).

Stay tuned for part three of Morning Bed Stretches for People with Parkinson’s!

💜 Coach Kimberly