Daily stretching can be a natural health tonic. Even 5 -10 minutes can have a dramatic effect on our flexibility and help create more ease in movement. Anyone can stretch! You don’t need special clothes or equipment to stretch your body, just a small area of space and a desire for less stress and better health.

Stretching works not only on the body’s frame but on the internal organs, glands and the nerves as well, keeping all the systems in radiant health. By releasing physical and mental tension, stretching also unblocks vast resources of energy. Stretching can help one to experience the interrelationship between the mind and the body, balancing the body’s need for movement and quietness.

Very few of us have a perfectly aligned or shaped body. However, we can all substantially improve the definition of our muscles and transform our whole appearance by lifting our spines and relaxing our faces.

Do you worry about hurting yourself when you’re stretching? Fortunately, our muscles are protected by a mechanism called the stretch reflex. Any time you stretch the muscle fibers too far (either by bouncing or over-stretching), a nerve reflex responds by sending a signal to the muscles to contract; this helps keep the muscles from being injured. When you stretch too far, you tighten the very muscles you are trying to stretch! Learn to pay attention to your body, for pain is an indication that something is wrong. Stretching, when done correctly, is not painful…it feels naturally good! Treat yourself to a stretch break today. How about right now?

Here’s a Mini Stretch Session for You to Enjoy:
(Really good to do if you’ve been sitting at your desk for awhile!)

1. Sit upright in your chair. Take a deep breath in and imagine breathing in nourishing support. Then exhale completely and imagine that you’re letting go of tension and anxiety. Do this 2-3 more times. Reach your arms up as if your trying to touch your fingers to the ceiling and look slightly up. Respect your personal limitation and only goes as far as is comfortable for you. Continue reaching up for a few seconds while breathing deeply. Then bring your arms down for a rest.
2. With your arms still down, imagine that you have a string on the crown of your head that is pulling you up to the ceiling. This will help you improve your posture.  Breathe deeply again, and while remaining erect, actively reach for the floor with both of your hands, straightening your arms as much as is comfortable.
3. Continue reaching down while tilting your right ear toward your right shoulder. Hold for a few seconds, breathe, and then repeat on the other side. Bring your head back up to the center. Next, turn your head to the left and look to the side or over your shoulder. Hold for a few counts while breathing in deeply. Then repeat on the other side. These are important stretches for your neck.
4. Now put your fingers right behind your ears and press your elbows back to open up your chest. Inhale deeply and exhale completely 2-3 times while holding this stretch.
5. Next, while keeping your fingers behind your ears, bring your elbows toward each other in the front to stretch your upper back and rear shoulders. Hold and breathe.  Repeat #4 and #5, and then do #4 one more time. (It’s good to end with your chest open.) Then bring your arms down for a rest.
6. Twist your upper body to the right while keeping your knees facing front. Grab ahold of the side of the chair, or if you’re more flexible reach for the back of your chair. Hold for a few seconds while breathing well. Then repeat on the other side. This is an awesome stretch for your back and waist. Repeat both directions, 1-2 more times.

Now didn’t that feel great?  Let me know by leaving a comment below.  I would love to hear from you about stretching. Do you enjoy it or not?  For me, I don’t feel quite right without at least a little bit of stretching each day!