If you develop the habit of stretching “at the right time and in the right situation”, you can clear the pressure and fatigue in your body in time, relax quickly in your busy work and study life, and then “revive with blood”. What are the health benefits of stretching?
stretching is the simplest and most practical exercise for health preservation
Stretching, this seemingly unsightly act, is actually a simple and convenient way of health maintenance and exercise, which is not limited by time and space. Meng Qingyun, former director of the basic Institute of the Chinese Academy of traditional Chinese medicine, said that it can not only eliminate fatigue, but also promote blood circulation and maintain the heart.
When people stretch, the usual procedure is to yawn first, then open their hands, tilt their heads back, and straighten their backs forward. These series of actions have different functions when they are broken down.
→ when yawning, you need to breathe out and in. This can not only increase the oxygen intake, exhale more carbon dioxide, but also promote the metabolism of the human body;
→ when the arm is lifted up, it will squeeze the thoracic organs, which is conducive to the full relaxation and contraction of the heart and has the function of maintaining the heart;
→ tilting back the head is conducive to the smooth delivery of blood to the brain through blood vessels, so that the brain can get sufficient nutrition, so as to eliminate fatigue and boost spirit;
→ straightening the waist forward can stretch the waist, move muscles and bones, and relax the spine, so as to prevent lumbar muscle strain and correct excessive curvature of the spine in time.
Don’t underestimate these short-term changes, they can give your fast-moving brain a full rest, release pressure and fatigue, and even a few minutes can make the whole person as dynamic as filling up oil. In the daily busy work and study life, you may as well try to stretch, which can make you “full of blood”.
In addition, what other conditions are suitable for stretching?
1 men often stretch to improve their temperament
Social competition is so fierce that more and more men suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome. Pan Guangxin, deputy chief physician of the andrology diagnosis and treatment center of the air force general hospital, suggested to the life times that for men, there are many “small actions” that can relieve fatigue, such as stretching and yawning often.
When yawning, a substance called nitrogen oxide enters the brain. It can control breathing and deliver necessary energy to the penis. Therefore, stretching is one of the convenient and inexpensive penis maintenance methods.
Especially when getting up in the morning, the male body is still in a semi sleep state. At this time, stretching and yawning at the same time can not only exercise the waist, but also make nitrogen oxides reach the penis smoothly, so that sexual ability can be improved in the morning of the day.
2 learn from cats to stretch and treat back pain
Many elderly people have back pain. Some people who work at their desks or drive for a long time are also prone to back pain, and even have problems such as intervertebral disc herniation.
Stretching can strengthen the muscles and fascia of the back through the gentle and orderly S-shaped movements of the spine, open the Mingmen acupoint, penetrate the Du meridian, prevent and treat neck stiffness, shoulder and back pain, kidney deficiency, low back pain, spinal stiffness and other diseases, strengthen visceral function and improve nervous system function.
Practice: sit or stand, lower limbs are not limited, left palms are inside, right palms are outside, palms are crossed, palms are folded in front of the abdomen, raised to the chest from bottom to top, and then pushed out from the front of the body. At the same time, the lumbar spine performs S-shaped peristalsis and elastic expansion, driving both palms to push forward, and looking forward. Then, before taking both hands back to the abdomen, do this repeatedly, generally 10 times for one group, and do 5-6 groups.
Key points: this action is not difficult, much like a cat stretching. It mainly exercises the S-shaped wriggling and stretching of the lumbar spine. It should fully reflect (if standing, it is from the foot) every spine joint and the joints from the spine to the fingers. The palm changes from the flat palm (Palm center down) to the vertical palm, and the vertical palm is pushed out with the palm root as the force point. Feel comfortable in the back, preferably hot.
This action was originally the practice method of the “chest containing” technique of Taijiquan. When the other side forcefully pushes the chest, it can lead the target with the chest, so that the point of strength of the attack is shifted wrongly. At the same time, the two arms are connected at the elbow joints of the other side, and then under the wriggle of the waist, the other side can be picked up and pushed back.
3 stretch and nourish the liver
“There should be no disease when you step on it, and your soul will be at ease after three sleeps.” this sentence comes from the land immortals classic written by Ma Qi in the Qing Dynasty. Among the four generations from the top to the bottom of the Mazi family, 15 people are over 100 years old, and he himself has lived to be 88 years old. The health preservation methods he summarized are worth learning from office workers who work hard but neglect health care.
“Holding your feet should be disease-free” means that your hands are as heavy as lifting a kilogram, and your feet are as straight as a vertical stone column. Try your best to hold your breath and breathe out slowly when you can’t hold your breath. Every morning or after dinner, often practice, can prevent all kinds of diseases. This action is equivalent to “stretching”, but pay attention to the control of breathing during stretching.
The best exercise time for this health preserving action is in the morning and after meals every day. It can nourish and protect the liver, unblock the Sanjiao (traditional Chinese medicine regards the “Sanjiao” as one of the six Fu organs, which has no substance and has the function of transforming water and valley), regulate blood and blood, and have a positive effect on preventing shoulder periarthritis, cervical spondylosis, chest and flank swelling and pain, and eliminating physical fatigue. When practicing, pay attention to the details of grasping the ground with your toes. The human toes are connected with the viscera and meridians, such as the liver and gallbladder. The liver enlightens the eyes and corresponds to the four toes. Therefore, this action is helpful for eye care.
