The Power of Stretching

Many associate stretching with those awkward poses done in gym class years ago. But stretching isn’t just for kiddos. A regular stretching routine has many benefits that can enhance your quality of life, particularly as you age. Read on to find out about the power of stretching (and how to do it well).

Practicing a regular stretching routine can bring calm and balance to your mind. Particularly when combined with mindfulness or meditation, stretching creates a focused time to allow your mind to settle and become focused on the stretch and the body, quieting down loud thoughts and a racing mind.

Stretching is also a great tool to reduce stress. For many, the effects of mental stress are held in the body. For example, you may experience tension headaches or backaches during stressful time periods. Stretching the areas that are tight soothes the body, but can also soothe your mind as well.

Practicing a regular stretching routine is a great way to practice self care. Carving out time for yourself – even 5 minutes – can go a long way to remind yourself that your wellbeing is really important and that it’s ok for the world to wait while you tend to yourself.

Stretching, of course, also benefits your physical body. By regularly stretching you keep, or increase, your flexibility. This is important for protecting your muscles, as tight and stiff muscles are more prone to injury. 

Another benefit of stretching is that it increases the range of motion in your joints. This aids your body’s blood flow and recovery after a workout.

Stretching out your body can also bring improvement to your posture and alignment. This can lead to better balance and reduce your risk of injury.

 Experts now say that you don’t want to stretch cold muscles; they suggest doing a short 5-10 minute warm-up (like walking) before stretching your body to prevent injury. Also, to really experience benefit, you should hold stretches for at least 30 seconds, holding the stretch steadily – no bouncing.

Additionally, it takes time to see the benefits of stretching. It’s important to stick with your routine, ideally stretching daily or every other day, in order to feel improvements. Depending on what your goals are with stretching, your routine will vary. A five-minute wake-up routine first thing in the morning can relieve stiffness from sleeping; or, you may prefer a 30-minute full body stretch several times a week to address chronic tightness.

You shouldn’t experience pain when stretching your muscles. If you do, follow up with your care provider before continuing, to avoid injury.

This month, challenge yourself to stretch more. See how your body responds to this type of movement.