Stretching in the morning - why you should and what are the benefits

 

The morning has long been known as the best time to stretch, as it gets the blood flowing to your muscles, improves your circulation, and can help you relieve muscle pain and stiffness. However, some people argue that stretching in the morning isn’t the best way to go because they feel it tires them out more than if they did it after work in the evening. In truth, it really comes down to personal preference and what works best for you – here are some of the benefits of stretching in the morning, as well as some reasons why stretching in the morning might be better suited to you! 

What Is Stretching?

Stretching is a great way to prepare your body for a day of activity. However, stretching is most effective when incorporated into your daily routine—something you can do at home and even while you are commuting to work or running errands. There are various forms of stretching and all have some health benefits, but some types of stretching offer better results than others. To stretch effectively, choose exercises that target specific muscle groups that you particularly feel tight, and slowly move into positions that feel comfortable yet challenging. Stretches performed slowly build strength, flexibility, and endurance without causing undue strain on muscles or joints. Improper stretching leads to inefficient blood flow and decreased range of motion, so start slowly with each exercise; you’ll enjoy stronger, more flexible muscles in no time! 

Why Should I Stretch in the Morning?

Before going to bed at night, our bodies are in a resting position. In the morning, we can be rather stiff from having slept. If we stretch before doing anything else after waking up, we will prepare our bodies for being active and help prevent injury. This is also a great time to turn off your alarm clock so that you’re not tempted to check on it every few minutes.

 How to Stretch in the Morning

Stretching in the morning can have a lot of benefits, including decreasing joint pain and loosening up tight muscles. It begins by sitting on your bed or chair with your legs outstretched in front of you. Raise one leg to a 90-degree angle, bending your knee at no point. Extend both arms straight above your head, and keep them there while you swing your other foot over to touch them. Keep doing this until you've stretched your legs as much as possible. 

Why Stretch In The Morning?

There are many proven payoffs of stretching in the morning. Stretching first makes for a wider range of motion and higher levels of blood flow, so before physical activity or exercise, it's good to get things moving. Increased blood flow means more oxygen to your muscles and an improved delivery of nutrients to repair torn muscle fibers.

 Is it OK to do stretching before exercise?

Most people stretch as a part of their warmup before exercise, but recent studies have shown that it’s best to do your stretches after a workout. The idea behind is based on something called post-contractional muscle relaxation and how stretching can inhibit it. Muscles work by contracting and relaxing and studies show that stretching right after working out prevents muscles from fully relaxing and may hinder your recovery, preventing gains. The best time to stretch is after your workout so that when you get down into those deep stretches (i.e. splits) for flexibility, all of your muscles have had a chance to relax from their strenuous activity fully. 

Conclusion

There are many who are saying that they don't have time to stretch. If that’s true, I invite you to examine your schedule. We can all find five minutes per day to reach our goals. Allocating even just a few minutes at some point in your day will benefit not only your health but also boost your energy levels, mood, and productivity. Some other questions that can help motivate a better workout include: What sort of life do I want for myself? What do I envision for my future? How would my life be different if I were more physically fit or injury-free? Work for your life and the body that you deserve!