Ever since those early PE classes in school, you’ve been told to always stretch before exercising. Now that you’re older, you might be tempted to skip the stretching and just jump right into your workout routine, but you shouldn’t give in to that urge.
Stretching might seem like a waste of time, but it’s a habit that has really big payoffs, contributing greatly to our overall well-being.
1. Increase your flexibility and range of motion.
Stretching helps to make you more flexible and wards off the reduced mobility that comes with age. Get into a habit of daily stretching, and you’ll notice that you’re becoming more agile, and your joints are more flexible, helping you to carry out your daily tasks with more ease.
2. Regular stretches make more of workouts.
Performing dynamic stretches prior to exercising primes your body by improving blood circulation to the muscles. The increased blood flow also loosens tight muscles and boosts your joints’ flexibility, making you more limber. As a result, both your muscles and joints will be more effective as you work out, improving your performance and lessening the likelihood of sustaining injuries.
3. Stretches improve your posture.
When it comes to poor posture, tight muscles are the culprits. Such muscles pull parts of your body away from their intended position, resulting in aches and pains. Stretching your shoulder, chest and lower back muscles encourages proper spine alignment and can relieve the strain placed on these muscles. This, in turn, reduces the need to slouch or hunch thus improving your posture.
4. Ease back pain and body soreness with stretching.
That soreness you’re experiencing could be caused by tension in your muscles. Tight hamstrings, in particular, put a strain on the spinal and lower back muscles and could lead to long-term back problems. Frequent back stretching accompanied by targeted exercises can bring you quick, lasting relief from this pain and will also assist in preventing future problems by strengthening your back muscles.
5. Alleviate stress as you stretch your body.
“As we age, our bodies move less and less. And the less we move, the tighter our muscles and joints become. But this isn’t our natural state―in fact, our bodies were designed for movement…”
Stress wreaks havoc in your life, and your muscles tense up in response to your physical or emotional distress. Fortunately, stretching is a great stress reliever. By getting the blood pumping to your muscles, stretching plays a part in helping you feel more relaxed and at ease. Additionally, increased blood flow to the brain boosts your mood, leaving you feeling much happier.
6. Get more shut-eye once well-stretched out.
If you’ve been struggling with sleepless nights, you might want to try some static stretching before hitting the sack. This relaxes your muscles and wards off any cramping that might occur during the night allowing you to get a restful night’s sleep.
So, add some stretches to your daily routine, and watch your health and wellness improve!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kevin Jones is a health and fitness blogger and a regular contributor to a number of fitness websites. He writes for NordicTrack. During his free time, he likes to be very active and spend time with his wife and two children shredding the slopes of Park City, Utah or chasing down the Salt Lake City Korean food trucks. Connect with him online; LinkedIn– Twitter