Why Stretching is Important
Stretching is very important for our health, mobility, and ability to perform well at our favorite sports.
The act of stretching involves:
– Extending your whole body to its fullest length.
– Extending a body part out to its fullest length.
Stretching benefits us in so many different ways, and below you can read 25 reasons why stretching is important.
- Improving flexibility.
Bending to pick a coin off the floor is easier if you stretch regularly.
- Improving circulation.
Stretching is great for keeping your blood flow healthy.
- Warming up before exercise.
A short session of static stretches reduces your risk of tearing a ligament or harming your joints when you exercise.
- Cooling down after exercise.
Stretching after exercise is very important as it stops your muscles from getting stiff and painful.
- Good digestion.
Stretching based exercises such as yoga or Pilates are great for keeping your digestive system healthy and regular.
- Relaxation.
Stretching helps to reduce the tension in your body, and thus to release the tensions in your mind, too.
- Mindfulness.
Mindfulness is becoming ever more popular these days. Paying attention to your body as you stretch helps to ground and center your thoughts, leaving you feeling calm and in control.
- Good posture.
Stretching regularly helps to give you good posture and great poise, all through your life.
- An essential aspect of some sports.
From dancing to darts, a little stretching goes a long way when it comes to exceling at your favorite sport.
- Increasing strength.
Stretching, and holding the position for a certain number of seconds, helps to improve your core strength. This in turn is vital for cardiac health.
- Bigger muscles.
When you stretch, the blood flow to your muscles increases, helping them to grow more quickly.
- Improving your balance.
The more you stretch, the better you are at balancing. This reduces your risk of falls, and makes it easier to do everything from holding that advanced ballet position to reaching for the flour on the top shelf of the kitchen cupboard.
- Aiding productivity.
If you have a sedentary job (for instance, one that involves sitting in an office chair or driving seat for long periods of time), you can wind up feeling sluggish and sleepy. A few simple stretches performed at intervals of an hour or two will keep you awake, alert, and ready to work productively all through the day.
- Essential for long haul flights.
Leg stretches are crucial on long haul flights as they reduce your risk of developing dangerous blood clots in your legs.
- Keeping those muscles awake!
Regular stretching means that your muscles will be ready for action whenever you need them. So, running to catch that bus unexpectedly will never be a problem!
- Keeping your thoracic spine healthy.
Stretching ensures that your thoracic spine is in good condition, which in turn helps to reduce or prevent neck and back problems.
- Feeling youthful.
The more you stretch, the more youthful you feel – no matter what your age!
- Hip health.
The older you get, the more you should watch your hips. Stretches involving the legs and lower body reduce your risk of hip issues, and thus the need for hip replacements in later life.
- Pain reduction.
If your muscles run out of oxygen they start to engage in anaerobic respiration, which feels painful. A good stretch before you workout or sit down for a long period of time will ensure your muscles have plenty of oxygen and thus do not feel painful to use.
- Waking yourself up.
Starting the day with some stretches helps to wake you up.
- Winding down.
Ending the day with a few light stretches helps you to wind down and get ready for bed.
- Enhancing mobility.
When you stretch regularly, you will find that your overall range of motion (the angles at which you can turn, bend and stretch your body parts) massively increases.
- Radiance.
The more you stretch, the more you will glow with youthful radiance.
- A sense of achievement.
On Day 1, you may barely be able to bend your back. After stretching each day for a fortnight, you will be able to touch your toes. If that isn’t an amazing sense of achievement we don’t know what is!
- Improving muscle efficiency.
Stretching your muscles makes them extra efficient, and able to perform their functions to the best of their abilities.
