Don’t underestimate the power of a good stretch after long hours of work. Doesn’t it feel good? Have you wondered why stretching feels good? If you have or even if you haven’t, we should pay our homage to this easy yet so relaxing activity of stretching for always making us feel good.
Stretching is not necessarily a thing to do only when we are tired but it has a number of benefits that can be reaped by incorporating it in our daily life. If you are someone who wants to start stretching regularly or make it a part of your workout, you should know about the amazing benefits of stretching.
Stretching is a kind of physical activity that helps to improve the muscle’s flexibility and range of motion by flexing or stretching these muscles. If you are a beginner at stretching you should start slow and also keep in mind the proper techniques of doing them. Stretching should be done carefully or else you could get a serious injury and knee injuries are very common.
Benefits of Body Stretching
If you think about why stretching feels good when tired you should know how good it feels when you add stretching to your everyday routine or make it a part of your workout routine. Here are a few benefits of stretching you should know.
1. Increases Flexibility
This is one of the most obvious benefits of stretching. If you want to increase the flexibility of your body then stretching is what you need to do. There are a lot of benefits of having a flexible body, for instance, flexibility improves the strength of the muscles. Having a flexible body also means you will have fewer injuries as you have trained your body to withstand a lot of stress by continuous practice.
2. Good for Pre-warm up
While some people use stretching as a part of their warm up routine it is actually a good activity to do before your warmup. This way you would be helping your muscles to get into the process. Stretching will also be a good activity for post-workout to cool down from the process.
3. Helps in the blood flow
Stretching is very good to maintain a constant blood flow to your muscles, performing such activities help to increase blood circulation in the body. Having good blood circulation to your muscles means that your muscles will easily recover from the soreness you experience post-workout.
4. Helps in maintaining your posture
After working on your computer for long hours or having a desk job increases the possibility of you developing a bad posture. This means you’ll end up with a slouched back or even a hump if you do not solve the problem immediately. Stretching will be very helpful for you to maintain a good posture. Having a good posture not just means you’ll feel more confident but it also helps you look good.
5. Stress reliever
Do you know why stretching feels good when tired?
We all have experienced the benefit of a good stretch after we have been working for some time. A good stretch releases the tension of the muscles and gives them some air to breathe. This not just helps the muscles tightness but also fills you with some energy.
6. Good activity before Dancing
Dancers swear by stretching. It is a good activity to perform before you start dancing, it is not necessary only for professional dancers as dancing out of the blue could lead to some soreness the next day. So, if you plan to dance a lot at the next wedding make sure to stretch some before going.
7. Good for your Mental Health as well
Along with the many benefits of stretching for your body stretching is good for your mental health too. Long hours of working can take a toll on your mental health. Stretching for some time after an exhausting task is not just good for your body and your muscles but also beneficial for your mental health. It can calm your mind after brainstorming the whole day with ideas and whatnot. If you feel a little anxious you should practice a little stretching and it would be of great help.
8. Add it to your routine
You can make stretching a part of your routine and you would not regret it. If you feel like you do not have enough time for working out or any other such activity. You can always rely on stretching. You can fit them to your schedule or even in between your working hours.
9. Good for the joints
Stretching is good for your joints as well. People often complain of joint pains because of sitting down for long durations. Making stretching a part of your schedule helps your muscles to get used to a wide range of motions. It also improves your joints to withstand injuries but you follow the proper techniques for stretching.
10. Helpful in Back pain
If you suffer from back pain you should make stretching a part of your routine. It helps to stretch the hamstrings, hips and the muscles around the pelvis region as these develop into serious back injuries or develop excruciating pain if they are in a state of tension or stress for long.
11. Energizes you for the day
Stretching when you wake up is a good activity to kick start your day. It not only wakes you up completely but also keeps you energized throughout the day. You can try this out if you constantly feel tired or sleepy throughout the day. Mornings are a good time to stretch as they make your muscles wake up after hours of being at rest.
If you are convinced to make stretching a part of your daily routine, you should make sure that you follow the proper techniques or any other guidelines for doing any kind of stretching. You can also follow some videos before you start. Remember to start with simple and not be ambitious as you need to gradually increase the difficulty of the stretches.
A sedentary lifestyle, wherein we are plonked in front of the laptop the whole day, can prove to be fatal in the long run- so, its important to add little stretching and other light exercises in your routine.
Also read; Full Body Stretching Routine