Since my first physical education class in elementary school, I heard a lot of good things about stretching exercises, but I didn’t take them seriously back then. When I turned 30, I started experiencing back pain from time to time.
No medication I took helped, so I had to find other solutions to this problem. It was then that I decided to do an experiment and incorporate stretching into my daily routine.
I have been stretching my muscles for 10 minutes a day for a month and now I can see some unexpected changes in my body.
I would like to share the results I experienced after this experiment and I really hope to encourage our readers to follow my example.
What Happened When I Stretched Every Day for a Month
My Stretching Routine
Head to Knee Bend: Sit on the floor with your right leg extended to the side, your left knee bent, and the sole of your left foot near the inside of your right thigh. Lean over to your right side and grab your right foot with both hands. Hold for 60 seconds, then switch sides.
Frog pose: Sit on the floor with your feet under your buttocks and your knees wide apart. Keeping your feet on the floor, lift your glutes, and walk your hands forward along the floor as far as possible. Allow your legs to extend until you feel a stretch in your thighs. Hold the pose for 2 minutes.
Cobra Pose: Lie face down. Stretch your legs back and place your hands on the floor under your shoulders. Lift your upper body off the ground, stretching your elbows. Hold the pose for 2 minutes.
Downward Facing Dog: Place your hands and feet shoulder-width apart on the floor. Keeping your arms and legs straight, hold the position for 2 minutes.
Seated Spinal Twist: Sit on the floor and extend both legs in front of you. Bend your left knee and place your right elbow on it. Place your left hand on the ground behind you and look over your left shoulder. Hold for 60 seconds, then switch sides and repeat.
The Results I’ve Got
I Started Sleeping Better:
Back pain was not my only problem before the experiment. I also had some really annoying sleep problems. Insomnia, restless sleep, tiredness right after waking up, these words were well known to me. But I really didn’t expect stretching to help me get a good night’s sleep.
It turns out that stretching before bed can relieve muscle tension and prevent cramps that interrupt sleep. When there is nothing to bother you at night, the quality of your sleep improves and you feel more refreshed in the morning. So no more chamomile tea for me, stretching is the best medicine!
I Finally Feel My Own Body.
Of course, stretching is the perfect way to get an amazing body. But that’s not the point here. For me, stretching exercises have become a way to regain my body.
When you sit at your desk all day, you literally don’t feel your legs on the way home from work. It was like that for me. But when I started to stretch, I realized that my body needed my attention more than I really thought.
This better body awareness that developed from stretching allowed me to continue stretching smarter, working on muscles that were weaker and needed to be toned.
I Feel Less Sluggish.
I used to have trouble staying awake during my long, exhausting day at work. By midafternoon, I was feeling so lazy and lethargic that all I could do was try to think of a place where I could safely take a nap while my boss was busy with other things.
Stretching out at my desk for 10 minutes a day helped increase my energy level significantly. I don’t feel lazy anymore. On the contrary, my productivity at work improved and I even got used to taking a walk during lunch break. Goodbye to midday fatigue!
My Back Pain Has Gone Away.
The constant pain in my back is what got me started on this experiment. I’ve always heard that stretching helps heal and prevent low back pain by strengthening muscles and reducing the risk of muscle strain. Surprisingly, it was true.
As a repetitive babysitter who has virtually no time to do a full workout every day, I had to choose something that could reduce the stiffness in my back and restore mobility to my gluteal muscles without taking too long. Turns out stretching was a great choice.
After a month of stretching, I am finally relieved and pain-free. Also, my muscles have gotten stronger and there are no more knots in my shoulders.
How often do you stretch your muscles? Do stretching exercises help you feel better? Share your experience in the comments below!
