6-Minute Bed Routine That Restores Balance After 65

This speedy balance routine can be performed from the comfort of your mattress.

Never underestimate how important it is to maintain your balance. Staying balanced can help prevent falls, which is the #1 way seniors get injured. It’s also essential in order to maintain an independent lifestyle. You’ll be able to walk, climb stairs, and perform tasks with ease.

Muscle mass and bone density decrease naturally as you age. By building strength, you’ll boost your balance and overall quality of life. We spoke with Doug Bertram, M.S., L.Ac., MTCM, Founder & CEO of orthopedic wellness franchise Structural Elements, and are here with a six-minute bed routine that will restore your full-body balance after 65.

Why Balance Tends To Decline With Age

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There’s a popular saying that goes, “Use it or lose it.” With age, it’s common to stop embracing new challenges and become a creature of habit.

“We golf nine holes every Wednesday at 11 am with Larry and have a cup of clam chowder afterward. Our routines become predictable, and the body adapts to doing the same things over and over. But it’s new challenges that keep us resilient,” explains Bertram. “One of the first planes of movement to go is often rotation. We walk, maybe even run, but stop moving laterally and rotating. This is one reason why people are drawn to pickleball, it introduces non linear movement and includes rotation.”

Another common habit to adopt with age is watching the ground as you walk out of fear of tripping or losing your balance.

“Once the head goes down, our center of mass falls forward. To counter this people widen their stance and externally rotate the feet (duck feet). Now we are using our big muscles, our prime movers, in a postural role,” Bertram adds.

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What Makes These Exercises Productive

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The workout below was designed to improve balance, flexibility, and promote relaxation for those 65+. It emphasizes gentle movements that can be completed while lying in bed.

“By following this routine regularly, you can enhance your balance, flexibility, and overall well-being,” Bertram says.

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1. Lie flat on your back with your arms stretched out to the sides to form a “T,” palms facing down.
2. Lift your knees so your hips and knees are bent to 90 degrees.
3. Press your lower back into the mattress and activate the core.
4. Slowly lower your knees to your left side, making sure your shoulders stay pressed into the mattress.
5. Hold for a moment on the left side before returning to the center.
6. Slowly lower your knees to the right.
7. Perform the exercise for 1 minute.

Single Knee to Chest

“This helps in stretching the lower back and improving hip flexibility,” Bertram notes.

1. Lie flat on your back with legs extended.
2. Squeeze one knee in toward your chest with both hands.
3. Hold for a moment before releasing.
4. Alternate knees, performing the exercise for 1 minute.

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Knee to Chest Hold

1. After alternating the single knee to chest movement, hold each knee to your chest for 30 seconds.
2. Keep the position relaxed.
3. After holding, complete foot circles for 15 seconds in one direction and then 15 seconds in the other direction for each leg.

Chin Tucks with Arm Position

“[This exercise] lengthens the spine and promotes proper head alignment,” Bertram explains.

1. Begin lying flat on the mattress with your arms outstretched to the sides, palms facing up.
2. Tuck your chin in toward your chest with each inhale and release on the exhale.
3. Perform this exercise for 1 minute.

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Chin Tucks with Clenching Fists

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1. Continue performing chin tucks, but add clenching your fists with each inhale.
2. Release both the chin and fists as you exhale.
3. Perform this for 1 minute.

Full-Body Tension Chin Tucks

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“This combination helps to release tension in the low back, aligns the pelvis, and enhances overall body awareness,” Bertram says.

1. Tuck your chin, clench your fists, and flex your feet toward your knees with each inhale.
2. Release on the exhale.
3. Perform this for 1 minute.

Alexa Mellardo

Alexa is a freelance writer, editor, and content strategist based in Greenwich, CT. She has 11+ years of experience covering wellness, fitness, food, travel, lifestyle, and home. Read more about Alexa