Why should you take time to do morning stretches?
Cat’s don’t need to be told to stretch. It’s something that they naturally do. They yawn, get up slowly and arch their back way up into the air.
Cat’s are chronic stretchers because after long periods of inactivity they need to stretch to make sure they’re muscles are ready for action. It also helps reverse a dip in blood pressure, and allows blood to flow to joints, muscles, and the brain! It also feels good. Morning stretches are always the best and make us feel so good, even if it’s subtle.
Who knows really? Humans have such an inflated ego that we often think we can go through life putting our bodies through hell. We push ourselves to the absolute max, and ‘forget‘ to partake in basic morning stretches.
I can’t count how many times I’ve spoken to people in my previous job about the importance of stretching. This is relevant for all walks of life, whether you’re working a physical job or in a more sedentary environment.
Our muscles need to be lengthened, popped, rubbed, loosened and any other adjective you can think of. You wouldn’t run a marathon without stretching your hamstrings, nor would you lift weights without giving your arms a warm-up.why do we expect to get out of bed, after lying still for eight hours, and expect our muscles to just respond immediately?
We aren’t designed to function while ‘forgetting‘ about the basic fundamentals of human biology. It’s a recipe for disaster both physically and mentally.
When did you last take the time to lay in bed and stretch all of your limbs out until they couldn’t go any further? Remember that feeling? It’s lovely and until recently I had forgotten that it even existed. The only thing I did was jump out of bed, roll my shoulders and arch my back so that it would crack. Stretching, yes, but not relaxed in the slightest. It was done with haste and eagerness to get dressed and out the door. There were no ‘5 minutes of mindfulness‘ with it.
Since then I’ve learned that my muscles need time to come into their own in the morning, especially now during recovery when my body is doing it’s best to heal.
When our bodies have been dormant for a long period of time the joints and muscles stiffen so we need to loosen them up before we can properly begin our day.
Stiffness and pain can occur in our bodies when there is a build-up of fluid in the joints (especially the spinal column) and this mostly takes place overnight while we’re lying down.
Stretching in the morning helps us ease and release our muscles, increase flexibility and making it easier for us to get out of bed. It’s like sending a gentle signal to your body and mind that it’s time to wake up.
Stretching in the morning kick starts your circulation which, in turn, kicks starts your energy levels getting you ready for the day ahead. The better the blood flows the more your concentration levels are increased and your senses sharpened.
With this in mind, it’s important that we stretch at regular intervals during the day. If you sitting for more than an hour at a time it’s important that you get up, have a stretch and keep yourself active.
Yoga with Adriene provides a great video on how to carry out stretches/yoga at your desk.
As I mentioned before stretching increases the blood flow to our bodies and encourages our energy levels to rise. If you’re feeling a little groggy during the day give yourself a stretch out and see how it makes you feel.
Sometimes all we need to do is take a moment to listen to our bodies and do some simple stretches in order to bring ourselves back to life.
The thought of getting up in the morning for most is like some sort of gruesome nightmare, especially if you know you’re walking out that bedroom door and straight into a stressful day. Stretching in the morning can help remove some of that uncomfortable tension we hold within our bodies.
The act of stretching is so therapeutic, energy-enhancing and stiffness busting it can help us better cope with the day ahead. It may even make you feel more positive at the challenges you’re about to face.
There are hundreds of references to stretching and the benefits of it throughout the web. I could have listed 100 things here about why stretching is good for you, so it took quite a job to narrow it down. I’m personally really suffering from the effects of not stretching enough, especially my back. This is particularly important if you’re stuck at a desk or hunched over a laptop for the majority of the day writing.
Remember to take time to unfold your body from time to time. It’ll thank you in the long run.
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These are some great points! I'm definitely going to add these to my morning routine, plus I'm getting older. Try to think healthy these days. Thank you!
A morning stretch is my favorite thing!
Same but I've been neglecting them lately!
Great points, plus not to mention how incredibly good it feels to have a great stretch! Thanks for sharing x
Thank you so much for reading. It's just a little something different to break up the mental health chats.
I'm terrible at doing things I know I should do. I think I've made myself believe I don't have the time.
I was and am exactly the same!
I am so bad about stretching in the morning, and I don’t know why. I really need to be better about it though!
I am very lazy man in this world. But I need to be serious now. I will be implementing all these points. Will be concentrating more on health. Thanks for this great post.
Thank you for visiting and commenting.
I fail at it too a lot, especially lately, but having worked in the field where aches and pains are plenty I know stretches need to be done!
Nice post. Thanks for reminding me. I need to do more stretching.
Thank you for popping round and reading.
it is amazing how just adding a 30 minute stretching and meditating routine to my morning and late afternoon has completely changed my mindset and overall physiology. There are some days when i just can't fit one or both of them in and i can definitely feel the difference.
great article. thanks!
Stretching is so important for overall health and well being! Thanks for sharing!
You've listed several reasons why I should add morning stretches into my routine ASAP!
- Laura || https://afinnontheloose.com
This post is so right! I need to be more mindful of this myself!