Why Stretching is Good For You

Stretching – that one thing that is often done as a response to muscular pains and joint aches, but rarely done on a regular basis (except maybe for athletes with routine warm-up and stretching exercises).

I’d admit, back then, I never really stretched until I felt it was necessary. There were times when it didn’t even cross my mind to flex some muscles unless I needed some extra walking in the morning after I got out of bed. Or when I needed to stretch my arms or legs to relax some strained muscles. And perhaps, many of you can relate to this. For the past few months though, I’ve learned just how important it is to set aside a couple of minutes every day for stretching. Its benefits go a long way than just relieving muscle aches, as stretching has a huge long-term impact on your overall health. This is great not just for older adults, but for anyone of any age!

Here are some of the wonderful benefits of stretching:

Improves flexibility

Stretching can train the muscles to increase in length which, in turn, will make your muscles more flexible. It also improves the range of motion of joints, which is helpful for preventing joint pains.

Both the increased flexibility and range of motion mean that you can avoid that abrupt muscle tension that you’d usually feel after suddenly bending down to pick up a pen, or swiftly turning your head to someone calling your name.

Aside from this, flexibility also means that you can avoid falls as your body is able to easily adjust to certain changes in position and maintain the balance without the unnecessary pain. Of course, this is good news to your bones as well, since a greater range of movement will make you less prone to fractures.

Promotes blood circulation in the body

As you stretch your muscles, you also encourage increased blood circulation in your system. Improved blood circulation, as you may have already known, is good for your heart, arteries, brain and overall health. Proper blood circulation will make you more energized, which is why it is not surprising that it helps to stretch a bit when we feel a little sleepy or tired and need a quick energy booster.

Prevents muscle pains

If you are constantly experiencing muscle pains, chances are, you aren’t stretching enough. As mentioned, stretching can lengthen the muscles, making it more comfortable when you need to bend or move in a wider range. In fact, the lack of regular stretching is one of the reasons why muscle and bone injuries occur.

Enhances posture

While poor posture is often attributed to problems in the bones and spinal column, the tightened muscles can also be a contributing factor. Basically, if your muscles on the back and shoulders are restricted, the muscle pain will inevitably keep you from maintaining a proper posture.

It is also interesting to know that you don’t even need to be exercising regularly to enjoy the benefits of stretching, since stretching can be done on a separate routine. (This is not to say though that regular exercise is not as important, because it is – but let’s save that for another post).

So if you want to improve your flexibility, joint health and overall wellbeing, then it’s probably high time to start stretching.