This 10-Second Stretch Brings Instant Stress Relief
A recent study found that a common upper-body stretch can quickly lower blood pressure.
We spoke to an expert about how you can make the most of it. First thing in the morning, nothing hits like a big stretch.
But what is it about rolling your shoulders and flexing your upper back that brings stress relief? We finally have an explanation, thanks to new research published last month in the journal Physiological Reports.
The short answer is that this simple action may trigger the body’s parasympathetic nervous system, providing an almost immediate sense of calm.
To learn more about this discovery and how you can use these findings to your advantage, we called up Jorge L. Reyes-Castro, MD, MS, a cardiac electrophysiology fellow in the Department of Medicine at University of Minnesota Medical School and the lead author of the study.
Author summary: Stretching brings instant stress relief.