Improving flexibility, which increases the range of motion by which the joints can move, will help decrease the resistance. Therefore, it will help in injury prevention.
Stretching Reduces Soreness and Relieves Pain
Do you feel sore especially after a hard work out, game, or sport? If so, you might want to stretch a little bit since it can increase blood supply to the muscles. What is even better is that as your muscles receive more blood, they will also receive more nutrients. This helps soothe soreness.
Additionally, after working out, you may feel a little achy due to muscle tightness. When you stretch, the muscles “loosen up,” helping to decrease the pain.
The Mental Benefits of Stretching
Now that we have talked about the benefits of stretching to the body, let’s discuss its mental benefits.
Stretching Relieves Stress
There are a lot of symptoms to stress, but perhaps one of the most notable is the feeling of tension in your muscles.
You may have already experienced it: when a stressful situation happens, you feel tense in one part of your body or all over. When the source of stress disappears, you relax and breathe easier.
The importance of stretching also encompasses stress reduction. Yoga, a highly recommended exercise, has a lot of stretch poses and is done to relieve stress and anxiety.
Calms the Mind
Aside from reducing stress, clearing the mind is also one of the mental benefits of stretching. Of course, this benefit does not come without effort.
Experts advise that to calm the mind while stretching, you need to incorporate it into other exercises such as meditation and breathing techniques.
Reports even indicate that if you want a “new outlook,” you can consider stretching for a few minutes.
Stretching Makes You Feel Better
Studies show that when you stretch, your body releases the endorphins, also known as the happy hormone. Not only do endorphins help in pain relief, but they also give you a certain feeling of happiness.
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