Why stretching in the morning is so awesome

Its 45 minutes before your first class, the alarm clock just woke you up and the first thing you do before getting out of bed is stretch. In every funny position imaginable, crossing each limb backwards and forwards, trying to wake your body up from the long slumber it just endured. It’s the best feeling, and I’ve never known why. My friend I was just sitting with said, “Dani, don’t you ever just want a machine to stretch your arms and legs in all directions?” So naturally, I had to write about it.

Writer Luis Villazon briefly discusses the surface level reason for why our bodies need to stretch in the mornings. He says its because when you sleep, your muscles are not as toned and some fluid builds up, so by stretching your muscles out past their normal capacity in the morning, it can allow for a normal body function throughout the rest of the day.

There are many reasons for stretching that we don’t always think about when we do it, but that DO help our bodies and lead to the positive feeling we get when we stretch. For example, stretching in the morning can lead to joint flexibility. I know when I wake up, I‘ll hear a few cracks from my joints here and there, but if I stretched more first, this would put less pressure on my body and cause it to be more relaxed throughout the day. A Null Hypothesis for this claim would be that if a person stretched, nothing would happen to their body. An Alternative Hypothesis would be that is a person stretched something beneficial did indeed come from it, such as joint flexibility or less stiff muscles.

There are some people who just stretch in miscellaneous ways until they feel less stiff from their sleep, while others stretch to a routine, or do specific moves to straighten their bodies back out. These are all effective ways to de-stress your muscles and to spread the fluids in your body back out in order to have an energized day.

4 thoughts on “Why stretching in the morning is so awesome

  1. Jacob Alexander Loffredo

    I wake up every single morning and take my body an reach and pull myself every possible way I can go. I love to stretch, I couldn’t agree more with writer Luis Villazon(mentioned in your blog) on how that morning stretch allows you to get after the day feeling good. Stretching doesn’t only make you feel better there are may perks that go along with it such as better physique, less likely to get injured, and more flexibility. Stretching is also seen by many as physical activity which is directly connected to yoga. Yoga is a very in depth type of stretching and therapy of the mind. Yoga is so good for the body in many areas, Here is a article I found online actually saying how yoga and stretching is better for your body than any type of lifting out there.

  2. Derek William Drotman

    I really enjoyed reading this post because this is something everyone can relate to. I know for me, when I wake up after a rough workout or sporting event from the previous day, my body is in a lot of pain. Those are the days i stretch out in the morning and I usually feel a lot better. I did some research on this topic and after reading http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/reasoning-stretching-waking-up-2762.html I discovered that it makes blood flow faster throughout your body to your muscles making you feel better and more awake. Also it prevents injury because your body is usually tight when you first wakeup because you have been sleeping in the same position all night long. I liked the topic but wish you added more facts!

  3. Daniele Patrice Loney

    Danielle,
    This morning I woke up and told myself i’d do some yoga and stretch before I showered for the day… long story short laziness got the best of me and I didn’t do that at all, but I know I would feel better right now if I would have!
    I think it’s so interesting how much we stretch, in addition to just waking up in the morning and stretching. I was very into sports in high school, and my coaches made it very clear to me how important it was to stretch before AND after physical activity. Our bodies are very strong so keeping them as flexible as possible to prevent injury is so beneficial.
    Long story short: stretch, stretch, STRETCH!! when you wake up, before and after physical activity, and before bed.
    Awesome blog post!
    If you still aren’t convinced that you need to stretch, maybe this link will help persuade you.
    http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/6-good-reasons-you-need-stretch

  4. Jordan Crawford

    I love this post, I am a big fan of all yoga practices. I have had back problems for year, and one of the things that has helped me the most is yoga. Yoga for me in the morning is the best. It’s a great way to wake up and start your day. I like the quality sources you used in this post. I hope a lot of people in the class read your post. Everyone has something to gain by doing yoga.
    https://www.ekhartyoga.com/blog/21-reasons-to-practice-yoga-in-the-morning

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