These gentle exercises can be done from the comfort of your bed.<\/p>\n
Yoga is an incredibly popular workout modality that benefits the mind, body, and soul. Many wellness enthusiasts include yoga<\/a> as part of their regular routine to boost flexibility<\/a>, enhance balance, and decrease stress while firming up. That said, if your goal is to restore muscle tone<\/a>, you don\u2019t need to head to a yoga studio in order to see noticeable results. In fact, if you\u2019re over 65, you can get a solid workout from the comfort of your bed. We spoke with an expert who shares six gentle bed exercises<\/a> that can help build muscle<\/a>.<\/p>\n After you reach 65, your body begins to lose muscle fibers quicker than it can replace them, which is simply a natural part of aging. The muscles that remain tend to get smaller and weaker, so daily tasks like climbing stairs<\/a>, opening jars, or carrying shopping bags begin to feel more challenging than they once were.<\/p>\n \u201cPosture takes a hit, too, because the muscles that hold your spine upright aren\u2019t as strong, which is why a lot of older adults start to slouch or hunch forward over time,\u201d says Dr. Gbolahan Okubadejo<\/a>, a NYC-area Spinal and Orthopaedic Surgeon who specializes in spinal health and fitness and established the company 360 Dynamized Core, which creates innovative, spine-safe core fitness products and routines. \u201cWeaker muscles also mean less stability, so balance gets shakier and the risk of falling goes up in a real way. The good news is that staying active slows all of this down significantly, muscle loss isn\u2019t something you just have to accept without a fight.\u201d<\/p>\n Getting onto the ground and back up is challenging for many people, so a bed makes certain exercises much more doable from the get-go. You can train your legs, glutes, and core just as productively lying down on a mattress as you can on a yoga mat, without needing the flexibility or balance that yoga requires, Dr. Okubadejo says.<\/p>\n \u201cThe cushioned surface is also easier on sore joints, which makes it realistic to actually stick with it instead of quitting after two days because everything hurts. Yoga has a way of feeling like it\u2019s built for people who are already in decent shape, while bed exercises meet you exactly where you are,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n Below, Dr. Okubadejo breaks down six gentle bed exercises that can help restore muscle tone after 65.<\/p>\n \tGlute Bridges<\/p>\n Lie flat on your back with bent knees and feet hip-width apart, arms at your sides with palms pressing into the mattress.
\nPress through your heels to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
\nSqueeze your buttocks, holding at the top for 2 seconds.
\nLower your hips back to the start position.<\/p>\n