Good Morning Stretch!

Good Morning Sleepy Head!  It’s Time to Wake-UP and Stretch!

Monday morning may very well be the toughest day of the week to wake-up, get-up and haul your sleepy self out of bed.  So, if you are reading this right now on your blackberry, GOOD!  Get up, NOW!  Stand right up, slowly is good and stay right there.  Come on, you CAN do this.  It will only take 5 minutes. Take a deep, long refreshing breath through your nose, followed by an equally long exhale.  Do this 4 more times reaching your arms up over your head on the inhale (find a slight back bend as you stretch upward) and lowering them back to your sides on the exhale. Now, bend your knees slightly and fold your body in half.  Allow your arms to dangle toward the floor and relax your neck as you take 3 more inhales and exhales (remember, slow controlled nostril breaths).  With your 4th inhale roll up slowly and reach your arms toward the sky, a little higher this time.   Stretch through your finger-tips!  Exhale slowly and completely as you lower your arms back to your sides.  Gently squeezing your belly into your spine with each exhale feels great and tones your abdominal muscles too.  Loose, limber and tension-free!  You gave yourself a gift this morning.

Stretching increases circulation of blood and oxygen to the muscles, releases tension and improves flexibility, which definitely sets the tone for a successful “feel good “day!   Not only will this 5 minute morning stretch routine wake-up your system and release tension, it can also decrease your chance of strain and injury to cold and stiff morning muscles.  As an added bonus, tension-free muscles can lead to reduced mental and emotional stress.  And who couldn’t use a little less stress facing the day?   Make this 5 minute  morning stretch part of your healthy wake-up routine.  Enjoy your day!

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