Three effective exercises for morning stretching

An effective morning routine can improve your overall health. From saturating your body with water to getting nutrients during breakfast, how you organize your morning will determine how you feel throughout the day. And in terms of exercising, experts highly recommend starting the day with a stretch. This, as it turns out, is one of the best ways to improve your well-being and, as a result, face the day fully armed.

"Stretching exercises should be integrated into everyone's routine not only to improve flexibility, but also to activate energy, regulate metabolism, improve digestion and sleep, and protect against injury," says physical therapist Lolita McSorley of Brentwood Physico in Canada. The benefits of this kind of movement come mainly from "shaking up" the parasympathetic nervous system. "By increasing blood flow, we deliver oxygen and vital nutrients to the muscles and thus accelerate the removal of metabolic waste. So we shorten muscle recovery time after physical activity, which is actually very helpful for those who are working out to lose or control weight," adds McSorley.

Want to feel the benefits of daily stretching by adding it to your morning routine? According to Lolita, all you need to do to feel better is three exercises: cobra or face-up dog pose, abdominal swings and seated twists.

Cobra pose.

"This stretch magically improves spinal mobility and awakens the body," McSorley says. "Another great thing about it is that it's easy to do. So it's a great way to start the day." Cobra is performed on a mat while lying on your stomach, arms extended along your body. You then raise your upper body toward the ceiling. "Press your arms into the floor to extend your shoulders and chest along with your neck and head," she advises. To get the desired effect, stay in this position for 30 seconds.

Swing on your stomach.

If you're looking for a means to stretch more deeply, the expert recommends doing a belly swing, which is "a more advanced exercise than cobra." It may seem more challenging, but it's one of the best ways to get your blood flowing in the morning. "The swing increases the mobility of the spine and pelvic floor muscles, awakening the body with increased blood flow and activating the parasympathetic nervous system," notes Lolita. The instructions are quite simple: "Lie down on your stomach. Arch your back, lift your legs and grasp your ankles (ankles) with your hands." As in the case of the cobra, stay in this position for 30 seconds. You can do more, and you are also allowed to sway a bit in this position.

Sitted twist.

According to McSorley, stretching with sit-ups is a fantastic way to jumpstart your digestion in the morning. That's because the exercise requires you to twist your torso muscles and squeeze your gluteal muscles, which promotes a "gastrointestinal massage" that facilitates digestion. So, sit back comfortably on the mat, stretch out your legs and straighten your back. "Bend your right knee, then cross your right leg over and place your foot next to your left thigh. The foot of your right foot should rest on the floor, and your left leg should remain lying straight in its position," Lolita instructs. From this point, place your left elbow on the knee of your right leg and "use it as leverage to extend and extend your torso to the right side. If you need to hold your balance, you can lean on your right arm. The magic 30 seconds will be enough to have an effect.

So, now you know about three simple exercises that will set your day in the right direction. Whether you want to lose weight, or tweak your digestion, or improve blood flow for increased energy, this little complex can't hurt you for sure.