Why does a morning stretch feel so good?

Well, you will not know why, until you try!!

Welcome back to FGW, today we will try to find out why morning stretching feels so good. But, for that, you need to trust me and try the stretching I’m about to share.

These stretching has various benefits, before actually doing them, let me quickly introduce you to some benefits you can have from these:

  • Unlock your body-Have you ever felt in the morning that your body is locked, and you feel difficulty in movement? Well, morning stretching can help you and make you more relaxed. Just 5–10 minutes daily can give you great flexibility throughout the day.
  • Ease the pain-Some people feel backache or stiffness in the morning. They find it difficult to move due to the ache. Stretching can ease your pain and can even fix the backache you got while sitting the previous day.
  • Good for mental health-Regular stretching can also boost your mood and can make you happier. Some people wake up with a bad mood, but stretching can instantly make you happy. However, before this claim, I want you to try these first.
  • Energize you: Stretching can give you some long-lasting energy. When you are more relaxed, you automatically feel more active

Now, let’s learn some of the stretchings that I would suggest to a complete beginner. There are tons of such stretching, but I selected some good ones just for you.

1: Seated forward fold

If the first thing you do after waking up in the morning is read blogs of FGW, then there’s good news for you. Because we will start these stretching on the bed itself.

The first stretch for today is the Forward fold. For this, you need to sit straight without folding your legs. Now, try to touch your feet with your hands. If you cannot do that, go as far as you can.

Remain in that position for 20–30 seconds and return to the initial position.

Just like the lady in the GIF, make sure you smile while doing it.

If you are not on your bed, then you can still do this fold while standing. For that, you need to stand straight and bend while trying to touch your toes. Hold for 20–30 secs and return to the original position.

Feel the stretch on your back and lower body.

2: Fingers Up-down stretch

Another stretch you can do in bed is this one. For this raise your hand in front of your chest. Then do this ->

Do this for 30 secs and then repeat for another hand.

3: Chest opener

You can do this in bed while sitting on a chair or while standing. I generally do it after a chest workout session. This is also done to relieve the tension from the back, chest, and shoulders.

You need to lock your hands behind your back and hold for 30 secs. Make sure you don’t bend your back. You just need to be very gentle and don’t pull your arms too much.

You can also use a towel (or resistance band).

4: Cross body Shoulder stretch

This stretch will target your shoulders and hands, and gives intense relaxation in your whole arms. To do this either stand or sit straight. Bring that arm across your body and hold it with another. Hold it for 20-30 secs and repeat for another arm.

5: Spinal twist

Personally speaking, this one is my favorite. I once used to have terrible backache in the mornings (due to long hours of sitting). This stretch was a great relief. I used to do this before sleeping, after waking up, and mainly after a workout.

Honestly, not all can do it, this requires some flexibility. If you think you are flexible enough, try the laying version.

For this, you need to bring your knees towards your chest (while laying on a bed or a flat surface). Now, twist your torso towards the left (or right), while doing that, your head is towards the opposite direction to your knees. See this ->

You can also do a similar stretch while sitting. This is more of beginner-friendly

Make sure to hold for 20-30 for each side.

6: Knees to the chest

You can also do knees to the chest. For this bring your knees towards your chest and hold them with your hands for 20–30 secs.

7: Neck rotation

Look there’s something to your left, or maybe something on your right. Can’t find it? Keep looking!!

For this stretch make sure, only your neck is doing the movement, not your upper body and definitely not your lower body.

There are more variations where you can turn your neck up and down and in circles.

8: Garland pose

Enough of these bed stretching. Let’s do something fun. In this, you need to stand straight and sit in a low squat position and do the namaste.

Don’t be confused, just follow this and stay in this position for 30 secs.

A few more of FGW’s favorites:

Let me share a few more of my favorites

Bhujangasana or cobra pose

Hold it for 30 secs and feel the tension going away from your back

Balasana or child pose

FGW suggests:

⇉ Be gentle and enjoy these. You need to do it very patiently. This will take some 5–10 mins, don’t rush.

⇉ Maintain posture. Don’t overdo it, make sure you are doing it properly.

⇉ Ask an expert. I am just a health blogger. I am sharing these with my own experience. But, still asking an expert is important. It’s even better to do these under an expert’s supervision.

⇉ Every pain is different. Stretching doesn’t fix every ache.

And that brings us to the end of this blog.

I invite you to try these stretching and share your experience in the comments below. Also, tell me if these stretching felt good.

You can also talk to me outside WP on Instagram and LinkedIn, but before that Remember to smile 🙂

Check out other useful blogs

Stretch it!!

Lets find out why stretching is important? what it do to our body? and what are…

57 responses to “Why does a morning stretch feel so good?”

  1. I will try them, except for the namaste squat which is too vigorous for a right knee without an ACL on one side, as I have. I like doing ankle rolls in bed before I stand up, good prep for walking.

  2. Squats are good for my knee muscles, but I also have problems … so i usually just need to be more careful … probably not hold for as long or go as deep. But I’ll give the stretches a go in the morning

  3. Stretches are great indeed!
    I’ve not tried all of them, but will try now for sure.
    Thank you for sharing these.
    I kind of like these kind blogs of yours a little more🤷‍♀️😅

  4. I love all of these stretches! ☺️ I like how they’re not super complicated to do. I tend to stretch *sometimes* only after an afternoon workout because I like to have my body warmed up beforehand. 🙂 I should try morning stretches! ❤️ Thank you. ^^

  5. Thanks for the advice, tips, and illustrations.
    I crack my neck a lot already, but I think I could really benefit from number five and six for morning back aches.🙂

  6. Very good post about stretching Devang. Stretching has always helped me but yes, do be careful and pay attention to what your body is telling you. Even stretching can be over done and you can injure yourself. Thanks for the refresh on some of the poses too.

  7. I like the way you used pictures and gifs to illustrate your tips for stretching, it makes it easier to remember and do later on. Morning stretch feels great only when you do it, it doesn’t when you completely forget to ha-ha I also like my evening stretch. Keep blogging!

  8. This is a very helpful post, Devang. I love how you’ve included images and gifs, making these stretches much easier to follow. I must be cautious with stretching or any exercise and would need medical advice before attempting some of these. I could certainly do the stretches sitting up in bed, although I can’t get down to the floor. I also mustn’t do any twisting of my body or neck as my bones are so fragile and could fracture like this. I will try to do the simple ones in bed tomorrow morning. I’m glad that you have written this post, though, as from your comments, they will help many of your readers become fitter and more alert in the morning. Have a great day, my friend 😊.

  9. Loving this simple exercises! I always aspire to wake up and do a few morning stretches at least but have never found something that looks as simple and refreshing as this. 🙂

  10. This post has inspired me to take stretching seriously, I don’t stretch much. Maybe the spinal twists when I get off my chair, I have never though to simply stretch for the sake of relief.

Leave a Reply

%d
Verified by MonsterInsights