Why You Need to Reach Over Your Head Everyday
Did you know the simple act of lying on your back and reaching over your head provides numerous benefits for your body and mind?
Incorporating this movement into your daily life, especially before or after physical activity or periods of prolonged sitting, can help maintain flexibility, alleviate muscle tension, and promote overall relaxation and well-being.
This position allows your spine to elongate and decompress, promoting proper alignment and relieving stiffness that may have built up from sitting or standing throughout the day.
Reaching overhead stretches the muscles and connective tissues of the shoulders, increasing flexibility and mobility in this area. It can help dissolve restrictions and improve range of motion, especially for those who spend long hours at a desk or engaged in activities that require forward-reaching movements.
When your palms face up with your arms overhead, your chest opens, stretching the pectoral muscles and front of the shoulders. This can counteract the effects of hunching forward, improve posture, and help facilitate deeper breathing by allowing the lungs to expand fully.
Laying on the floor with the arms overhead encourages relaxation and can help calm the nervous system, reduce stress, and promote a sense of overall well-being.
When you’re lying on your back, you allow for optimal blood flow throughout the body, including to the brain. This can enhance circulation, oxygenation, and nutrient delivery to tissues, promoting healing and revitalization.
This simple stretch helps you become more aware of sensations in your body, and provides a moment for introspection, relaxation, and self-care.
Book your next Therapeutic Yoga class with us—either in person or online—and give your body the care it deserves.
If you feel called to explore this work more deeply, I invite you to join me for the upcoming Therapeutic Yoga Teacher Training. Click here to get all the details and take the next step in your journey.
