10 Benefits of Stretching Everyday

When you think of stretching, you might picture someone touching their toes or taking a deep breath and reaching for the sky. Though these are both valid forms of stretching, there's a lot more to it than that. Stretching is actually a vital part of exercise, and it comes with a host of benefits. In this blog post, we’re exploring ten of our favourite benefits of stretching daily.

Stretching promotes circulation

When you stretch, you are actually helping to promote circulation throughout your body. When your muscles are tight, they can put pressure on the surrounding blood vessels, which can restrict blood flow. Stretching helps to loosen up the muscles and relieves this pressure, allowing blood to flow more freely. This increased circulation can help to deliver more oxygen and nutrients to the tissues, as well as removing toxins from the body, all of which can aid in healing.

Additionally, stretching can also help to reduce inflammation and pain. By promoting circulation and decreasing inflammation, stretching can help you to feel better and move more easily.

Stretching improves posture

Poor posture can lead to a number of health problems, including back pain, muscle fatigue, and difficulty breathing. Stretching, coupled with low-impact exercise such as yoga, pilates and barre, is one of the best ways to improve your posture.

By lengthening the muscles and increasing flexibility, stretching can help you stand taller and sit straighter. Additionally, regular stretching can help to prevent injuries by keeping the muscles flexible and strong. For best results, stretch for at least 10 minutes every day. Start with simple stretches that target the neck, shoulders, and back. As you become more flexible, you can add in more advanced stretches for a full-body workout. With a little time and effort, you'll be on your way to better posture in no time.

Stretching reduces muscle stiffness and soreness

Thanks to the increased blood flow to the muscles and improved range of motion, stretching can help to reduce muscle stiffness and soreness. But how does this work?
When you exercise your muscles contract and shorten. This can lead to cramps and pain, especially if you are not used to working out. Stretching helps to lengthen your muscles and increase blood flow. This increase in blood flow brings nutrients and oxygen to the muscles, which helps them to repair and recover from the workout. In addition, stretching also helps to release tension from the muscles, giving you a more relaxing and enjoyable workout.

Stretching can decrease lower-back pain

Many people will experience lower back pain at some point in their lives. For some, it is a fleeting discomfort that goes away with rest and home care. For others, it is a chronic condition that can become debilitating. There are many possible causes of lower back pain, but one common factor is tightness in the muscles and connective tissues surrounding the spine, or tightness in the hamstrings and hip flexors causing strain on the lower back. 

Stretching can help to alleviate this type of back pain by lengthening the muscles and increasing flexibility. It can also help to improve range of motion and reduce stress on the joints. If you are dealing with lower back pain, be sure to speak with your doctor, see an exercise physiologist or book in for a private Pilates class with one of our team, who can help you determine which stretches might be helpful for you.

Stretching prepares the body for exercise

Most of us know that stretching is important for preparing the body for exercise, but we  don't really know why. Well, we’re here to shed some light on that for you.

Stretching helps to lengthen and relax the muscles, making them more pliable and less likely to be injured during a workout. It also increases blood flow to the muscles, delivering essential nutrients and oxygen that help reduce fatigue. In addition, stretching helps to increase range of motion, making it easier to perform complex movements. That’s why we’ll always begin our classes with a gentle stretch for both performance and safety.

Stretching can help increase flexibility

Stretching helps to lengthen your muscles, which can make it easier for you to move your joints through their full range of motion. As a result, stretching can help to improve your overall flexibility. 

When it comes to improving your flexibility using stretching, it’s best to tune into your body and notice where you’re feeling inflexible, using stretches to target those specific areas of your body. For example, hamstring stretches can help to improve the flexibility of your hamstrings, and calf stretches can help to improve the flexibility of your calves. Knees to chest, seated stretches and lunges are also great options for the lower back, hip flexors and legs, which are often the least flexible parts of our body.

Stretching improves balance

Stretching is often overlooked as a simple way to improve balance. But the benefits of stretching are far-reaching, especially as we age. Stretching helps to lengthen and relax muscles, which can lead to improved posture and reduced risk of falls. As we’ve mentioned, it increases blood flow and flexibility, both of which help to improve balance. 

Stretching can boost your mood

A healthy mind needs a healthy body - that’s something we’ve all heard at one point or another. Taking care of your physical wellbeing can have a direct and positive impact on your mental wellbeing. Stretching can boost energy levels and helps to release endorphins - the “feel-good” hormones.

Stretching can help lower blood pressure 

Though it may seem like a small thing, stretching can have a big impact on your health, such as reducing blood pressure. When you stretch, your muscles relax and your heart rate slows down. This gives your heart a chance to rest and lowers your blood pressure. As a result, a simple 15-minute stretching session can leave you feeling refreshed and relaxed.

Stretching can help you get a better night’s sleep

Stretching is probably the last thing you think about before you pull back the covers and curl up for the evening with a great book, or switch on some Netflix. If you’re experiencing sleep difficulties, you might like to try stretching before bed.  Stretching before bed can help to reduce the tension in your muscles and prepares your body for a restful night’s sleep. This is especially important if you experience leg cramps during the night or upon waking.

Stretching promotes blood flow and flexibility, both of which are important for a good night’s sleep. It also loosens up your muscles, releasing endorphins into your bloodstream, which have stress-reducing and pain-relieving benefits. 

According to Sleep Score Labs, some of the best stretches to help prepare your body for sleep include child’s pose, cat-cow, standing quad stretch, butterfly pose and legs-against-the-wall.

When it comes to taking care of our bodies, we often think about what we put in it and move it, rather than how we stretch it. But as it turns out, stretching has a plethora of benefits – both physically and mentally. The next time you’re feeling low or are in need of a reset, consider working some stretches into your day-to-day routine instead of (or in addition to) that cup of coffee. And if you’re looking for guidance on where to start, join us for a stretch, roll and release class at either our Tugun Beach or Cornerstone studio. We promise you won’t regret it!