Flexibility training, particularly stretching is quite an essential component of fitness which people often tend to overlook. Find out the ten incredible benefits of stretching below!
- Reduction in stress
Chronic stress can lead to a few undesirable responses like increased feelings of tension, fatigue, and anxiety. Stretching regularly is attributed to reducing mental tension. Plus, when it is combined with breathing techniques, it can help decrease depression and anxiety.
- Reduced stiffness and pain
Extreme muscular tension increases discomfort through the body. However, studies suggest that stretching daily can reduce pain levels, decrease stiffness, and reduce the severity and frequency of muscle cramps.
- Improvement of health
Stretching regularly helps to reduce the breathing rate, heart rate, and blood pressure. These changes counteract the physiological responses of the body to muscular tension and stress.
- Increased flexibility
The different kinds of stretching can enhance the unrestricted movement of major joints in the body including mobile areas like the shoulders and hips.
- Improvement in function
Due to being seated for a long time, improper body mechanics, repetitive movement patterns, and poor posture, the muscles become chronically tense as well as contracted and tight. As a result, they become supple and less strong. Stretching on a regular basis helps to improve the overall function by ensuring that the body responds to the stresses caused by different kinds of activity and movement more efficiently.
- Reduced risk of injury
Stretching, in some fitness regimes, is used for warming up the body to increase the core body temperature and to prepare the body for the upcoming movements. Consequently, stretching is considered as a crucial part of injury prevention because cold tendons and muscles are more likely to sprain, strain, or rupture.
- Better performance
If stretching regularly is incorporated into a well-rounded fitness regime, then it can help to enhance muscular strength, power, and agility.
- Improved circulation and blood flow
It is common knowledge that stretching can improve circulation as well as the flow of blood to the extremes of the body. As a result, the body enjoys enhanced transportation of nutrient-rich blood and oxygen.
- Reduced wear and tear
Once the muscles become chronically tense and tight, the opposing muscles tend to weaken, thus resulting in wear and tear on different joints and structures in the body. Stretching regularly makes sure that the joint maintains an equal degree of pull. As a result, the joint is able to move efficiently and free in different directions, thereby allowing reduced stress on the body and optimal movement.
- Better life quality
As we grow older, the body undergoes numerous physiological changes. Doing motion exercises including stretching can increase longevity and improve the quality of life.
Why is stretching as necessary as exercise?
Stretching is known to have a number of benefits. Apart from improving the flexibility of the body, stretching also aids in getting the right posture. It lengthens the tight and rigid muscles that pull areas of the body away from the intended position. Moreover, as mentioned earlier, stretching can decrease injury and reduce muscle soreness by increasing the nutrient supply.
Stretching doesn’t only have physical benefits, but it has mental benefits as well. Even if you stretch for just a short amount of time; a maximum of 15 minutes, you will notice that your mind will become calm. Stretching also lets you have a mental break and gives the body the chance to rejuvenate. All in all, stretching can help you release all the tension stored in the body.
