Stretching helps to:
- Release Tension
- Increase Flexibility
- Improve Performance
- Increases Circulation
- Injury Prevention
- Improve Posture
- Calming your mind
- Sleeping better
1. Release Tension
Tensions tend to build up in our muscles, particularly those in our necks, shoulders, and backs, where we tend to store stress. Tension can cause you muscles to contract and this can have a negative impact on your mind as well as your body. Stretching loosens tight muscles which helps your muscles both relax and increase blood flow. It also encourages the release of endorphins, providing a sense of tranquility and euphoria. Stretching directly before bed will even give you a more comfortable sleeping experience.
2. Increase flexibility
Regular stretching can help increase your flexibility, which is crucial for your overall health. Not only can improved flexibility help you to perform everyday activities with relative ease, but it can also help delay the reduced mobility that can come with aging. By improving your range of motion, your body requires less energy to make the same movements and you also will have more flexible joints thus lessening the likelihood of injuries acquired during workouts or during daily activities. This is particularly important as we get older because the range of motion in our joints can begin to shorten and make it more difficult to bend, twist, and reach. Daily stretches can help maintain your range of motion and also extend your flexibility.
3. Improve performance
If your muscles are already contracted because you haven’t stretched, then they will be less effective during exercise. Regular stretching will relax all of your muscles and therefore enable them to be more available during exercise. Stretching loosens your muscles and tendons which relieves muscle fatigue and increases blood flow. The longer you exercise the more energy you burn, typically causing one to grow fatigued. With stretching, you can delay the onset of muscle fatigue by ensuring oxygen is efficiently flowing through your blood, thereby increasing your endurance.
4. Increases Circulation
Performing stretches on a regular basis may improve your circulation. Greater blood circulation helps promote cell growth and organ function, which can shorten your recovery time and reduce muscle soreness (also known as delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS). The heart rate will also lower since it doesn’t have to work as hard and blood pressure will become more even and consistent.
5. Injury Prevention
Stretching will help to supply a greater nutrient supply to muscles, thereby reducing muscle soreness and helping to speed recovery from muscle and joint injuries. Stretching helps prevent injuries from taking place by warming up your muscles and loosening them.
6. Improve Posture
Stretching helps ensure correct posture by lengthening tight muscles that pull areas of the body away from their intended position and keeping your muscles loose. Muscle imbalances are common and can lead to poor posture. Studies have found that a combination of strengthening and stretching specific muscle groups can reduce musculoskeletal pain and encourage proper alignment. With reduced pain, there is a reduced desire to hunch or slouch.
7. Calming your mind
Participating in a regular stretching program not only helps increase your flexibility, but it can also calm your mind. While you stretch, focus on mindfulness and meditation exercises, which give your mind a mental break.
8. Sleeping better
Regularly practicing stretching exercises before bed will improve sleep quality, thus resulting in the improvement of energy throughout your day.
Conclusion
Stretching is a great way to reduce both psychological and physiological stress that you might be experiencing daily. When you feel better about yourself, it reflects in the things you do throughout your day which results in a more positive overall outlook on life, which is why it’s important to allocate time every single day for stretching exercises because they pay off big time over time.
