I did four easy stretches every morning for a week and it helped melt away tension in my lower back in less than five minutes a day

Senior woman in cobra pose on a yoga mat.

If time was on my side, I'd start every day with a restorative hour-long vinyasa yoga class to alleviate tight muscles and maintain mobility.

But in lieu of that luxury, I've started using a series of quick stretches every morning when I roll out of bed—in an attempt to release tension that's been building up in my lower back.