People typically think of stretching as something done before sports, running, or lifting weights. In reality, stretching is something that should be done regularly by just about everyone, especially as people get older. Why? Simply put, regular stretching has several great physical and mental benefits that can lead to feeling better on a daily basis. That is why Diego Ruiz Duran takes time out of every day to stretch.
One physical benefit to regular stretching is increased flexibility. But why is flexibility important? Everyone uses muscles for more than just exercising and physical activities. Muscles are what make everything go, from household tasks like cleaning, mowing the lawn or walking the dog, to simple things like picking something off of the floor. The last thing anyone wants to do is injure themselves, let alone on a simple, everyday task. Regular stretching helps those muscles stay nice and loose so that doesn’t happen. It also increases range of motion and blood flow to muscles in order to keep the body performing at peak condition, even if there are no physical activities involved. Nobody wants to live with soreness in key areas like their back or joints. Stretching every single day helps prevent that from happening.
Today’s world is much more static. People spend more and more time sitting down, whether that is at a desk, or in their homes working on their computers or watching TV. That makes leg muscles much tighter, so when people finally do move around, they are at an increased risk of injury. Even if it is just for 5 or 10 minutes a day, regular stretching helps reduce the risk of injury by making muscles and joints much more able to handle any sort of physical activity. It also helps prevent back pain and improves posture.
Diego Ruiz Duran does not just stretch for the physical benefits of it however. He stretches every day because there are several mental benefits as well. In addition to being more static, today’s world is very stressful. Stretching is a great way to help manage that stress. Stress has a negative effect not only on the brain, but on the body as well. When someone gets stressed, their muscles become tight. People often think of stretching their arms, back and legs, but not always key areas such as the neck and shoulders. Those are the places most affected by stress. Stretching those areas helps to release tension and control stress levels.
In addition to managing stress, stretching can also help refocus one’s mind. Everyone has so many things to worry about every day. That takes its toll mentally. Daily stretching is a great way to give the mind a break from all of that and give it something else to focus on.
But remember, it is not an overnight process. Stretching once or twice won’t cut it. Make sure time is taken every day to experience the true benefits of stretching.
