6 Energizing Stretches to Jumpstart Your Day

Without a doubt, we're all familiar with the saying "rise and shine", but having a happy-go-lucky attitude towards mornings is becoming ever more difficult as the years go by. Some may be grumpy before their morning coffee, others may feel pain in the joints, or are already stressed out about daily errands and work. Whatever the cause of your dim view towards mornings may be, we can help you make your mornings more enjoyable and make sure you have a positive start of your day every day!

In this post, we'd like to be more specific and show you a set of 6 simple stretches that will help you feel more energized throughout the day. You can do this sequence in any order or follow the order we present, either way, it will take less than 10 minutes and is perfect for beginners. Apart from keeping you fit and alleviating any muscle pain and crams you might have gathered during the night, these stretches will also stimulate the nervous system and increase your self-confidence, what's not to like? 

 

1. Neck and Shoulder Stretch

We say start the morning slow, after all, you've just recently rolled out of bed. This neck and shoulder stretch is the best way to relieve the tension from the upper body, especially if you're a side sleeper and one side of your neck tends to be tense after sleep, which could actually even cause headaches. 

 

This side rotation exercise is one of the most effective ways to reduce tension and tiredness in the neck and shoulders, and best of all, you can do it while seated on the ground or even a chair. To do this exercise, sit in a comfortable position and follow these steps: 

 

1. Start by sitting with both hands on the knees. 

 

2. Raise the right hand overhead and place it on the left side of the head, over the left ear. Make sure your neck is straight, and start slowly stretching the head to the right until you feel a stretch in the left side of your neck and the left shoulder. 

 

3. Hold this stretch for 15-30 seconds, and then return to the initial position. Repeat on the other side. You can repeat this exercise up to 10 times in total.

 

2. Standing Quad stretch

Now that your neck and shoulders are relaxed, let's move on to the legs. Don't skip this exercise, as this stretch will release the tension in the hip flexors, which is a common culprit behind lower back pain and stiffness in the legs and hips. It's also an important component of good posture and spinal health. 

 

To do this stretch, stand up with your legs about shoulder-width apart. If you're worried that you might not be able to maintain balance on one leg, we recommend standing near a wall or chair to hold onto. Here are the steps of the exercise: 

 

1. Stand up and hold onto a chair or wall with your right hand. 

 

2. Bend the left knee and try to grab your left foot or ankle with the left hand. If this is difficult and you're not reaching your foot or ankle, you can wrap a yoga strap, a tie, or a regular scarf around your foot and hold the sides of the strap with your left hand, adjusting the length until you feel a stretch in the left thigh and hip. Hold for up to 15 seconds. 

 

3. Switch sides and repeat. You can do up to 3 repetitions of this exercise. 

 

 

3. Forward Bend

 

Now that you're warmed up, you can start doing deeper stretches, and the forward bend is one of the best choices for the morning. This is because this pose calms the brain, relieves fatigue, and stimulates the internal organs just before breakfast. It is an excellent choice if you're feeling anxious or overwhelmed, too. 

 

To complete the stretch, follow these steps: 

 

1. Stand up with your legs about shoulder-width apart. Lift your hands up and stretch on an inhale. When you exhale, slowly start folding forward at your hip joints until your hands reach the floor (ideally). Don't worry if they don't, as this is the case with most people, and just rest your hands wherever they land - your thighs, knees, or shins. 

 

2. If you have back problems, bend your knees gently until you feel no pressure on the lower back. The most important thing here is to keep the spine as straight and long as possible. 

 

3. Stay for 5 deep breaths in this position, and then rise very slowly, as getting up too early may make you a bit dizzy. You can repeat this stretch 2-3 times. 

 

 

4. Donkey kicks

 

With this exercise, you'll stretch your legs and improve the mobility of the spine even more. In the long run, this exercise will improve your posture and strengthen your core, glutes, and thigh muscles, too. To complete the exercise, follow these steps: 

 

1. Start on all fours on a mat or carpet. If you have knee problems, place a towel or blanket to cushion the knees. 

 

2. Place your hands directly under your shoulders, and knees under your hips. 

 

3. Lift one of the knees slowly, but steadily, keeping the leg either bent or straight. Try to distribute the weight evenly throughout the body when your leg is raised, push down on the ground with your hands to make lifting the leg easier. 

 

4. Lower the knee and return to the initial position. Switch legs, and repeat up to 5 times on each side in total.

5. Downward facing dog

 

We've nearly made it to the end, just 2 more stretches left. This is the downward dog, a truly iconic yoga pose that's widely appreciated for its ability to resets the nervous system and energize the entire body. This position is also known to alleviate sciatica pain and relieve fatigue, so it's especially beneficial for those who wake up tired or have lower back pain. The downward dog is a full-body stretch, awakening, and stretching most of your muscles. Here's how to do it:

1. Start on all fours. Then start raising your knees and hips, pushing your bum up and gripping the mat firmly with your hands. As in the forward bend stretch, the focus here is to straighten and lengthen your spine, so don't worry if your legs aren't straight or your heels don't touch the ground. 

 

2. Stay in this position for 5 breaths, keeping your hands straight and move your shoulder blades down to further straighten the back. Then slowly lower your body back down, bending in the knees, and get back to all fours. Repeat up to 3 times. 

