It is also something you can do to benefit your health and well being in the warmth of your own home, whilst watching telly! Rather than being sat on the couch you could be taking yourself though a relaxing stretching routine.
So why bother stretching?
Injury prevention
If you have poor flexibility you can be more prone to injury. Your joints will not have the full range of movement. If you slip and end up stretching your muscles further than they are used to, you risk "pulling" a muscle, which can be very painful but if your muscles are flexible and have that wide range of movement you are less likely to injure yourself.
Posture
Stretching can help improve your posture. Poor posture can be caused by tight muscles. Many people sit hunched over at a computer for long periods of time during the day, this causes tight muscles and creates a poor posture. Stretching out your muscles will help relax these muscles improve your posture.
Increased blood circulation
Stretching can help increase blood flow which is the process by which nutrients and oxygen is transported around the body.
Mental Well-being
Stretching can help you feel refreshed and invigorated. Taking 5 mins out of your day in the morning, at work or in the evenings to stretch will reinvigorate you, loosen your muscles reduce tension.
Improve Balance
Many of us carry around heavy bags, often hanging on one shoulder full of wallets, gadgets, drinks, etc.. This can create a mis-balance in muscle tension which can impact balance. In addition there has been research into the impact of stretching on balance and it was found that people who do not do a lot of balancing tasks increased their balance after undertaking exercise.
Increased range of movement
You may notice that as you get older, your range of movement decreases. At one time you might have been able to wrap your leg round your head and now you struggle to put on your socks. Regular stretching can help you maintain your range of movement.
Sources
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/stretching/art-20047931
http://www.healthfitnessrevolution.com/top-10-health-benefits-of-stretching/
https://www.prevention.com/fitness/benefits-of-stretching-every-day/slide/1
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22130394
Photo by Form on Unsplash
Posture
Stretching can help improve your posture. Poor posture can be caused by tight muscles. Many people sit hunched over at a computer for long periods of time during the day, this causes tight muscles and creates a poor posture. Stretching out your muscles will help relax these muscles improve your posture.
Increased blood circulation
Stretching can help increase blood flow which is the process by which nutrients and oxygen is transported around the body.
Mental Well-being
Stretching can help you feel refreshed and invigorated. Taking 5 mins out of your day in the morning, at work or in the evenings to stretch will reinvigorate you, loosen your muscles reduce tension.
Improve Balance
Many of us carry around heavy bags, often hanging on one shoulder full of wallets, gadgets, drinks, etc.. This can create a mis-balance in muscle tension which can impact balance. In addition there has been research into the impact of stretching on balance and it was found that people who do not do a lot of balancing tasks increased their balance after undertaking exercise.
Increased range of movement
You may notice that as you get older, your range of movement decreases. At one time you might have been able to wrap your leg round your head and now you struggle to put on your socks. Regular stretching can help you maintain your range of movement.
Sources
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/stretching/art-20047931
http://www.healthfitnessrevolution.com/top-10-health-benefits-of-stretching/
https://www.prevention.com/fitness/benefits-of-stretching-every-day/slide/1
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22130394
Photo by Form on Unsplash
