Enjoying a nice glass of wine can be relaxing, but nothing compares to the benefits of stretching for your body. Stretching directly targets tight muscles, relieves tension, and helps calm a busy mind. According to fitness expert Bonnie Strati from StretchLab, incorporating a nightly stretch routine into your schedule can offer more relaxation than indulging in alcohol.

Why Stretching Is Better Than a Glass of Your Favorite Wine

Bonnie explains that unlike alcohol, which only provides temporary relief, stretching establishes a sustainable path to tranquility and harmony by working with the body’s natural mechanisms. She emphasizes that stretching is all about releasing tension, stress, and anything else that no longer serves you.

While wine may seem like a quick fix for relaxation, it can disrupt your natural sleep patterns, as Bonnie warns. She highlights the familiar feeling of grogginess many of us experience after a night of indulging in our favorite wine, pointing out the negative impact it can have on our overall sleep quality.

“In contrast, stretching activates the parasympathetic nervous system, the body’s natural calming mechanism,” she explains. “This promotes deeper breathing, slower heart rates, and a state of relaxation that allows for restorative sleep.”

In addition, stretching reduces physical tension rather than simply putting a bandaid on it.

“While wine may dull the sensation of stress, it does nothing to address physical tension in your body,” Bonnie explains. “Stretching directly releases tightness in the fascia and muscles, reducing discomfort and preventing stiffness that can build up overnight.”

Opting for a nighttime stretching routine over a glass of wine means deeper sleep and lasting relaxation—”not just a temporary escape,” Bonnie says.

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The Best Gentle Stretch Flow for a More Restorative Night’s Sleep

Below, you’ll find a quick and simple stretch flow created to relax your body and calm your mind before heading to sleep.

The Exercises:

• Reclined Butterfly Pose (Hip and Heart Opener): 2 Minutes
• Legs up the Wall (Circulation Boost and Nervous System Reset): 3 to 5 Minutes
• Supine Twist (Spinal Rejuvenation and Detoxification): 2 Minutes
• Child’s Pose (Hips, Spine, and Mind Release): 2 Minutes
• Supported Happy Baby Pose (Lower Back and Hip Release): 2 Minutes

Reclined Butterfly Pose

“The reclined, relaxed posture triggers the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest), promoting a state of calm and reducing stress. This helps to counteract the ‘fight or flight’ response, allowing for deeper relaxation,” Bonnie explains.

1. Lie flat on your back.
2. Bring the soles of your feet together, allowing your knees to open up to the sides.
3. Gently place your hands on your belly.
4. Close your eyes as you take deep breaths.
5. Hold for 2 minutes, completely releasing your hips and chest.

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Legs up the Wall

“Elevating your legs above your heart helps gravity assist in venous return, encouraging blood flow back to the heart. This is particularly beneficial for reducing swelling in the legs and feet, improving circulation, and relieving pressure on the veins,” Bonnie says. “[In addition,] the position naturally supports slower, deeper breathing, which increases oxygen intake and promotes mindfulness, making it an excellent way to decompress after a stressful day.”

1. Lie flat on your back.
2. Gently swing your legs up a wall with your glutes touching the surface.
3. Breathe deeply as you hold the position for 3 to 5 minutes.

Supine Twist

“Supine Twist gently stretches the spine, improving its range of motion and flexibility. The rotational movement helps to release tension in the vertebrae and surrounding muscles, promoting better spinal alignment and easing stiffness,” Bonnie tells us.

1. Lie flat on your back with bent knees.
2. Drop your knees to your right side while keeping your shoulders in contact with the floor.
3. Lengthen your arms out to the sides, palms facing up, and gaze over your left shoulder.
4. Hold for 1 minute before switching sides.

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Child’s Pose

“Resting the forehead on the mat stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation, reducing stress, and calming the mind,” Bonnie explains. “This posture is often used for grounding and reconnecting with the breath.”6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

1. Kneel on the ground with your big toes touching and knees spread out wide.
2. Lower your torso between your thighs, stretching your arms out ahead of you.
3. Rest your forehead on the ground and take gradual deep breaths.
4. Hold the position for 1 to 2 minutes.

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Supported Happy Baby Pose

“Regular practice of happy baby pose helps alleviate chronic stiffness in the hips and lower back, making everyday movements like walking, bending, and sitting more comfortable,” says Bonnie. “[The exercise] opens up the hip joints, stretching the inner thighs (adductors), groin, and hamstrings. This deep hip release increases flexibility and reduces tension in the pelvic region.”

1. Lie flat on your back.
2. Bring both knees in toward your chest.
3. Take hold of the outsides of your feet, pulling your knees toward your armpits.
4. Using control, rock from side to side to feel a deep stretch.
5. Hold for 1 to 2 minutes as you breathe deeply.

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Alexa Mellardo