Is touching your toes not as simple as it used to be? Do you have to slowly straighten out your stiff legs after sitting for a while? Is your posture starting to get worse? Do you feel stiff at the beginning, middle, or end of every day? If you are saying yes to any of these questions or similar ones, you could probably use some stretching in your life.
There are three types of muscles: skeletal muscle, smooth muscle, and cardiac muscle. There are over 650 muscles in your body and they are important to take care of, this can be done by stretching. However, a lot of people don’t stretch like they should be.
In order to keep your muscles flexible, strong, and healthy it is important to stay active and stretch often. Stretching daily would be prime, however, stretching at least a few times a week is a great way to get started. If you only stretch every once in a while, you will not see as many results as if you stretch regularly.
Even as you age and become less active, flexibility from stretching is still important. Stretching will keep your joints from becoming as stiff and tense and allow you to continue to be able to walk well, move your arms and legs, and turn from side to side.
If you are young, start stretching now! Stretching now will help you to be more flexible, have better balance, and reduce the risk of injury. It will also help your future self to be more flexible and not have as many joint problems.
Regular stretching has the ability to:
- Increase flexibility
- Improve range of motion in joints
- Improve circulation
- Promote good posture
- Relax tense muscles
- Prevent injury
All of these many benefits from stretching can make your day to day life easier by the increase in mobility and the decrease in stiffness and/or pain.
So after you get out of the shower in the morning, before you go to bed, or whenever you have some free time at work, take time to stretch. Stay consistent and your body will begin to feel more relaxed and benefits will come.
Sources:
health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-importance-of-stretching
health.harvard.edu/everyday-stretching