Top 10 Beauty & Health Benefits of Flexibility Fitness

A good flexibility fitness program can be a restorative, low-impact way to improve functional fitness. In the last post we explored the Top 10 Performance Benefits of Flexibility Fitness. Now let’s look at the Top 10 beauty and health benefits.

Photo by Guner Deliaga Sahiner on Unsplash

#1. Improves body shape (1-3)

One of the best kept secrets to bodily attractiveness is maintaining good posture and symmetry. Our muscles should work synergistically and should be in balance. However, the reality is that many of us suffer from muscle imbalances and musculoskeletal misalignment.

Some muscles are too tight and tend to stay shortened, while other muscles are unactivated and weak from disuse. These muscle imbalances can easily begin to pull bones out of alignment and impact our posture significantly. This in turn can make an individual appear more contracted and stockier than they actually are.

However, adding stretching, strengthening, and stabilizing to an exercise routine to correct musculoskeletal imbalances and improve flexibility can work wonders for posture and symmetry. By stretching tight muscles, strengthening weak muscles, and stabilizing joints, posture and alignment will drastically improve body shape and composition.

You will begin to notice that your stomach will flatten, your butt will fall in line, and your neck will elongate, creating a leaner, slimmer, more attractive you.

#2. Improves blood circulation (1,3,4)

When we stretch, we increase the blood supply to our muscles and joints, releasing essential nutrients and oxygen throughout the body. Stretching naturally improves full body circulation and helps to get rid of accumulated toxins that can cause aches, pain, and fatigue.

As nutrients and oxygen begin to flow freely and feed key parts of our body, we begin to:

  • Breath better

  • Move better

  • Think better

  • Look better

  • Feel better

Photo Credit: Hush Naidoo Jade on Unsplash.

#3. Good for your heart (1, 5-8)

Who would have thought that staying flexible could be good for your heart? Research shows that adults with less flexible bodies, have a higher incidence of arterial stiffening which can lead to cardiac conditions. Not only is greater flexibility associated with less arterial stiffening, but there is also a positive correlation between flexibility and low blood pressure. In one study it even showed that the effects of stretching had more positive impact on cardiac improvement than aerobics.

All these studies are indicating that we should at the very least begin to consider including stretching regularly into our fitness routine to start experiencing some of these possible cardiac benefits in our lives.

#4. Reduces the risk of low back pain, arthritis, and other musculoskeletal disabilities (1,3,4,9,10-12)

Approximately 80% of adults experience low back pain in the United States. It is the leading cause of missed work days and one of the most common job-related disability. Most low back pain incidences are classified as acute (ie, lasting less than 4 weeks) and mechanical (ie, misalignment of the back).

Even though there are many causes for low back pain, improved posture through stretching, strengthening, and stabilizing exercises can sometimes be very effective in alleviating low back pain. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes (NINDS) recommends performing regularly low-impact stretching and strengthening exercises that will lengthen tight muscles (usually hip flexors) and fortify weak ones (usually core, back, and glute muscles).

In fact, flexibility fitness may contribute to the retention of musculoskeletal integrity, enhance fluid, pain-free movement, and prevent several of the orthopedic complications that many individuals tend to experience later in life.

#5. Lowers blood sugar levels (13,14)

Research shows that just 20 minutes of passive static stretching of skeletal muscles can help to lower blood glucose levels. When an additional 20 minutes is added (totaling the stretching time to 40 minutes), the results have proven to be statistically significant. (13) Passive stretching of muscles seems to assist in the increased cellular uptake of glucose, which helps to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

What is so beautiful about this finding is that stretching may be a great restorative, low-impact, exercise solution to help lower glucose levels. (13,14)

#6. Improves digestion (15-18)

Gluten intolerance, bloating, lactose intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome are high profile digestive conditions of the 21st century. But did you ever think that perhaps stretching could alleviate some of the discomfort experienced with some of these gastrointestinal (GI) disorders?

It has been found that not only can gut flora but also your posture can impact your digestion. Our musculoskeletal and circulatory systems are not designed to stay in a slouched position, day in and day out. Poor posture can lead to medical problems, such as poor digestion.

There are some simple fixes that can be implemented to help alleviate poor digestion. For example, learning deep conscious breathing to stretch and relax the diaphragm can help release us from bad posture and unnecessary abdominal tension and help build a better digestive system. Also strengthening the obliques can be beneficial in improving our posture and easing GI conditions.

