3 Benefits of Stretching Every Morning

Making stretching a significant part of your morning routine yields numerous benefits for the body and mind. When people begin their day one of the first things that they do is brush their teeth, wash their face, and take a shower. However, stretching should also be treated as an essential part of the morning to jumpstart a productive day. Light exercises such as taking a neighborhood walk or jog should be accompanied with stretching. Harvard Health suggests that because stretching on cold muscles can cause injury, 5-10 minutes of light activity is recommended before stretching. People of all ages can benefit from obtaining an improved level of flexibility from stretching at the start of the day. Here are some beneficial ways stretching can contribute to a healthier you.

Wakes your body up

Stretching in the morning forces your body to wake up and get rid of that stiffness you feel when you roll out of bed. Taking 5 minutes to breathe while reaching the toes, the arms over the head, and the chest to the floor in a straddle position can aid with grogginess. The feel good factor that a hot cup of coffee provides us in the morning doesn’t compare to releasing the tension built up in your muscles after a long night of rest.

Improves your posture

Posture isn’t something we consider as it relates to flexibility, however it plays a major role in how we carry ourselves. Stretching opens up those areas that become stiff from sitting in a chair hours at a time working from home or being on our feet all day. As we continue to stretch in the mornings, we improve our posture. With better posture, we are able to increase blood circulation and hormone production.

Increases blood flow 

Stretching provides us with increased blood flow throughout the body that is incredibly important at the start of the day. Proper blood circulation means that blood flow is adequately reaching the brain. Improved brain function is attributed to stretching in the morning, and by reaching for concentration and sharpness we can better prepare for our long work days during the week.

Making stretching an important part of the morning will boost your energy levels and influence the quality of your day. Stretching helps to shake that grogginess when you wake up creating a more positive outlook on tackling obligations and responsibilities. Implementing stretching in the morning also improves posture affecting blood circulation to the brain. Combating brain fogginess helps us to think on our toes and problem solve at work. The benefits of stretching can not only improve our mornings but our quality of life.

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