The morning light spills across the floor as the first birds are calling outside of your window. You roll out a mat, lower yourself down, and reach for your toes.
You don’t need to call it yoga, and you don’t need a studio. All you need is a few minutes and the willingness to be still. Stretching has a way of pulling you back to yourself.
The Body Knows What It Needs
We spend so much of our days folded over desks, behind steering wheels, and hunched over phones. The body holds that tightness, and we can see it with our shoulders creeping toward our ears, the tightness in our hips, and the stiffness in our necks. And we wonder, why do I feel so tense?
When you stretch, you’re lengthening your muscle, but you’re also telling your nervous system it’s okay to let go and to intentionally release tension. A John Hopkins Medicine article explains how regular stretching and yoga can:
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- Reduces stress
- Improve flexibility and mobility
- Prevents injuries
- Provide pain relief
- Improve heart health
While the physical act of stretching affects the body by loosening muscles, the moment you take for yourself to be still and quiet affects the mind and leads to deeper relaxation. It’s a loop that continues: your muscles relax, you find tension relief, you stop thinking about how your body feels stiff, the mind quiets, and you relax even more.
You Don’t Have to Be Good at It
Stretching can be simple and doesn’t have to follow a routine. There is no “right” way. Don’t feel overwhelmed with attending a yoga class if you’re only able to step away for a few moments during your day. Whatever you can do to take time to breathe and stretch is the right way for you.
You don’t have to touch your toes or master a headstand. A five-minute stretch in the morning, lifting your arms over your head at your desk, or a few deep lunges while dinner cooks all count to a more relaxed body and mind.
Your Physical and Mental Health Are Linked
When your body feels good, your mind feels good. Finding time for small moments to care for your physical health is key to supporting your body and mental health.
There’s something about the quiet of a stretch that forces you to slow down. You notice your breathing, you feel where you are holding tension in your body, you stop thinking about the email you forgot to send and focus on what really matters: you and how you feel.
Resources for stretching properly are readily available online. It’s important to listen to your body when implementing a new form of movement or exercise into your routine. Northwestern Medicine explains the importance of warming up your body before stretching with a short walk or aerobic movement and starting slow.
You can find a stretching routine right for you on YouTube and on health and wellness websites you trust. If you are interested in finding a certified yoga instructor near you, check out the Yoga Alliance.
Your Health Matters to Your Health Idaho
Stretching is a great starting point to get in tune with your body. You might find that you need additional care or treatment.
If you’re experiencing physical pain from a new or previous injury, have chronic pain or illness, or are facing challenges with your mental health, we have you covered.
Every plan through Your Health Idaho covers 10 Essential Health Benefits, including:
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- Mental health and substance use disorder services
- Counseling and psychotherapy
- Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices to help people with injuries, disabilities, or chronic conditions gain or recover mental and physical skills
- Preventative wellness services
If you have questions or would like more information, contact one of our Idaho-based Customer Advocates at 855-944-3246 or chat live at YourHealthIdaho.org.
You can also visit the Find Help page to find a certified agent whose assistance is available to you at no cost. The agents are experts who can walk you through the application process, assist you in applying for a tax credit, and help you choose and manage your plan.