Is stretching part of your daily life? Otherwise, it must be. Stretching is a great way to start the day and has many benefits. I do not know where to start? Do not worry! Our licensed physiotherapists can help you create a stretching plan thats right for you. To learn more about how you stretch daily and improve your quality of life, contact Focus Physical Therapy today!
The 9 main benefits of incorporating stretching into your daily life include:
- Improved energy.
This is the best reason to do a good stretch in the morning. Some good stretches, done correctly with deep breathing, can provide the burst of energy needed to start the day. If you start to feel sluggish at work during the day, take a break to increase your energy levels.
- Greater resistance.
A good and long stretching session after intense training can improve muscle endurance. When stretched, it increases blood flow to sore muscles and relieves fatigue. Stretching maintains the flow of oxygen to the muscles, delaying the onset of muscle fatigue. As a result, it helps your muscles to hold longer before fatigue.
- Greater flexibility.
A common goal in physical therapy is to improve your flexibility and range of motion. With greater flexibility, many benefits arise. It improves your physical performance and reduces the risk of injury. In addition, when you become more flexible, your body needs less energy to perform daily actions.
- Better blood circulation.
One of the main goals of a stretching diet is to make blood flow to the extremities. The blood transports oxygen to the cells and makes it healthier in general. This promotes cell growth and helps your organs to function properly. Stretching also lowers your heart rate, which reduces pressure on your heart and makes your blood pressure more consistent. In addition, better blood circulation from stretching can also reduce post-workout pain.
- Better posture.
Daily stretching can improve posture by stretching certain muscles that tend to contract when sitting in a chair working all day. Focusing on your lower back, chest, and shoulders will help keep your spine properly aligned. Stretching also relieves pain, which may make you want to bend over.
- Decreased muscle pain.
Give your muscles enough time to relax and unwind with a good stretch before and after a workout. As mentioned, stretching improves blood flow to the muscles. This takes oxygen and many nutrients needed by the muscles, reducing pain after training.
- Improves cholesterol.
Stretching sessions can help lower cholesterol in your body, as long as you follow a heart-healthy diet. It can help prevent heart disease. Stretching has been shown to reverse the effects of hardening of the arteries due to cholesterol.
- Reduced risk of injury.
If you work in an office, you may think that there is no risk of injury. However, this is not quite true: what happens when you need to bend over, pick up and carry a 20 pound box of office supplies? This could easily lead to muscle tension or tension, leading to several weeks of pain and physical therapy to recover. Regular stretching will greatly reduce the risk of an incident like this happening.
- Decreased stress.
We all carry stress on our bodies. Too much stress can cause your muscles to contract, which can make you tense and nervous. Stretching releases natural endorphins, which will help you relax, improve your mood and reduce the amount of stress in your body.