Wellness Wednesday: The Importance of Stretching

How often do you stretch? If you’re anything like me, stretching is an afterthought – something that’s done when you have time after a workout.

That mentality needs to change, as stretching is just as important (if not more important!) than working out. According to a Harvard Medical School article, stretching daily keeps muscles from shortening and becoming too tight. Who would have thought that muscles could shorten!? Read more to learn benefits from stretching that you may not have known before!

Stretching Improves Posture

Feeling slouchy? Stretch it out! Bad posture can come from a muscle imbalance. Regular stretching (along with strengthening) can help adjust the imbalance and encourage proper body alignment.

Stretching Reduces Stress

Muscles tighten up when the body is under stress. Relieve the stress (and pain!) by stretching the areas that carry the most stress. Stretching also can clear the mind, helping reduce stress even more!

Stretching Assists Back Pain

Sitting constantly reduces the range in motion of your muscles, which in turn strains the muscles in the back, especially the lower back area. If you work a desk job, it is important to incorporate stretching into your daily routine to fix any existing pain and prevent any further back pain.

Stretching may seem like an optional pre or post-workout activity, but we recommend stretching daily. To learn more about the benefits of stretching and learn different stretches, we recommending reading this Healthline article.