#7. Reduces painful menstrual cramps (1, 19-22)

Excessive painful menstruation (otherwise known as dysmenorrhea) can be debilitating for some women. While there are several factors that impact your menstruation, such as hormones, postural aberration in the pelvic region is long-held theory in the scientific community as some of the causes. This theory posits that women experiencing intense cramping in the uterus is due to shortened fascia and connective tissues around the pelvic area. Studies from as far back as 1943 have proven that simple stretches for the hip-pelvic area can significantly reduce the severity of cramps, if not prevent them altogether.

#8. Relieves stress and tension (1, 3-5)

Tight muscles can store a lot of stress and tension within your body. You may have come across that person with their shoulders held high, practically grazing their ears. Perhaps that person may even be you? Those shoulders held high and rigid in position represent stress and tension in the muscles.

Better yet, you may be able to identify with reoccurring headaches? Reoccurring tension headaches can come from a constant clenched jaw, and tight facial and neck muscles. We tend to naturally tighten these areas when we are tired or feeling stressed.

However, when we stretch our muscles and release the knots, kinks, and tightness overtime, we give our bodies permission to relax, heal, and let go of present and past stresses and tensions. (1,5) Stretching tight jaw and facial muscles might just be the cure for an intense tension headache. Or perhaps some shoulder rolls and targeted upper body stretches might just do the trick to lower your shoulders and infuse some peace into the body.

 
 
 




#9. Improves your beauty sleep (23,24)

There is a prevalence of sleep deprivation in the United States where 35% of adults don't get enough healthy sleep (defined as 7 hours/night). Undoubtedly, there are many reasons behind the climbing rate of insomnia in our nation ranging from stress to illness.

One invaluable tip straight from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is that we should exercise during the day. It helps to relieve stress and tension during the day so that you can sleep better at night.

Even though an intense workout just before going to bed may be too stimulatory for many people, a low-impact, stretching routine just before going bed can do wonders. Doing some simple stretching exercises to release tension for just the right muscles can help you have a good night's sleep. (24)

The 3 ways that stretching before bedtime can help your sleep:

  1. By stretching you help to clear the stresses that may have accumulated during the day. Mindful stretching especially helps you to reset and to clear the slate of stresses from the day.

  2. Stretching can be rejuvenating, awakening parts of the body that were locked in one position too long all day (eg, hips from sitting).

  3. If done routinely in the evening, this type of low-impact exercise can become a fabulous new habit to add to your bed-time routine and a good way to help signal to your body that bedtime has begun.


#10. Gets you in a happy mood (1, 3, 25)

Finally, stretching can put you in a better mood. It is a time when you get to focus on YOU, if you so choose, and take time out to monitor and listen to your body.

In addition, when you stretch your muscles, you release the brain chemical dopamine into your blood stream. This hormone is known to positively impact your emotional responses by increasing your feelings of happiness and putting you in an overall state of well-being, a good disposition, and higher self-esteem. No wonder, it feels so good to s-t-r-e-t-c-h.

So, as you can see, there are so many great benefits that are forsaken when we don't take that time out practice a good flexibility routine regularly (preferably daily). With all these great benefits how can you resist? Let’s get stretching, strengthening, and stabilizing our bodies.

Here's to good flexibility and to good health!


References

  1. Alter M. Science of Flexibility. 2nd ed. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics; 1996.

  2. Usigan Y. 6 Good reasons you need to stretch. Shape website. http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/6-good-reasons-you-need-stretch. Accessed August 9, 2020.

  3. Matthews J. 10 reasons you should be stretching. American Council on Exercise website. https://www.acefitness.org/blog/6387/10-reasons-why-you-should-be-stretching. Published April 19, 2017. Accessed August 9, 2020.

  4. Fit Life: Top 10 reasons to stretch. American Council on Exercise website. https://www.acefitness.org/acefit/healthy-living-article/60/5107/top-10-reasons-to-stretch. Published October 7, 2014. Accessed August 9, 2020.

  5. Wong A, Sanchez-Gonzlez M, Kalfon R, Alvarez-Alvarado S, Figueroa A. The effects of stretching training on cardiac autonomic function in obese postmenopausal women. Altern Ther Health Med. 2017;23(2): 20-26.

