The Benefits of Stretching Daily

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So many people skip stretching because they don’t think it’s important but stretching can make a huge impact on your fitness success, your physical health, your mental health, and your overall mind-body connection!

While stretching might not be the most fun activity (or easy activity, hello inflexible people), it has many benefits. The best part is that you don’t need to stretch for hours to start seeing the benefits!

You might be asking how you start stretching if you’re new or why it even matters, so let’s dive in and talk about the benefits of stretching daily. 

The benefits of stretching daily 

Your body is made of muscles (and a lot of other things, but let’s talk about the muscles). So when we talk about stretching, we generally mean any act that lengthens the muscles either temporarily or permanently. 

Stretching for your physical health 

Many people think the point of stretching is to become flexible and if you have no goals around being able to do the splits you might think flexibility is useless. However, flexibility is key for your overall mobility. 

Having flexible joints and muscles will allow you to function better day to day. Lifting grocery bags, walking upstairs, or even getting into your car involves some sort of flexibility so improving your overall mobility will greatly improve your daily life. 

Stretching can also decrease your risk of injury when it comes to working out. Warming up your body through stretching allows your muscles and joints to have more mobility which then leads to better performance! When you do squats, lunges, lift weights, and so on, your body requires a larger range of motion, or else you may have to compensate by having bad form. 

For your mental health

If you struggle with your flexibility you might not find stretching to be much fun but the act of stretching is relaxing. There have been some studies showing that stretching can reduce stress. It has also been shown that certain types of stretching can actually activate your parasympathetic nervous system (which can help lower your heart rate and blood pressure). 

Stretching can also be a form of self-care just like working out can be. Spending time with yourself and focusing on your body and how it functions is a great way to take care of yourself and love yourself. 

One of the other amazing mental health benefits of stretching daily is the energy boost it can give you! Many people like to start the day by stretching in the morning. Ever notice how the first thing you naturally do in the morning is stretch? That’s because our bodies already know that stretching our muscles in the morning is a great way to limber up and wake up! 

For spiritual connection 

As for a spiritual connection, yoga is a great way to stretch and connect. I’m sure you’ve heard of all the amazing benefits of yoga! At the most surface level, yoga is stretching (with the added benefit of strength of course). 

One awesome thing about yoga is the practice of breathing while stretching and moving. There is so much focus on connecting to yourself and the universe while engaging in stretches and poses. 

Adding a few yoga stretches and poses into your daily routine could definitely benefit your mental health, strength, and connection with yourself! 

The best time of day to stretch 

Stretching any time of the day can benefit you so don’t think that if you can’t stretch first thing in the morning that you should throw in the towel! Any stretching is better than no stretching! 

With that being said though, is there a “best time” to stretch? The answer is not super clear.

Benefits of stretching in the morning 

The benefit of stretching first thing in the morning is that it can relieve any stiffness you have from sleeping. 

Stretching increases blood flow all over your body which can help you wake up faster.

Morning stretching can also be a good way to check in with yourself for the day ahead. You can incorporate mindfulness into your morning routine with stretching! 

More people may find stretching in the morning easier to maintain as well. If you can wake up a little earlier and get a good stretch in instead of waiting until after work or bedtime, you might be more motivated to actually do it. 

Benefits of stretching before bed 

Some people argue that stretching before bed is best because it allows your body to relax and limber up before laying in bed all night. Your body holds a lot of tension throughout the day and without doing some stretching before bed, you can wake up feeling a bit sore! Stretching at night helps your body avoid all that morning stiffness. 

Stretching at night can also be a form of self-care! Treat yourself to a nice, relaxing stretch before you climb into bed. You can calm your mind and your body which can definitely benefit your sleep. 

In conclusion 

Everyone should be doing some sort of stretching on a daily basis! Whether you prefer to stretch in the morning or before bed, it doesn’t seem to really matter! Just like movement, stretching is good in any amount. If you can dedicate 30 minutes to stretching or yoga that’s awesome but a few minutes is great too. 

The benefits of stretching are clear! It can help you improve your physical health, mobility, mental health, and spiritual connection. 

Doing even a few minutes of stretching daily can have a big impact on your flexibility and may even help you have a better sleep (less tension built up and tight joints). 

If you’ve ever thought about starting a stretching routine this is your sign to start! Tack it on at the end of your workout or wake up and do it as soon as you’re out of bed! There is really no wrong way to do it. As always, start small and go from there. You’ll be surprised by your progress and how it makes you feel.