Do the Cat-Cow

Do you experience back pain in the morning? If so it's most likely because your back is stiffer and more vulnerable first thing in the morning because of increased fluid and increased pressure in the discs. Get things moving by starting off with a light and relaxing yoga-inspired stretch you can even do in bed, called the Cat-Cow. Here's how you do it:

• Start on all fours, bringing the wrists underneath the shoulders and the knees underneath the hips. Think of the spine as a straight line — try visualizing the line extending forward through the crown of the head and backwards through the tail bone.
  
• On an inhale curl the toes under, drop the belly and gaze up toward the ceiling forming a downward arch. Let the movement in the spine start from the tailbone, so that that neck is the last part to move.
  
• On the next exhale release the tops of the feet to the floor, round the spine, drop the head and take the gaze to the navel forming the opposite arch.
• Repeat the Cat-Cow Stretch on each inhale and exhale, matching the movement to your own slow, deep breath. Continue for 10 breaths, moving the whole spine. After your final exhale, come back to a neutral spine.