Our bodies were designed to move.
Not just for that 45 minute spin class, but all day, everyday.
Take a second and check-in with your body. How does it feel? Any aches, pains or discomfort? Me too.
Now let’s think about our lifestyles. How much time are we spending sitting at a desk, sitting in traffic, in front of the TV?
I know for me, I spend way too much time at my desk.
But one habit that really helps fight against this sedentary lifestyle is simply stretching.
Stretching every day for as little as 5 minutes has been shown to have many benefits.
It can help improve posture.
Prevent a loss of range of motion.
Decrease back pain.
Help prevent injury.
Decrease muscle soreness.
It’s all around just good for you.
So there are two stretching categories – dynamic and static.
Dynamic stretches include lunges, squats, arm swings, anything where you are dynamically moving. I personally like using a roller to help here!
Static stretches are stationary poses that should be held for 15 – 20 seconds, like stretching your forearms, wrists, calf muscles etc.
Both are great for those with a sedentary lifestyle to help break up the work day.
In Rithm, it’s easy to track your stretching habit. Just set up a new habit, select a timer and set a timer for a 5 minute session. You can add a few reminders throughout the day to get reminders of when to stretch. You’ll want to set 2 – 3 sessions a day if you are stuck at a desk.
So quick recap, to optimize our health and well-being we need to make sure we aren’t just exercising but also moving throughout the day.
Let’s get moving! And if you haven’t already, download Rithm in the app store today.
