Life can be very stressful at times. Whether you are working, going to school, or whatever else may occupy most of your day, it is necessary to take some time out of your day just to relax. There are many ways that you can achieve relaxation, but that usually depends on your own personal preferences. Some people like to take naps, some like to binge watch on Netflix and some even like to exercise.
When exercising, a good amount of people will skip out on stretching, which can be very bad for you. It can increase your risk of obtaining an injury and that is not something that is relaxing. There are plenty of stretches that can make you feel relaxed and when you are done, you will feel better about the day and can keep going. Here are three stretches that will make you feel relaxed!
1. Heart Opener
In this stretch, you will be stretching out your chest, shoulders, and parts of your abdomen. This stretch opens up your chest and with a nice hold and some deep breaths, you will be feeling relaxed. For this stretch, simply stand with your feet at hip distance apart, bring your hands to meet behind your back, lace your fingers if you want, pinch your shoulder blades and bring your arms further behind you in an upward direction.
2. Cobra (Bhujangasana)
In this stretch, you will be stretching out your back. This is another stretch where your chest in open. For this stretch, start out lying on your stomach, with your hands facing palm down by the sides of your chest/axillary area. Gently begin to lift your upper body up, opening your chest and taking deep breaths while you hold this stretch.
3. Standing-Forward Bend (Uttanasana)
This is by far, one of the nicest stretches to literally fall into. This stretch stretches out your back and neck. If you have tight hamstrings, you will definitely feel a stretch there too. In this stretch, you will feel all of the tension that had built up over the day disappear. For this stretch, start out with your feet hip distance apart and bend forward, letting your arms dangle down to the ground as well. You can place a bend in your knees if you would like. This stretch is very relaxing if you close your eyes as well. You also have the option to either let your arms dangle or you could place your hands on the opposite elbow or even wrap them around your calves.
These stretches can be done at any time of the day, and pretty much anywhere as well. I mean, you may get some strange stares depending on where you are, but if you need to take a minute and bring it all back together, I highly recommend you try these out. Hold these stretches for however long you desire. Just remember to take deep breaths; inhale for five seconds, take a slight pause and exhale for five seconds. If it helps, close your eyes as you are stretching. It will let you escape from seeing reality for a little and get you mind sorted out. If these stretches are not your cup of tea, there are plenty of other stretches that you can try out like the happy baby and child's pose. Have fun relaxing!
