THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF DAILY STRETCHING – organiclandsupplements.com

THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF DAILY STRETCHING

Nothing feels better than once you’ve gotten that first workout in after a long hiatus. Your blood is pumping, your brain loads with endorphins, you’re a little tired but a lot exhilarated. It’s great.
 
Then you wake up the following day, and immediately you regret everything. You can’t lift your arms to wash your hair. Heck, you can’t even move your legs to walk to the bathroom! 
 
We’ve all been there. And now, after a long hiatus from working out, you run the risk of being sorer than ever. That’s why it’s time to talk about something none of us do enough of but should be doing daily: stretching. 

Stretching is always important, but it is even more so after a long period of not being as active.  Plus, it’ll help ease the post-workout soreness we experience. 


But did you know that daily stretching has other health benefits besides reducing post-workout soreness? These benefits include battling stress, better circulation, and relieving lower back pain. 


That’s what we want to touch on here—the actual health benefits of daily stretching. Because we know you’ve heard you should do it, that it’s good for you, but what we’ve found is a lot of people don’t know what stretching does for us beyond being flexible and reducing soreness. 

So let’s dive into some of the lesser-known health benefits of daily stretching.

Health Benefits of Stretching #1: Promotes circulation and stress relief


Did you know that stretching can help reduce overall stress?
 
Studies show that stretching aids in relieving tension throughout the body by promoting better circulation. 


This is especially true when you focus on your neck and shoulders, where people are prone to carrying the most stress. When our muscles tighten on account of stress, they restrict blood circulation, which adds further stress to the body. 


And since we all experience stress, then chances are, we’ve all got tight muscles. That’s why when you stretch them out; it opens those muscles back up to proper circulation. As a result, the effects of better circulation promotes reduced stress overall. 

Health Benefits of Stretching  #2: Reduces the chance of injury 


One of the primary reasons to stretch is injury prevention. 


If you are someone who workouts regularly, then your muscles naturally become tighter. That’s just their natural response to the stress. But if you don’t stretch those tight muscles, you’re more susceptible to injury while exercising. Our muscles will always perform at their best when they are warmed up. 


With that said, it’s also best to warm yourself up if you plan to stretch
 
before a workout. So don’t just jump right into stretching. If you stretch before your workout, do an easy 5-10 minute walk or bike beforehand to get the blood pumping, then do a light stretching session. 


Also, save the deep stretching for
 
after your workout because deep stretching will be more effective after you exercise since your blood is pumping more. Plus, if you do deep stretches before a workout, you run the risk of weakening your muscles if you plan to do weight lifting. 


If you are working out regularly, the bottom line is to make sure you are stretching to avoid any potential injury. 

Health Benefits of Stretching #3: Reduces lower back pain 


We all sit too much. From working at a desk, Netflix and chilling, and even driving, we are sitting.  The result of all the sitting is our hamstrings, and our hip muscles become tight. Unfortunately, when that happens, it puts a lot of strain on the lumbar spine, causing the lower back pain a lot of us are all too familiar with. 


Back pain is a significant issue in most Western countries, where around 60-80% of adults experience lower back pain. If you exercise regularly but do not stretch, you’re only adding fuel to the lower back pain flame. 


Studies have shown that daily stretches that focus on the glutes, hamstrings, and hips can help counteract all that sitting!  Combine those stretches with exercise, which will increase blood flow to the area; then, you’ve got a match made in heaven.  After a while, you will begin to notice all those aches and pains in your lower back have gone away.

 

Go, Stretch...It’s Good For You


There are more health benefits to stretching daily than the three we’ve listed here. These are just the beginning. 


The point is, if you’re getting back into working out after a long hiatus, it’s essential to support your efforts with regular stretching. Not only will you experience less soreness, but you will also help your muscles grow stronger with time. 


But as we’ve pointed out, there are benefits to daily stretching beyond just reducing soreness.  It has positive benefits on your body and your mind, helping reduce overall stress. If you’re someone who experiences lower back pain, then daily stretching can help with that as well.


So what are you waiting for? Go, stretch...it’s good for you & check out our fabulous yoga mats here