5 Reasons To Stretch Every Day

Stretch more! We've all heard it before. For those of us that are not regular yoga-goers, we often put stretching on the backburner. However, regular stretching shouldn't just be for regular yogis. Adding a stretching routine is beneficial to almost everyone.

Here are 5 benefits of stretching every day:

• Increased Energy Stretching can help give your body and mind a nice, little boost. The increased blood flow to your muscles can assist with a feeling of rejuvenation. Your body can sense a change and you may be more awake and alert. Every morning when you wake up, roll out your Sunset Blvd purple and blue yoga mat and stretch out your legs and spine. After being at rest for 6-8 hours, it's beneficial to give yourself a little jolt with a good stretch.

• Better Flexibility Tight muscles can inhibit you in a lot of ways. From pain, to inability to exercise efficiently, to feelings of sluggishness, increased flexibility will give your body more freedom for activity without restriction. If you sit a lot at your job, during your lunch break, roll out your Sunset Blvd purple and blue yoga mat and enjoy some conscious movement. Sitting for extended periods of time can shorten hip flexors and increase muscle tightness, so try to commit to 10 minutes a day, and make sure you keep moving and stretching whenever possible! 

• Better Workout Do you lift weights? Do you run? Do you play a sport? Stretching can improve circulation, which thereby assists with the amount of blood flow that gets to your muscles. So that uncomfortable soreness you always feel after a tough workout? That's known as DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). While everyone has their own awful experience with DOMS, a regular stretching routine can help decrease or even eliminate DOMS altogether. After your workout, roll out your Sunset Blvd purple and blue yoga mat, and power down your nervous system with some gentle stretching.

• Emotional Heath Yoga & stretching has been proven to aid in mental health. And we all experience those hectic days that leave us stressed out. So to help with that, get on the floor with your Sunset Blvd purple and blue yoga mat and stretch it out. Try Child's Pose or Supine Twists to calm your mind. It doesn't have to be a complete workout, just let your body take a break from a stressful day. Combine your stretching with deep breathing, and stretching can help decrease your heart rate and normalize your emotional state. 

• Reduced Pain Watch any sporting event and prior the game starting, you will always see the athletes stretching as part of their injury prevention and/or injury rehabilitation program. If it's routine for professional athletes, shouldn't we all follow along? It is important for your muscles and joints to be pliable enough to endure the activity you put your body through. Regular stretching can keep your muscles limber, not tight, so they’re at less risk for pulls, sprains, pain, and weakness. Not sure what stretches to add? Get our your Sunset Blvd purple and blue yoga mat and don't forget to Ask the Expert! 

On top of this, if you do encounter some type of injury, going through a stretching routine can heal your body faster.