5 Morning Stretches That Wake Up Your Body Better Than Coffee
Stretching out your body is an essential—yet oftentimes overlooked—way to gently wake up your body and prepare for a busy day ahead. You may not even realize how much tension your body is holding—namely in the hips, spine, and neck—when you roll out of bed, says Dr. Mark El-Hayek, head chiropractor and owner at Spine and Posture Care. So, with the help of Dr. El-Hayek, we've put together five go-to morning stretches that wake up your body better than a cup of Joe. Your body will thank you!
The Importance of Stretching First Thing in the Morning
When your alarm sounds in the AM, your body hasn't experienced movement in hours and your nervous system is still powering up. That's where stretching comes in clutch.
"Stretching gets things moving. It increases blood flow, wakes up your muscles and joints, and sets your posture up before you start putting pressure through it from the day," explains Dr. El-Hayek. "Caffeine can make you feel alert, but stretching is what helps you move better and that usually affects how alert and switched on you feel anyway."
5 Morning Stretches That Energize the Body
The below stretches are stellar at giving your body the energy boost it needs to power through the morning and your day.
Standing Side Reach
"[The standing side reach] opens up the rib cage and mid-back by lengthening the lats, obliques, and intercostals, which are often tight after sleeping curled up," says Dr. El-Hayek.
- Stand tall with your feet hip-distance apart.
- Reach your arms overhead.
- Gradually lean to one side.
- Maintain a tall chest with your hips facing forward, allowing your top arm to guide your body through the stretch.
- Hold for 20 seconds on each side.
Cat-Cow
The cat-cow stretch is excellent for mobilizing the spine. "[It also activates] stabilizers like the erector spinae, multifidus, and deep core muscles that support posture and spinal movement," Dr. El-Hayek adds.
- Begin on all fours with your wrists under your shoulders and knees below your hips.
- Breathe in as you lift your chest and bring your pelvis forward.
- Breathe out as you round your spine and tuck your belly button inward.
- Maintain soft elbows and use your breath as guidance through the stretch.
- Perform cat-cow for 30 to 60 seconds.
Forward Fold
"[The forward fold] helps decompress the spine while stretching the hamstrings, calves, and spinal extensors which are common tension areas that affect lower back stiffness," says Dr. El-Hayek.
- From a standing position, fold your body forward from the hips, allowing your arms to hang freely.
- Maintain a soft bend in both knees, shifting your body weight a bit into the balls of your feet to obtain a deeper stretch.
- Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
Seated Spinal Twist
Dr. El-Hayek describes the seated spinal twist as "a gentle way to activate the spinal rotators and obliques, and loosen deeper muscles around the lower back that get locked from staying in one position overnight."
- Begin seated with your right leg extended and your left leg bent, positioning your left foot flat on the ground next to your right thigh.
- Maintain a tall posture, and gently rotate your upper body to the left side.
- Plant your left hand behind you for added support as you bring your right hand to rest on the outer part of your left knee.
- Maintain an elongated spine, and don't lean back.
- Hold for 15 to 20 seconds on each side.
Chest Opener
"[The chest opener] reverses the forward-rolled posture by stretching the pecs, anterior deltoids, and biceps, which tighten during sleep and daily slouching," explains Dr. El-Hayek.
- Stand tall.
- Clasp your hands behind your back, straighten both arms, and lift your hands away from your body as you open up your chest.
- Bring your shoulder blades back and down, keeping your ribs pulled inward.
- Hold for 20 seconds.