 

 

6. Child's Pose

 

After the deep stretching you've done, you deserve a pleasant and calming rest, which is exactly what this last position is. Child's pose is also borrowed from yoga, and it's known for being the ultimate resting and calming position, and a gentle stretch for the hips and spine. You can stay in this position as long as it feels comfortable. Here's how to do the child's pose: 

 

1. Begin on all fours, knees aligned under the hips, and hands aligned under the shoulders. 

 

2. Take your buttocks back until they reach the heels, arms stretched out straight as if in a prayer position. 

 

3. Simply rest here, with your forehead touching the ground or even a pillow if you want. You can also put a pillow or yoga block underneath your buttocks if you feel tension in the lower back. Breathe deeply and stay in this position as long as you'd like.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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8 Useful Stretches to Perform When Going to Bed

There are quite a few things that can help us sleep better at night, like drinking chamomile tea before bed, for example, but many people underestimate the power of stretching. A review of studies conducted in 2016 found that doing stretching movements, such as those in Tai Chi or Yoga, help improve quality of sleep, and there are several reasons for this. One is that when stretching our attention is directed to our breathing and body, rather than to the stressors of everyday life, which helps relax the body. The second is the ability to soothe tense muscles that cause discomfort during sleep, such as neck, back or shoulder muscles, or even leg muscles that often strain at night. If you want to sleep better, add some of the following stretches to your evening routine, and see how much your sleep improves. 

 

1. Bear hug 

This stretch works on the rhomboid and trapezius muscles on the upper back and helps to reduce discomfort or pain in the shoulder blades caused by poor posture, bursitis or frozen shoulder. exercises

Stand upright, take a deep breath and stretch your arms to the sides. 

 

Exhale and hug yourself tightly with your hands, with your right hand above your left hand. 

 

Pull your shoulders forward with your hands and take a deep breath. 

 

Stay that way for 30 seconds. 

 

When you’re done, breathe in and stretch your arms to the sides. 

 

Breathe in and repeat again, this time with your left hand above your right hand.

2. Neck stretch 

This stretch helps reduce muscle tension that moves from head to neck to shoulder. When you perform it, keep your back straight.

Sit on a chair and put your right hand on your head - try to grab your left ear. 

 

Bring your right ear to your shoulder and stay in this position for 5 breaths. Repeat the stretch on the other side with the other hand.  

 

Then turn your head towards your right shoulder and keep your body moving forward. 

 

Stay in this position for 5 breaths. 

 

Repeat it on the other side as well. 

 

Finally, bring your chin as close to your chest as much as possible, and hold for 5 breaths. 

 

Return to a natural position and then let your head fall backward for 5 breaths. 

 

3. Kneeling lat stretch 

This stretching helps release back and shoulder muscles and reduces pain and discomfort in these areas. For this stretch, you’ll need a chair.

Start squatting in front of the chair, with your feet under your buttocks - you can place a pillow under your knees if this is hard for you. 

 

Raise your buttocks and extend your spine while placing your arms on the chair with your palms facing down. 

 

Hold for 30 seconds. 

 

Repeat 1-3 times.

4. Child's pose 

This position is very similar to the one in the previous section, but it is a little more advanced and therefore may be difficult for some. In addition to stretching and back shoulder and neck pain relief, this posture also calms the body and helps relieve stress.

Get down on your knees and place your feet under your buttocks. 

 

Now bend your body forward with a straight back until your forehead touches the floor. If this is difficult for you, place a pillow in front of you and lower your forehead to it instead. 

 

Send your arms forward to support your neck, or stretch them to the sides - whatever you feel comfortable with. 

 

Breathe deeply and hold for 5 minutes. 

 

5. Low lunge 

This exercise stretches the hips, pelvis, and groin, and it also helps open the chest and reduce pressure and pain in the back and shoulders. Try to stay calm while you do it and don’t be too rough on yourself.

Position your right leg in front of you with your thigh right under your knee, and send your left leg back so that it continues your spine – your left knee should touch the floor. 

 

Place your hands on the floor in line with your shoulders, or lift them toward the ceiling - whatever you feel comfortable with. 

 

Stay in this position for 5 breaths, switch legs and repeat. 

 

6. Forward Bend 

This stretch releases the spine, shoulders, and hamstrings, and it also stretches the lower back.

Sit with your legs straight and stretched out in front of you. 

 

Press your tailbone down to the floor, and simultaneously pull your upper body forward, from the waist; 

 

Bring your hands forward and try to touch your feet. Lower your head and try to touch your chin to your chest and chest to thighs. 

 

Hold for 5 minutes. 

 

7. Legs up the wall 

This position reduces pressure on the back, shoulders, and neck, and encourages relaxation while helping to pump more blood to the brain.

Lie on your back against a wall and lift your legs up - use the wall for support. 

 

Place your hands at your sides in any position where you feel comfortable, and make sure your legs stay straight and stretched up. 

 

Hold for 10 minutes. 

 

8. Reclining angel pose 

This stretch reduces pressure in the groin and hips and is especially recommended if you spend most of your day sitting.

Sit on the floor with your feet facing each other. 

 

Sit back on your hands and slowly bring your back, neck, and head to the floor until your lying down. 

 

You can place a pillow under your knees or back for support. 

 

Place your hands in any position where you feel comfortable. 

 

Concentrate on releasing the muscles of your thigh and pelvis, and breathe deeply. 

 

Stay in this position for 10 minutes.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

https://GSiyers home remedies.blogspot.com     is my latest addition to my blogs. I'm going to add posts there, do give me your valuable feed back on my blogs. Thanks a lot, take care, be healthy and be happy.