4 get up early and stretch to wake up faster
Whenever people are awakened from a deep sleep by the alarm clock in the morning, they are used to lying in bed for a little longer, and will fall asleep again if they are not careful. In fact, during this period of lying in bed, you can stretch and wake up your body and recover your strength in a few minutes.
After a night of deep sleep, the blood circulation slows down, the respiration weakens, and the blood and oxygen supply is insufficient. The action of stretching can stretch the body, expand the chest, accelerate blood circulation, promote oxygen supply, facilitate the contraction of muscles throughout the body and the deepening of breathing, and is also conducive to accelerating wakefulness.
Practice: lie flat, relax, cross your hands with your fingers, put your palms on your head, and extend your toes and hook them alternately. While stretching your limbs, turn left and right for about 30 seconds.
5 stretch after sex to prevent fatigue
After sex, many men will feel tired, and some will have muscle soreness. Amy, an American sexual health expert? Pent pointed out in his new book “perfect sex” that after sex, men should learn to adjust themselves.
During sexual life, from sexual excitement to climax, men will experience physiological phenomena such as accelerated heartbeat, increased blood pressure, accelerated respiration, systemic vascular expansion, and increased perspiration. These physiological activities will inevitably accelerate physical consumption and enhance metabolism.
For men, the feeling of fatigue after sex is mainly the result of the relaxation of the cerebrospinal reflex function that controls the discharge of semen immediately after ejaculation. This relaxation time is related to age and physical condition. Young people and people who regularly exercise recover faster.
Amy said that proper stretching of the back after sex can enhance the motor function of spinal nerves and help eliminate fatigue. Therefore, men may as well stretch a few times in bed, or bow their backs first and then relax.
6 stretch more in summer to relieve autumn fatigue
August 23 is the fourteenth of the twenty-four solar terms – Chushu. Chuxia is the season when the summer heat ends, which means that the summer heat fades and autumn comes. Keeping fit in summer and preventing lack of autumn are the key points.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, autumn dominates dryness, and dryness and heat consume Qi and injure Yin. Qi deficiency leads to weakness of limbs, tiredness of mind and lazy speech; Yin deficiency can be seen as dry throat, dry mouth and dry nose. In addition, during the summer, the temperature is still very high at noon, and the heat and humidity are heavier. The spleen is trapped by humidity, and it is easy to feel tired.
Stretching more at ordinary times has the effect of relieving autumn fatigue. In the afternoon, when you work and study for a long time and stretch, you will feel refreshed and comfortable immediately. Even when you are not tired, you will feel relaxed if you stretch consciously.
This is because stretching can appropriately increase the compression of the heart and lungs, promote the heart to pump blood, and increase the oxygen supply of the whole body. When the blood flow to the brain is sufficient, people will naturally feel awake and comfortable.
7 stretch and train your mind
Liu Heyu, director of the Department of Neurology and rehabilitation of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, said that there is a folk proverb that “it is an ancient saying to often stretch your waist, and to eliminate fatigue and nourish your blood and heart”. From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, the so-called “one inch long tendon can prolong life for ten years”. Stretching the body properly, such as stretching the waist, helps to dredge the meridians, promote the circulation of Qi and blood, and adjust the balance of yin and Yang in the viscera. It is a good self-care method.
More importantly, stretching helps regulate the redistribution of blood. First of all, when stretching, people usually yawn first, tilt their heads back, and lift their arms up. This action will increase the blood flowing into the head, just like pumping up the brain, and replenish a “nutritious meal”.
Secondly, when stretching, the upper body tilts back, the chest is expanded, the functions of heart, lung and other important organs are improved, the blood flow is faster and smoother, not only the nutrition is sufficient, but also the waste can be removed in time. It is a good “chest expansion exercise”.
Thirdly, chest enlargement can also help the body absorb more oxygen, enhance metabolism, and improve the working efficiency of the brain and other organs.
Finally, stretching can also make the muscles in the limbs, waist and back move and avoid thrombosis. Liu Heyu reminds that the elderly and people with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases may stretch blood vessels by stretching their arms violently because of their poor flexibility, which may lead to blood vessel tears and thrombus shedding in serious cases. Therefore, don’t worry when stretching. It’s better to stand up slowly and move slowly. When stretching, you should cooperate with deep breathing to fully mobilize cardiopulmonary function. In addition, after stretching, you’d better walk around, shake your hands, move your legs, and turn your neck to prevent arteriosclerosis and hyperlipidemia.
8 stretch in the morning to prevent cramps
The scientific name of cramp is “muscle spasm”, which is most common in the big and small legs and toes, and also occurs in the arms, palms, fingers or abdomen.
Lie on your back on the bed before getting up every morning. If you have the conditions, you’d better choose a hard board bed. Stretch your legs straight, lift your hands above your head, hold your breath and do a stretch. Start slowly, and finally stretch hard to the limit, and then exhale. Each action should be kept for 30 ~ 50 seconds. It is required to do it twice a day and be persistent. After a period of persistence, the situation of leg cramps will be greatly improved.
Lai Qiushan, chief physician of the Department of orthopaedics of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, pointed out that this method can warm up before activities by stretching one’s own muscles and bones, which has a good effect on preventing and alleviating cramps. However, for patients with hypertension, heart disease and other diseases, this method should not be used, because such breath holding exercise can easily induce cardiovascular and cerebrovascular accidents and cause danger.
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