Rest and Digest with a Stretch Therapist
Stretching and Mental Health
Stretching is a natural physical and mental stress reliever, as it can help to relax your mind and your muscles. Taking time for stretch therapy can carve out the space to refocus your body and mind and refresh your attention.
Scientific Hypothesis Surrounding Benefits of Stretching and Movement on Mental Health
A study conducted by Harvard University found that physical exercise can help with feelings of anxiety and low mood, leading to improved mental health. Several theories exist for why this may be the case. As explained by an article in Occupational Medicine, endorphins are elevated during exercise and released into the bloodstream. It is suggested that the blood-brain barrier could experience increased permeability during exercise, which helps the transfer of more endorphins into the brain and the central nervous system, stimulating the production of serotonin and leading to an improved mood state. In another hypothesis, exercise stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system which increases the transmission of neurotransmitters that have similar effects as antidepressant drugs.
Stretching and Academic Stress
Knowing that exercise can have significant impacts on mood, the effect of stretching exercises on mental health and learning has also been studied. In a study released in 2017, it was found that when online learning students participated in a stretching routine, at least 45 minutes after starting their lesson, there was an increase in cognitive functioning of the students. They saw that stretching could promote cognitive functions like memory, reasoning, problem solving and spatial perception. Not only does stretching help to relax the mind and body but could potentially boost cognitive function.
Yoga and Mental Health
Yoga in particular is understood to provide natural anxiety release. Harvard Health explained how yoga practices can reduce the impact of exaggerated stress responses and perceived stress. By doing so, Yoga has been able to reduce heart rate, lower blood pressure, and slow down breathing. Further evidence suggests that yoga may help increase heart rate variability, which shows that the body can respond more flexibly to stress. By increasing the body's flexibility through practices like yoga and regular stretching, there is evidence that it may increase the body and mind’s flexibility in approaching new and challenging experiences.
Assisted Stretching, Yoga and Mental Health
Undertaking a stretching regime in the presence of others, not only provides a time and space to dedicate to taking care of your body and mind but can also improve self-esteem. A study conducted in 2014 by psychologist Joanne Lumsden found that when a person intentionally synchronized a movement with a video recording of somebody else doing the same movement, they had higher self-esteem than when they did not synchronize their movement. Taking a yoga class with others could lead to leaving a class with a renewed sense of self-esteem, as could undertaking an assisted stretching session where movements are done in the presence of trained stretch therapists.
Sources:
Report of Health Care 2017
The Effect of Stretching Exercises Education on Mental Health and Learning Strategies
https://smh-assist.ca/emhc/skills/coping-skills/stretching/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/yoga-for-anxiety-and-depression
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-simply-moving-benefits-your-mental-health-201603289350