According to Mayo Clinic, the benefits of stretching in the morning include mental release and relaxation, relief from muscle tension and greater range of movement. Stretching can even enhance posture by strengthening the muscles that support the back.
Here are 4 simple stretches to start your day off right!
- Upward Stretch: Extend both hands straight above your head, palms touching. Slowly push your hands up and back, keeping your back straight. Hold this pose for 20 seconds and repeat 3 times.
- Spine Roll: Sit with your knees folded together and arms wrapped around your legs with your elbows at your knees. Start by breathing in as you roll back – making sure to tuck your head in and breathing out as you roll back up. Do this for one minute, then stop to take some deep breaths and notice how different your body feels. This cycle can be repeated three times.
- Cat-Cow Pose: Start on all fours, bringing your wrists underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips. Think of your spine as a straight line connecting your shoulders to your hips. Try visualizing this line extending forward through the top of you head and backwards through your tail bone. Keep your neck long.
- Hamstring Stretch: Begin in a standing position and bend your left leg behind you and your foot inward towards your butt. Hold for 15 seconds then switch to opposite leg. This cycle can be repeated three times.