Top‌ ‌5‌ ‌Benefits‌ ‌of‌ ‌Stretching

Whether you work from the office or at home due to the Covid-19 pandemic, sitting working for hours on end is not healthy. And while we all know it’s essential to exercise to stay fit, did you know regular stretching is highly beneficial?

Read on to learn the top five benefits of stretching

1. Improves Posture

One of the advantages of regular stretching is that it improves your posture. It’s one of the benefits of stretching in the morning.

Good posture does not only improve body appearance. There’s much more to gain from it. Poor posture as a result of muscle imbalances has several negative health impacts, including:

-Headaches and migraines due to the tension build-up around the shoulders
-May cause carpal tunnel syndrome (CTH) and back pain. The pain can be so severe, making it difficult to concentrate.

Stretching improves flexibility, which in turn increases your range of motion.

According to one study, stretching and strengthening specific muscles in combination can lead to proper alignment while at the same time lowering musculoskeletal pain. Ultimately, this may help improve posture.

2. Increases Range of Motion

Can your joints move well in all directions covering their full range of motion? If not, you need to stretch more.

Every movement you make depends on your range of motion, which determines how free or rigid you are when you move.

Stretching your muscles to the limit is excellent for improving your range of motion. This kind of stretching, also known as proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), is especially suitable if you want fast results.

However, studies show the benefits of static stretching and dynamic stretching in the long term as far as increasing range of motion is concerned.

Remember, range of motion is vital in every day-to-day activity you undertake, be it bending your knee while walking or turning your head while driving. It all requires you to be flexible.

Stretching improves flexibility, which in turn increases your range of motion.

3. Boosts Blood Circulation

Like any other physical activity, stretching is good for the proper flow of blood into your muscles.

Tight muscles constrict oxygen, robbing them of vital nutrients they need. Stretching reverses the situation.

Stretching leads to increased blood circulation, helping supply the muscles with the essential nutrients they require. Additionally, with increased blood circulation, the removal of excess waste from these muscles is more effective.

More blood flow means more oxygen supply to the muscles, which improves their overall functioning. What’s more, it reduces muscle recovery time and soreness.

4. Increases Flexibility

Have you ever thought about what makes us more prone to injuries? Believe it or not, it’s not necessarily that you’re having a bad day, jinxed, or clumsy. It’s due to the tightness or tension of specific muscles causing them to perform below par.

Any part of your body that’s not flexible enough cannot perform optimally, and this increases the probability of your getting injured.

Your overall health can improve when there’s no tension or tightness in your muscles, the primary benefits of stretching in the morning. It makes it easy for you to carry on your daily activities. In addition, it helps delay reduced mobility that comes with aging.

To minimize the risk of injuring yourself and boost faster recovery from injuries or accidents, make it a habit to stretch regularly. Doing so will warm and flex your muscles, ultimately making them better at what they do.

5. Helps Relieve Stress

Stretching is an excellent way of relieving stress.

We carry a lot of stress and tension with our muscles. And many people are quick to visit a massage therapist when stressed and for valid reasons.

However, you don’t necessarily have to visit a massage parlor for the stress to go away. There’s an easier way to go about it.

You see, when stressed, your muscles grow tense. That’s because they’re reacting to both emotional and physical stress. They do so by tightening up.

The best solution to this tightness and tension is just to stretch. Stretching helps ease the condition and may also instigate endorphins (hormones that help calm the mind).

When stretching, focus on the body areas that hold more stress, such as the shoulders, upper back, and neck. You’ll notice that after some time, the pressure will begin to fade away. In addition, you’ll sleep better since your muscles are more comfortable and relaxed, and your mind is more relieved.

Bonus Benefits of Static Stretching

Have you ever wondered why it’s good to stretch before and after exercising?

Well, stretching prepares your muscles for movement and activity. When the muscles are ready for action and, as mentioned earlier, more blood flows through the muscles meaning more oxygen, they function better.

Hence there’s much-improved performance in physical activity. You’ll perform better in your training, athletic event, or exercising.

Remember working long hours can be overwhelming. It can also cause muscle stiffness. You may feel uncomfortable and lose concentration when you get lost in work and forget to care for yourself.

Therefore, it’s wise to take a few minutes off your work schedule daily to focus on yourself as you do a few stretches. Doing so will keep you refreshed and help you to keep going.

Don’t Forget to Stretch

Now you understand more how important it is to stretch regularly. As mentioned, there are several reasons why you should consider incorporating stretching into your daily routine. Therefore, establish the most suitable stretches for you, and starting from today, why not devote five to ten minutes of your morning to stretching. You’ll improve your posture, increase your range of motion, calm your mind, make your body more flexible, and improve your blood circulation.