  6. Corliss J. More than a stretch: yoga’s benefits may extend to the heart. Harvard Health Publishing/Harvard Medical School/Blog website. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/more-than-a-stretch-yogas-benefits-may-extend-to-the-heart-201504157868. Published April 15, 2015. Accessed August 9, 2020.

  7. Yamamoto K, Kawano H, Gando Y. Poor trunk flexibility is associated with arterial stiffening. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2009;297(4):H1314-H1318.

  8. Cortez-Copper MY, Anton MM, Devan AE, Neidre DB, Cook JN Tanaka H. The effects of strength training on central arterial compliance in middle-aged and older adults. Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil. 2008;15(2):149-155.

  9. Low Back Pain Fact Sheet. US Department of Health and Human Services: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Low-Back-Pain-Fact-Sheet. Published December 2014. Accessed August 9, 2020.

  10. Low Back Pain. US Department of Health and Human Services: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) https://www.ninds.nih.gov/sites/default/files/low_back_pain_20-ns-5161_march_2020_508c.pdf. Published March 2020. Accessed August 9, 2020.

  11. Haskell WL, Montoye HJ, Orenstein D. Physical activity and exercise to achieve health-related physical fitness components. Public Health Reports. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1424730. 1985. Accessed August 16, 2020.

  12. Dolan AL, Hart DJ, Doyle DV, Grahame R, Spector TD. The relationship of joint hypermobillity, bone mineral density, and osteoarthritis in the general population: The Chingford Study. J Rheumatol. 2003. https://www.jrheum.org/content/jrheum/30/4/799.full.pdf . Accessed August 16, 2020/

  13. Nelson AG, Kokonen J, Arnall DA. Twenty minutes of passive stretching lowers glucose levels in an at-risk population: an experimental study. J Physiother. 2011;57(3):173-178. http://www.journalofphysiotherapy.com/article/S1836-9553(11)70038-8/fulltext. Accessed August 9, 2020.

  14. Kanaya AM, Araneta MRG, Pawlowsky SB. Restorative yoga and metabolic risk factors: the practicing restorative yoga vs. stretching for the metabolic syndrome (PRYSMS) randomized trial. J Diabetes Complications. 2015;28(3):e1-e11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4004660. Accessed August 9, 2020.

  15. Hirota N, Sone Y, Tokura H. Effect of postprandial posture on digestion and absorption of dietary carbohydrate. J Physiol Anthropol Appl Human Sci. 2002;21(1): 45-50.

  16. Villoria A,Azpiroz F, Burri D, Cisternas D, Soldevilla A, Malagelada JR. Abdomino-phrenic dyssynergia in patients with abdominal bloating and distension. Am J Gastroenterol. 2011;106(5):815-819.

  17. Dainese R, Serra J, Azpiroz F, Malagelada JR. Influence of body posture on intestinal transit. Gut. 2003;52(7):971-974. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1773697. Accessed August 9, 2020.

  18. Another way to improve your digestion: posture. Paleo Leap website. https://paleoleap.com/improve-your-digestion-posture. Accessed August 9, 2020.

  19. Billig, H.E. Dysmenorrhea: the result of a postural deviation. Arch Surg. 1943;46(5):611-613.

  20. Shirvani MA, Motahri-Tabari N, Alipour A. Use of ginger versus stretching exercises for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea: a randomized controlled trial. 2017;15(4):295-301.

  21. Motahari-Tabari N, Shirvani MA, Alipour A. Comparison of the effect of stretching exercises and mefenamic acid on the reduction of pain and menstruation characteristics in primary dysmenorrhea: a randomized clinical trial. Oman Med J. 2017;32(1):47-53.

  22. Vaziri F, Hoseini A, Kamali F, Abdali K, Hadianfard M, Sayadi M. Comparing the effects of aerobic and stretching exercises on the intensity of primary dysmenorrhea in the students of Universities of Bushehr. J Family Reprod Health. 2015;9(1):23-28.

  23. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 1 in 3 adults don’t get enough sleep: a good night’s sleep is critical for good health. CDC website. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0215-enough-sleep.html. Updated February 2016. Accessed August 9, 2020.

  24. Here’s why you need to start stretching every night before bed. Reader’s Digest website. https://www.rd.com/health/fitness/stretches-before-bed-proper. Accessed August 9, 2020.

  25. Ten reasons that you should stretch. Daily Mail website. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3794273/Ten-reasons-stretch.html. Published September 17, 2016. Accessed August 9, 2020.



Robyn Reid