Unveiling the Power of Stretching: Unlocking Your Body's Potential

Thank you for joining The Holistic Alternative, a holistic health community geared towards providing you with applicable tools for your health and well-being 💪. This bi-weekly newsletter will provide you with resources and information that you can use to positively impact your overall health 🙌.

Consider this: From age 20 to 49, our flexibility declines by ~10% each decade 🤯 .

Alright, let’s begin 😄 ! Upon awakening in the morning, become aware of the sensations in your body - how does your back, hips, and legs feel? Noticing how your body feels in the morning is a great way to start the day mindfully. It’s common for many of us to experience tightness in these areas, given the sedentary habits of modern life combined with the gradual tension that builds up throughout the day. Whether it's walking, sitting, bending, or standing, our daily activities contribute to this tension. Stretching serves as an effective tool to alleviate pressure and promote muscle relaxation.

Most people recognize they need to stretch more, but find it tedious (don’t worry, you’re not alone ✊). We’ll give you some easy tips, along with actionable resources to get you stretching today!

Benefits of Stretching

As we grow older or lead sedentary lifestyles, our muscles may weaken and lose their tone, while our ligaments and tendons become tighter. This gradual process contributes to a decline in flexibility over time 📉, particularly affecting key areas such as the spine, shoulders, hips, and knees. Reduced flexibility often manifests in issues like chronic low back pain, persistent neck discomfort, decreased hip mobility and compromised posture just to name a few 🤯. The entire kinetic chain becomes compromised resulting in improper body mechanics and impaired mobility leading to chronic pain and injuries.

Do any of these experiences resonate with you? 🙋

💡 Here are just a few of the numerous benefits of Stretching:

1. Enhanced Flexibility and Range of Motion

Numerous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of stretching in improving flexibility and range of motion. This meta-analysis demonstrated that regular stretching interventions significantly increased joint flexibility, enhancing functional movement and performance. Stretch training frequently for ≥2 weeks can chronically increase the range of motion of a joint. Long-term static stretching and proprioceptive neuromuscular stretching produced a greater range of motion compared to dynamic/ballistic stretching.

2. Improving Athletic Performance

Athletes and fitness enthusiasts can benefit greatly from incorporating stretching into their training regimens 💪. This comprehensive study differentiates between static and dynamic stretches and the nuances of how they effect athletic performance accordingly.

3. Stress Reduction and Mental Well-Being

Stretching not only promotes physical health but also nurtures mental well-being 🧠. This systemic review suggests that stretching interventions elicit relaxation responses, reducing stress levels and promoting psychological well-being 🧘‍♂️. Stretching routines incorporating mindfulness techniques have been shown to enhance mood, reduce anxiety, and improve overall quality of life.

4. Improved HRV (Heart Rate Variability)

This particular study aimed to investigate the acute effects of stretching exercise on heart rate variability (HRV) in individuals with low flexibility levels. The study found that acute stretching exercise resulted in alterations in heart rate variability 🫀. Specifically, stretching exercise increased parasympathetic nervous system activity, as indicated by changes in HRV parameters. These changes suggest that stretching exercises may have immediate effects on autonomic nervous system activity, promoting relaxation and reducing sympathetic (stress-related) nervous system activity.

Important note: Certain types of stretching can be counterintuitive prior to certain exercises and athletic activities because long static stretches (holding a particular stretching position for 60 seconds or more) can lengthen the fascia and change the neuromuscular function of the muscle resulting in motor confusion and can put you at greater risk for injury. Dynamic stretches on the other hand are much safer and arguably beneficial prior to exercise and athletic performance. For this reason we prefer to isolate static stretching sessions as an individual activity separated from athletic performance. We enjoy stretching first thing in the morning to start the day or in the evening to wind down.

Pro Health Tip

🙆‍♂️ If you lack normal or optimal flexibility in any muscle group and want to balance your body for injury prevention and/or pain reduction, stretch at night as close to bedtime as possible. Why? Your body does most of its tissue healing at night, so if you lengthen tight muscles before bed, they will heal in a lengthened state, progressively balancing your body.

⚡️However, if you want to stretch to improve energy levels, you can experience a positive response first thing in the morning. This is a great way to start your day and set your intentions.

⏳ Never rush a stretching session. If you’re in a hurry, simply start with the tightest or most problematic muscles and focus on the quality of the stretches. Remember to take your time with each stretch, slow is smooth and smooth is fast.

Local Businesses and Actionable Resources

• Check out this free 3-day trail from Strength Side, one of our favorite stretching pro’s! Their programs are tailored to work around individuals with a busy lifestyle.

• Check out this video where Paul Chek takes a deep dive into stretching in his Movement as Medicine series. This video is 9 years old and still such a powerful and relevant tool to understand the importance of stretching and the role it plays in improving overall health.

• Check out our friends at StretchLab and get a discounted first-time visit! You’ll get a one-on-one consult with a highly-trained flexologist and a MAP (Mobility, Activation, and Posture) 3D body scan that will help tailor stretches that are best for your bodies specific needs. If you’re in Queens, NY, head over to the forest hills location and if you’re in Westchester, NY, head to the Scarsdale location and let them know The Holistic Alternative sent you!

• ATG aka “Kneesovertoesguy” combines muscle training with different stretching techniques to both increase flexibility and enhance muscle performance. Our favorite program that requires little to no equipment is the ZERO program.

• Book Resource: How To Eat Move and Be Healthy by Paul Chek has a comprehensive section on stretching including stretch tests used to specifically balance your body. The stretches section can be found on page 88.

DISCLAIMER: The Holistic Alternative Newsletter is for general educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of giving medical advice, and no nurse/patient relationship is formed. The content of this newsletter is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.