7 Invigorating Stretches to Do Every Day If you Feel Tense or Want to Release Stress.
In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, maintaining flexibility can take a backseat. But, it’s a key component of overall health, especially as we get older and our bodies tighten up and don’t move as easily as they used to. With just a few minutes each day, a bit of basic stretches can work wonders, improving your range of motion, reducing stress and tension, giving you a much- energy boost, or helping you sleep better. He’s seven stretch I do every day no matter if I’m home or on the road.
Neck Tilt and Turn
Feel the stresses of the day melt away. Begin by gently tilting your head to one side, holding for a few seconds, and then tilting to the other side. Repeat by turning your head to the left and then the right, like you’re saying “no.” Do not use your hands to hold you stretch, but keep neck stretch gentle, otherwise this could lead to hyperextension or injury.
Shoulder Rolls
Stand tall and straight. Circle your shoulders forward for a count of ten and then backward for another ten. This helps to ease those shoulder muscles that work so hard for us.
Arm Reaches
Stretch your arms straight up and reach for the ceiling. Meanwhile interlace your fingers, and then lean ever so slightly to the left and then the right. You’ll feel this lovely stretch along your sides.
Trunk Twists
Keep that core feeling lively. While standing or sitting, rotate your upper body to one side, hold for a moment, and then twist to the other side. Keep this gentle and don’t jerk, overtime you can increase your twist range.
Hip Circles
Get those hips moving. Place your hands on your hips and make circular motions, first in one direction, and then the other. This motion should seem as if you’re hula-hooping without the hoop.
Hamstring Stretch
Time to show some love to the back of those legs. While sitting, bend forward from your hips, trying to touch your toes. Don’t worry if you can’t reach them – the stretch is what counts.
Quadricep Stretch
Balance on one foot and grab the ankle of your other foot behind you. Pull it gently towards your buttock, feeling a stretch in the front of your thigh. Swap and do the other leg too. You don’t need to get your foot to touch your glut, as long as you feel a bit of stretch in the quad.
These simple stretches, when done daily, can boost flexibility and keep your body feeling great. Start today and stretch your way to a healthier you. Remember, if you haven’t stretches in a while, start gently and don’t go any further than when you feel resistance. The goal is to increase flexibility and range of motion slowly and over time.
Josh Dudick
Josh is the owner and lead writer at Daily Wisely. His career has taken him from finance to blogging, and now shares his insights with readers of Daily Wisely.
Josh's work and authoritative advice have appeared in major publications like Nasdaq, Forbes, The Sun, Yahoo! Finance, CBS News, Fortune, The Street, MSN Money, and Go Banking Rates. Josh has over 15 years of experience on Wall Street, and currently shares his financial expertise in investing, wealth management, markets, taxes, real estate, and personal finance on his other website, Top Dollar Investor.
Josh graduated from Cornell University with a degree from the Dyson School of Applied Economics & Management at the SC Johnson College of Business.