In Self, yoga instructor Shauna Harrison walks through the health benefits of stretching and shares practical ways to make it stick. Even with all the upsides in mind, stretching is easy to skip, and Harrison admits that fitness and yoga instructors, herself included, fall into the same trap, which then shows up as discomfort during workouts and daily activity.
Harrison points out that for most people stretching often takes a back seat amid the demands of the pandemic and other personal pressures, and that protecting one’s overall health and mental well-being is a fair reason for that. She also reminds readers that human behavior is complex. Knowing the benefits of a habit is rarely enough on its own to drive action, since many small factors quietly shape our choices and create barriers along the way.
The tips below are her suggestions for working stretching back in, with the caveat that some will land better than others and switching tactics can help reboot the habit.
- Remind yourself about all the very important reasons to stretch: Harrison runs through the payoff: better flexibility, a body that is primed before a workout and calmed afterward, fewer muscle imbalances, less stiffness and achiness, and a more relaxed mind. When she actually stretches, her sessions feel smoother and she feels more like moving, so keeping these benefits front of mind is a useful nudge.
- Put your stretching stuff in a high-traffic spot: Leave a mat, yoga strap, block, or foam roller somewhere you walk past every day so it acts as a visual cue. The trick fades over time, so moving the gear to a fresh spot can wake the cue back up.
- Create small habits: Pick one or two stretches that genuinely feel good and do only those, once or a few times a day. The point is to make it so easy that it never feels like a chore, then build on it once the body starts craving the post-stretch feeling.
- Stack habits: Pair stretching with something already on autopilot, like listening to a podcast, watching a streaming show, waiting for the coffee to brew, or brushing teeth. The existing routine acts as a buddy that pulls the new habit along.
- Plan ahead: For people who like structure, putting stretching on the calendar with a reminder gives it real weight. Tacking five minutes onto an existing workout works well, and Harrison adds that planning also means not jamming a workout, shower, and Zoom call so close together that stretching gets cut.
- Make stretching less formal: A full guided class is great but not required. Standing up from a desk for a quick stretch, or doing seated moves like a seated figure four, still counts and lowers the bar to entry.
- Let tech step in: Apps and fitness trackers that prompt standing, breathing, or activity rings can carry a stretch or two along with them. Useful for people motivated by streaks and reminders.
- Listen to your body: Feeling stiff like the Tin Man, sore on standing, or noticing a foot that falls asleep often are all signals that the body wants some targeted stretching attention.
Harrison closes by encouraging readers to treat stretching as a form of self-care woven into the day rather than a separate chore, and to begin with gentle, relaxing stretches that make the new habit easier to keep.
Acknowledgement: This summary was generated using AI writing tools as part of my AI Explorations process. For more information, please refer to the original article listed below.