Exercising is an excellent way for older adults to maintain top fitness and stay active and healthy. However, not all exercises are well suited for specific individuals, so it’s always a good idea to make sure you’re picking the correct exercise intensity.
Stretching is a great example of an ideal and rewarding workout for older adults. This could involve simple activities such as bending to tie a shoe, climbing stairs, picking up things from the top of a shelf, or more complex routines such as lunges, triceps stretch, shoulder squeeze, etc.
Stretching in the morning relieves muscle tension or pain, setting one up for a great day. However, it’s always recommended to consult a healthcare professional before attempting new stretches or exercises.
Click here to see some simple morning stretching exercises for older adults to keep them fit and healthy.
Benefits of Stretching
Early morning stretches help improve flexibility and extensibility of joints to promote a more fantastic range of motion. Other benefits of stretching in the morning include energizing the body and heightening an individual’s sense of balance.
It is essential to consciously stretch the body’s muscles a few minutes out of the day, especially in the morning, after a good night’s rest.
Stretching can help loosen and unwind the muscles that have remained in a fixed position for extended periods during sleep and improve blood flow toward the extremities.
Additionally, stretching can be a key factor in preventing muscle or joint issues for those who maintain a sitting position for hours or are always on the go. Here’s a more detailed overview of the benefits of stretching in the morning, which include:
1. Improved Blood Flow
Stretching enhances blood circulation to all parts of the body.
This improved blood flow supplies nutrients and removes metabolic wastes like carbon dioxide from the body. Additionally, enhanced blood flow leads to better concentration and sharper senses and increases oxygen levels in the body — these are all crucial for excellent overall health.
2. Better Posture
Many adults may experience shoulder, back, and neck pains due to posture issues. However, research shows that stretching can go a long way toward correcting an individual’s overall body posture, especially in the shoulder region.
As you partake in daily morning stretches, improving your standing and sitting posture can become more and more apparent as your muscles and joints become stronger and more limber.
Participating in stretching routines can also help relieve tension in older adults’ backs, contributing to a better posture.
3. Enhanced Flexibility
As we grow older, our bodies may experience some changes, affecting our joints and muscles’ range of motion.
Fortunately, one of the benefits of morning stretches is enhanced flexibility.
Morning stretching exercises help one stay fit and active to enjoy more body freedom alongside improved flexibility and a better range of motion. Older adults can walk more freely without support or hindrances.
Asides from this, stretches can help delay reduced mobility that may accompany aging.
4. Reduces Injury Risk
Research shows a correlation between stretching and reduced injury risk when engaging in higher-intensity physical activities. Even outside these cases, stretching offers a great way to stay fit, strengthening muscles and improving balance.
Dynamic stretching is a good component of exercise that helps improve the muscles, joints, and tendons.
Stretching exercises improve balance, so older adults who engage in this routine every morning tend to maintain a better stance and walking posture while reducing the risk of injuries or accidents.
5. Lesser Pains and Aches
Older adults may sometimes experience body aches, and one proven way to combat this pain is to stretch the body every morning. It makes the body more flexible, relieving any tight muscles.
Although body aches and pains can occur at any time of the day, they are more common in the morning after prolonged rest. Morning stretching exercises can be effective in preventing or reducing body aches.
Hence, one of the best mornings stretches benefits include lesser pains and aches in the body.
6. Great for Anxiety and Stress Relief
Stretches can be a great mood booster and a solid way to destress in the morning. Stress, which could be due to physical, social, or emotional factors, indicates that the muscles are tense.
Stretching for older adults helps to calm the mind and relieve tension. Persons who wake up feeling anxious should partake in this exercise routine, and they’ll feel better and in great spirits ahead of the day.
Also, headaches from stress can interfere with one’s daily activities, and early morning stretches can help relieve migraines.
While stretching in the morning, it’s essential to focus more on areas of the body that tend to hold up stress, like the upper back, neck, and shoulders. Furthermore, meditation stretching exercises in the morning can give one some calm and peace, helping keep the mind healthy.
7. Increased Energy
Another benefit of stretching in the morning includes increased energy levels. Sometimes, it’s challenging to muster the strength to go about our daily activities, and stretching exercises help with this.
Stretching exercises improve blood flow to the brain and muscles, resulting in better energy levels.
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Canadians recommends that older adults be active for at least 2.5 hours weekly for maximum health benefits. And including morning stretches in the routine of older adults is one way to stay active and maintain high energy.
Conclusion
A single stretching session is unlikely to cause noticeable changes in a person’s overall fitness. Meanwhile, regular and consistent stretching routines can help older adults reap the benefits of stretching in the morning.
Remember that stretching should be a safe activity and not cause any pain.
It’s always best to consult a doctor if experiencing pain after stretches. However, if done correctly, stretching is one of the best exercises for older adults to achieve improved physical and emotional health.