Flexibility is critical to your overall health and wellness because it determines your ability to remain physically relaxed and emotionally responsive through life’s trials and tribulations. Emotional flexibility is your capacity to bend your will enough to coexist in peace with people you don’t agree with. Physical flexibility means that you can bend your body without straining or breaking. Cognitive flexibility is the brain’s capacity to process information quickly, and brain cells need to be “flexible” as they morph and rewire themselves to new networks of information and thought.
“Physical and Emotional Flexibility”
Flexibility plays a vital role in the health of our mind and body because we all experience personal challenges, social conflicts and negative environmental conditions that stress our physical and emotional health. The cyclical nature between the psychological production of stress and our bodies physiological response to stress, exposes the deeply interactive relationship between the mind and body. A flexible mind and body are essential in preventing (or reducing the severity of) physical and emotional disorders which are generated by unhealthy levels of fear, worry and stress.
Today’s unprecedented levels of anxiety are due the entire world of bad news, climate and environmental concerns and social media pressures. This onslaught of negativity is creating a greater need for stretching because it is one of the best things you can do to take control of your emotional wellbeing.
Modern stressors are a perceived threat that is triggering our bodies defense mechanism to tense up and run away. As a result, we are being inundated with a bioelectrochemical chain reaction that is pumping hormones, sugars and nervous energy throughout our bodies all day long that are not getting burned off!
- Now the excess sugars are getting stored as fat which is contributing to obesity. Obesity is the number one health issue in today’s society.
- The excess stress hormones are restricting blood flow to the stomach and intestines while also reducing the immune system’s functionality since none of these are needed for running or fighting.
- The immune system is now being compromised and is increasing the risk of illness and disease.
- The reduced functioning of the stomach and intestines are not supplying the proper amount of nutrients throughout the body to keep us healthy.
- Continued elevated heart rate wears on people’s heart health leading to high blood pressure and fatigue.
- Fast shallow breathing leaves people feeling like they can’t get enough oxygen and often leads to panic attacks.
- The restricted blood flow to the brain is shutting down higher levels of brain function which leads to foggy, unclear thought patterns, difficulty in focusing, etc…
This disruption in the proper functioning of the mind and body and the degradation of many of its vital system’s is contributing to the fact that more than 60% of Americans are afflicted with at least one chronic health disease and 40% have 2.7 chronic health diseases!
To drive this point home so you understand the importance of what we just stated, the CDC recently produced a study of 540,000 hospitalized patients with COVID-19, the results of which found that the NUMBER 1 strongest risk factor for death from COVID-19 was OBESITY and NUMBER 2 was ANXIETY related disorders!
Stretching helps engage your parasympathetic nervous system which shuts off the Fight or Flight system. This allows you to slow your heart rate and breathing, stop the influx of sugars in your bloodstream, allow your stomach, intestines and immune system to function properly again and all of this allows you to regain control of your physical and emotional wellbeing and bring balance back into your life.
Stretching On Demand
Our On Demand Video Library has hundreds of stretches for every part of your body. There are 5, 10 and 15 minute stretches, full body routines, sport specific and injury focused stretches. Our Stretch Education section teaches you about your body and the benefits stretching has to fight stress and anxiety.