Five Simple Ways to Get Stretching Today

Alongside being active, stretching is just as important especially if you want to keep your body in shape. When you don’t stretch, muscles tend to shrink and tighten which can cause muscle damage and joint pain as we age and that’s less than ideal.  

If you think the days of touching your toes are over, think again! With a few easy stretches, you can get your mobility back and be giving the kids a run for their money. The best part? You don’t need a lot of time, space or a fancy yoga mat to get started. Here are five stretches you can do throughout the day, including when you’re catching up on your favourite TV shows.  

Wake up right 

In the morning, before even getting out of bed, you can start the day off right with a good stretch. Start off by lying on your bed and reaching your arms and legs out as far as possible away from your body. This simple and satisfying stretch will give you an extra boost in the morning if you feel like hitting the snooze button. 

Mid-morning desk stretch 

We all know we sit at our desks for too long, so if you’re finding that your posture is resembling that of a slouching teenager, this one’s for you. Place your hands in your lap, pull your shoulders upwards to your ears and hold for 5 seconds before releasing and repeating. This releases tension from your shoulders and neck and is a helpful reminder to pull those shoulders down from around your ears.  

Cooking with a side of stretching 

Cooking up a storm in the kitchen is another great time to fit in a bit of stretching. While at the counter, use a wide legged stance as this provides some stretch for your thighs which can tighten, especially if you spend most of your day sitting down.  

Soapy stretches 

If you’re someone who likes to brush their teeth in the shower, this one’s for you. While the warm water soothes sore muscles and joints, move your torso from side to side leading the stretch with your shoulder. If your left shoulder is leading the stretch, you should feel a slight burning sensation on the upper left side of your back. 

Netflix and stretch 

We might all be guilty of mindlessly making our way through the Netflix catalogue, but now you can use that time wisely! While watching TV, stretch the sides of your neck by tipping your ear down towards your shoulder. You can use your hand to add weight to this by placing it lightly on your head but be careful not to pull. Hold this pose and repeat on the other side to release tension.