Do Stretching and Breathing Exercises Really Make a Difference?

I never felt it was important to incorporate stretching and breathing exercises into my day. I stretch as soon as I wake up in the morning and breathe throughout the day; I figured that was enough.

Recently I started feeling fatigued and unable to focus. I was "zoning out" and wasn't getting my work done. Frequent headaches followed and my neck felt stiff and achy. I really wasn't sure what the problem was. I thought maybe I was coming down with something but it never progressed beyond the symptoms I was experiencing. About a week later I decided to try something.

I woke up and stepped out onto my balcony and began stretching, and taking slow, regulated, deep breaths. I did this for about ten minutes. I inhaled through my nose, held the breath for about five seconds, and then exhaled, forcing the breath out until I couldn't anymore. Then I inhaled again, repeating this about ten times.

I let my arms hang at my sides and slowly raised them up above my head as I lifted my self up onto my tip toes. As my arms stretched upwards I inhaled. Then I gradually lowered my arms to my sides and flattened my feet while exhaling. I did numerous stretches. I wasn't following a routine, only doing what felt good at the time.

I can't tell you what an incredible difference this made. I felt awake, fluid; my mood was much better than the day before. Something about the day just felt lighter and easier; I seemed to flow with it.

This is something I try to do every day now. I never spend more than ten minutes doing this but it impacts the way I feel all day.

I was so pleased with how much better I was feeling from the stretching and breathing exercises that I wanted to know why it makes such a difference. I have included a couple of the reasons I found below.

Increased Oxygen in the Blood Stream

We can't live without oxygen, so if we aren't getting enough of it, our energy, alertness, and health all suffer. Many of us don't breathe properly; we take shallow or infrequent breaths. Because of this we don't get enough oxygen in our blood, which means, our blood flow slows down, so we slow down. With more oxygen our blood cells travel faster and easier, which means everything in our bodies works better.

Oxygen increases our brains ability to function properly (hence better concentration), boosts energy levels, calms anxiety (just try taking slower deeper breaths the next time you feel anxious and see how much it helps); relieves tension, strengthens the immune system, and even helps you sleep better.

I knew oxygen was vital to life, but I didn't realize how much it increases the quality of our lives. Well...I'm glad I know now.

Fluidity of movement

When you're stiff and achy you don't feel like moving. How can you feel good and have energy if you don't even want to move? If you stretch regularly your muscles increase in length, which means your flexibility increases.

If the muscles are tense all of the time they are cutting off their circulation. Stretching loosens them up and allows blood to flow to the muscles more easily, which also increases oxygen flow and provides energy to the muscles.

Tension elevates anxiety and stress levels. Stretching relaxes the muscles which means you relax and feel better.

Of course a really big benefit of stretching is pain relief. Being tense is uncomfortable. You are much more likely to hurt yourself if your joints and muscles are inflexible. With a regular stretching routine you can prevent many of the accidents caused by inflexibility and relieve tension, and therefore alleviate pain.

There are so many benefits to stretching and breathing exercises it is impossible to list them all here. Although there has been a lot of research done in this area, the biggest benefit I have found is simply how good I feel. I know for myself that it makes a difference.

If you don't have the energy, concentration, or liveliness that you'd like to, I encourage you to try doing some stretching and breathing exercises of your own. It only takes a few minutes, but can change your entire day.

Note: If you have any serious health issues or are concerned that you may, please speak to your doctor before beginning any kind of exercise routine. This article is not intended to solve any health issues but is meant solely as a suggestion based on personal experience.

Resources:

"Stretching Guide: benefits of stretching" http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/stretching_benefits.asp

"Key Health Benefits of Stretching to Increase Flexibility" http://www.farmersalmanac.com/natural_cures/a/key-health-benefits-of-stretching-to-increase-flexibility

"PureO2 Oxygen FAQ's" http://www.healthoxygen.com/oxygen-faqs.php