What is Stretching ?

Stretching the word itself is very much self-explanatory that you will have to stretch your body parts. Many people start their day by stretching before even get out of bed. It’s a normal behaviour to relive the muscle tension and it is seen in animals also.

Regular stretching reduces the risk of getting injured, can induce a feeling of calmness, and is responsible for improving the blood circulation as well.

Now question arises, why does stretching feel good?

We as human have a tendency to avoid the things which causes pain and stretching is one of them as initially it gives pain if you apply it on your lazy body. But once your body gets used to it eventually you will start feeling better.

Now let’s see its most effective benefits.

Improved circulation

When you stretch a muscle or say any body part of your body, your body responds by increasing blood flow in that area. The blood vessels around the targeted muscle widen to allow more blood to flow through, and your heart starts pumping more blood.

This increase in blood flow allows the muscle or muscles you’re stretching to receive more oxygen and to get rid of metabolic waste products.

Increased flexibility

Regularly stretching may help improve your flexibility, especially if you live a sedentary lifestyle. Your flexibility naturally decreases as part of the aging process, but stretching may help slow down this process.

Endorphin release

Endorphins are part of our body’s natural system and called as chemicals produced by our central nervous system and pituitary gland that function as neurotransmitters and generally released after activities like exercise, sex, eating, and drinking.

Endorphins have a greater pain-relieving effect than morphine and cause a feeling of euphoria when they bind with receptors in brain.

However, according to research on the effects of stretching on endorphin release it has been found that stretching may help reduce menstruation pain also. It’s thought that its pain-relieving effects are due to the relaxation of blood vessels, the release of beta-endorphins, and the suppression of prostaglandins.

Stress relief

Static stretching activates your parasympathetic nervous system. Therefore, it helps to reduce the psychological effects of stress. This, in turn, may help induce feelings of calmness and relaxation.

Better sports performance

Static and dynamic stretching makes you able to achieve a full range of motion through all your joints which may even help to boost your sports performance. For example, to achieve maximum speed, a sprinter needs to be able to fully extend and rotate their hips.

Parasympathetic activation

This is one of the most effective benefits of stretching which can change your life. Research has shown that static stretching activates your parasympathetic nervous system and inhibits activation of your sympathetic nervous system.

And parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for rest and digestion functions. Hence, it induces the feelings of calmness and relaxation.

Now let’s see some of the Simple daily stretches.

The greatest thing about stretching is that you don’t need any special equipment to do it. Stretching can be done anywhere and at any time.

Here we have five key stretches that can help to relieve tension and tightness in many of the major muscle groups in body.

Forward bend

low lunge

Cobra Pose

Seated torso stretch

Neck rolls

In this stretching, we just need to seat on chair and keep your body straight and and then slowly move your neck from left to right and vice versa. Also, from top to bottom and vice versa to stretch the neck.

There are many other stretchings as well for the whole body parts, and all have to be done with full precaution as mentioned below to stay injury free.

There are some important tips for doing stretching safely.

Always remember before you start stretching, it’s a good idea to get your blood flowing to avoid injuries. Start with low-intensity activity like walking or easy jogging for 5 minutes can help warm up your muscles.

Stretch gently. Don’t ever force any position that may causes pain. If a stretch is painful, it means you’re stretching too far and you need to get back to normal position.

Make stretching a routine. You can reap the most benefits from stretching if it becomes a regular habit. Fitness experts recommend stretching at least two to three times per week.

Stretch both sides. Be sure to stretch both sides of your body equally to avoid flexibility imbalances.

The most important point to avoid is bouncing. Bouncing while stretching can injure your muscles or tendons. It can also make your muscle tighten.

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