11 Benefits of Stretching – Why does Stretching Feel Good

Stretching is an activity that all of us perform without even knowing the fact that whatever we are doing comes under stretching. Most of us kick off our day by stretching soon after we wake up. We stretch casually whenever we are lying or sitting at the same place for a longer duration. And not just we humans, even animals follow the same.

Stretching is not just a casual activity but also a warmup before intense physical activities. It reduces the chances of getting injuries. Sportspersons follow stretching on a very serious note to avoid injuries. Stretching also helps in improving blood circulation throughout the body.

Stretching, an activity that has numerous benefits for individuals irrespective of their age, profession, gender, or any factor. Let us see why does stretching feels good and the benefits of stretching.

Insights on Stretching

Stretching is a full range body movement activity after some sort of inactiveness in the body. We often have a habit of stretching soon as we wake up. But ever imagined why does it feel so good to stretch when you wake up?

There is a simple science behind that. As the human body sleeps all the muscles and joints present in the body go to a state of rest. So, as soon as we wake up our body still has the muscles in the rest state for a longer duration. To make these muscles active and working again, we often stretch. These could be simple neck-rotations, both-sides stretch around hips or anything. But make sure, that you are not overdoing it as it may cause some damage if not done with proper care.

We often feel quite relaxed after stretching out ourselves. Hence, it is also one of the best refreshing and stress-busting exercises. It not just gives one the feel-good moment but also increases the blood flow in the muscles. The body flexibility also enhances by performing simple stretches. It is also advisable to consult your trainer or doctor before doing it if you have a persisting medical condition.

Here are 11 key benefits to take away from stretching:

1. Stretching helps in releasing stress.
2. It helps in improving body postures.
3. Reduces the risk of post-exercise pains.
4. It could reduce the chance of getting injured.
5. Helps in improving the range of motion of muscles.
6. Stretching also proves remedial in lowering the risk of acute back pain.
7. It helps in improving performance.
8. It can enhance circulation in the body.
9. Helps in making the body ready for intense physical activities.
10. Stretching reduces muscle stiffness.
11. It helps in lowering muscular tension and provides muscular relaxation.

Major Benefits of Stretching

Let’s take a deep look at a few of major the benefits coming from stretching.

• Stress Buster: Stretching helps in easing out the stress what a person carries most of the time. Imagine you had a tough day at the office, just before going to bed you did few simple stretches and guess what? it’s all gone! You feel a sigh of relief and calmness. Stretching also activates the parasympathetic nervous system which again helps in releasing out stress.
• Improving Performance: Stretching is a part of the routine for those who hit the gym regularly. Not just the fitness freaks but also sportspeople have special stretching training sets before jumping into their routine fitness activities. For instance, a bowler before starting his/her over prefers a wide swing of their arms or a few rotations. This small set of stretches help them to free up their bowling arm and also avoid any injury due to all of the sudden action.

• Better Body Posture: A general study claims that most people suffer from long-term medical illness due to wrong postures. Be it sitting long hours in the office or not providing proper support to your back and other body parts. They all can hurt in the longer run. A regular stretch is always advisable for people to cope up with this ailment.
• Flexibility: One always dreams of having a flexible body, even at their peak ages. But, it’s a well-known fact that the aging process takes away your flexibility. Hence, to maintain this you must regularly follow stretching exercises which will slow down the natural phenomenon. This helps in leading a carefree life.

Examples of Stretching

Few examples of stretching activities one can follow on daily basis without many complexions.

• Truck Rotations: These are specially curated stretches for those who spend most of their time sitting at a place. Here, the person has to hold the handle of their chair and twist in the direction of their hands. And this has to be done in both ways so that the back muscles which gets stiff with time get the relaxation.

• Cobra Pose: Cobra pose or also widely known as Bhujangasana in Yogic science helps in stretching out mainly the chest, abs, and shoulder muscles. A person lying has to push their body with their hands in an upwards direction and hold this position.

• Neck Motions: These are the most common set of stretches that almost everyone follows. Here, one has to rotate their neck in clock and anti-clockwise directions. Sometimes even an upward and downward movement of the neck falls under a simple stretch.

• Front on Stretch: These are also known as ‘forward bends’ or Uttanasana in yogic terms. Here, the person has to sit with their legs in front and try to bend their entire body and touch the feet with hands stretched. This focuses on the back muscle, the hips, and also the front body of the individual. Holding a position is again a key here as well.

Final Verdicts

Stretching can be made a routine by people of any age category. The best comes out of anything when it’s done regularly with some discipline. So, don’t wait to add this up to your To-do list. But do make sure that you are doing them gently and with proper care. There have been cases where people have overstretched and which has caused a body sprain and injuries.

As most of us seem to be always in a hurry to wrap up something. Make sure that you are not in the same boat when it comes to stretching. It has its own process which needs to be followed. Start off with a low-intensity stretch which would get your body going. Slowly give your body the feeling of stretching and that would definitely let you know why does stretching feels euphoric?

The feel-good factor behind stretching will always motivate you to do it as much as you like it. It also helps in improving your circulation. It increases the amount of blood the heart pumps significantly. In short, stretching is a long-term return scheme in which you can invest confidently. Most of these stretching exercises can be performed without any equipment which makes it pocket-friendly as well. There are stretching exercises that are performed using some equipment like stretch bands, foam rollers, leg stretchers, etc.

So, it’s your time to take a call on adding this beautiful part into your life. It has a lot to offer you when it comes to helping you out in leading the best life. Before peeping in do make sure to consult your medical expert if you have any existing medical conditions. A one-take solution to the most common problems among people. Don’t wait, just stretch out!