The head is the gathering place of the twelve meridians, connecting all the meridians in the body, and plays a crucial role in controlling and regulating the body's life activities. Massaging the acupoints on the head can promote the upward movement of yang energy, harmonize the meridians, enhance memory, and prevent and treat diseases such as neurasthenia, hypertension, facial paralysis, colds, and neurogenic headaches.
As people enter old age, their bodies need more exercise to actively prevent aging and improve their quality of life. A simple and effective supine exercise method can be obtained from fitness venues, which is suitable to be done before getting out of bed in the morning.
1. Stretching the body.
Extend both arms over the head, keep the legs straight and close together. Stretch all limbs and joints, especially the lumbar vertebrae. Repeat this stretching motion five or six times, then open both arms and spread both legs to form a big "X" shape, and stretch to the sides five or six times.
2. Rolling the waist.
Bend both legs, hug the knees with both hands, and try to keep the upper body flat. Tilt the waist to the left, allowing the waist to roll on the bed. Gradually increase the tilt and rolling intensity, and repeat seven or eight times.
3. Raising the legs.
Slowly raise the left leg to a right angle with the waist, then slowly lower it, and repeat with the right leg. Then raise both legs together, and do this exercise about 5 times on each side.
4. Shaking the limbs.
Raise all limbs together, forming a right angle with the abdomen, and shake the limbs to promote blood circulation.
5. Contracting the legs and shoulders.
Lie flat on the bed with all limbs close to the bed surface. Contract the left leg and shoulder while contracting the right leg and shoulder. When contracting the legs, the movement should be driven by the hips.
6. Sit-ups.
This exercise primarily relies on the contraction force of the abdominal muscles. If it is difficult to sit up, you can use the swinging of both arms to help lift the upper body. If the abdominal muscles are strong, you can place your hands on the back of your head or flat on the bed. Depending on your physical condition, you can do 5 to 10 sit-ups.
For some elderly people who are unable to exercise outdoors due to age or physical limitations, the following fitness methods can be tried. By spending a little time before getting up or before bed, you can easily exercise.
Method 1: Sit on the bed with legs straight and together, toes pointing forward. Extend both arms straight and push towards the toes. At the same time, lean forward, exhale, and try to push the hands as far as possible towards the toes. Hold the position for 3 seconds, then retract the palms and inhale. Repeat this motion 30 times, once in the morning and once in the evening. This exercise can massage the internal organs and regulate gastrointestinal function, preventing and treating diseases of the digestive and cardiovascular systems.
Method 2: Sew a cotton cloth into a long pillow about 1 meter long and 35 centimeters in diameter. Fill it with cotton or sponge to make an oval-shaped pillow. When sleeping, lie on your side and hug the pillow with both arms. Place the lower part of the pillow under the thighs. This can improve sleep quality for the elderly and also stretch the shoulder joints, reducing the "morning stiffness" of the upper limbs and preventing and treating arthritis.
Method 3: Sit cross-legged on the bed, place palms on the knees, slightly close the eyes, and lick the roof of the mouth with the tongue. Rotate slowly around the waist, bending the waist as much as possible and leaning forward. Rotate 30 times from right to left, and then 30 times from left to right. Each rotation takes about 25 seconds, and the entire exercise takes about 30 minutes. It is usually done before bed. This method can regulate the brain and has preventive and therapeutic effects on neurasthenia, indigestion, constipation, and gastroenteritis.
