Have you ever got up from your desk after a day of nonstop work only to feel stiff and sore? Or done a strenuous workout and forgotten to stretch afterwards? Stretching is easy to do and serves so many purposes. However, many of us neglect to do it at all. Instead we place all of our emphasis on hardcore workouts and marathon sitting spells. Stretching exercises are a way to honor your body with preventative care. They also feel great!

We have a tendency to look past the benefits of stretching exercises because they are so gentle. We only worry about if an exercise move will help us build muscle, burn fat, or some combination of the two. Stretching exercises should be a basic part of any fitness regimen, however, as they offer a range of benefits despite their ease.

Stretching exercises maintain range of motion and flexibility. Have you ever seen aging people who appear stiff and sore? While some of that can likely be attribute to arthritis, some of it can be prevented with daily stretching exercises. It feels good to have a body that doesn’t groan with discomfort when you reach for something or lift a heavier item.

My favorite benefit of stretching exercises is the relief of tension. Many people hold tension in their muscles when they have particularly trying days or when they are suffering from lack of sleep. For me it’s my shoulders and neck. Nothing feels better to tense muscles than a few stretches.

Incorporating stretching exercises into your daily routine shouldn’t be difficult. After all they take less than 15 minutes and don’t require any equipment.

Consider stretching when you get out of bed in the morning or just before you lay down at night. If you’ve got a few minutes in your office, even when you are on the phone, do some little stretches to improve circulation and release that tension buildup.

For additional information on stretching, check out the Mayo Clinic’s Focus on Flexibility or their slideshow of How to Stretch Your Major Muscle Groups.

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