Why a stretching routine is ideal for optimal health
Mar 15, 2022
Why getting serious about your stretch routine in 2022 is ideal for optimal health.
I remember when I hired my first personal trainer in my twenties and she tried to get me to stretch more. I had kind of a bad attitude about stretching and told her that my hot shower was my form of stretching. I wish I would’ve listened to her back then as I got on the stretch train very late in life and noticed a bigger difference in how I felt more than just about any component of my health routine.
Stretching may just be the most overlooked and undervalued part of your wellness journey.
Here’s why.
Did you know that stretching does more than help to release tight muscles?
Stretching actually fosters whole body health through multiple systems of the body. Stretching helps to relieve headaches, stress, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, and mild depression. Certain stretches can also stimulate the liver, aid in digestion, can also be therapeutic for asthma, and high blood pressure. Stretching helps to calm the nervous system and increases blood flow and circulation in the body. It sends oxygen to the brain and helps relax the mind.
Stretching improves posture, helps to prevent injuries, and relieves back pain. Flexibility and deep breathing are two major contributors to mobility, endurance, mindset, and coordination. A well stretched body contributes to a well stretched mind; meaning that when you create more space in the body and between the joints, that translates to more space and a fresh perspective in how we navigate emotional adversities. A calm mind/body can handle things with more ease than a super tight body. Creating flexibility in your body creates more openness in the mind. And an open mind solves problems more easily.
Having a regular stretch routine can improve how you feel in your body on a day-to-day basis. Those kinks in your neck at work while you’re sitting at your desk can be relieved with a commitment to making stretching a regular habit. Your stiff back that you feel when you wake up in the morning can be alleviated when proper stretches are put in place.
Stretching is one of the most underrated part of health and wellness and yet one of the easiest to incorporate. So now that you know what will you do to make stretching a priority in 2022?
