Tag Archive for: yoga

Stretch Your Body, Stretch Your Lifespan

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“Stretching reduces your risk of dying from all causes” was the message from Tuesday’s Memo. How does that work? Why would stretching decrease mortality? There are no definitive answers, but here are a few possibilities.

It may be that stretching strengthens the blood vessels as well as the connective tissue; that may decrease the potential for blockages or building up plaque in the arteries. Or it may be that the deep breathing that’s associated with most forms of stretching also contributes to the health of the heart and lungs.

One of the other benefits of stretching is a resultant increase in strength, which could help keep the muscles more pliable, and that’s important at any age. I’ve already mentioned that there may be an improvement in arterial function when undertaking stretching, but associated with stretching is a reduction in resting heart rate and an increase in vasodilation. Their possible net impact could lower blood pressure, which would reduce mortality.

I think that one of the most important benefits is going to be related to mobility and balance. We often only think of the flexibility of the muscles of our hips and our knees, but something as simple as raising your hands above your head can benefit stretching those lower joints as well. And all that contributes to your ability to move in space as you get older; maybe you move more if you stretch regularly. By regularly, that means five days a week, the criterion in one of the studies I mentioned.

Finding out the why stretching helps may take a while, but the fact is that there are benefits to what we would consider the easiest forms of exercise. As you move forward through this year, when you have a few minutes in every day, whether it’s waiting for the microwave to finish heating a cup of coffee, washing your hands after using the bathroom, or standing alone on an elevator, taking the time to do purposeful stretching may provide a benefit that you don’t envision. To take it one step further, put together a short routine of three to ten minutes that you do every day; if you have old injuries or joint issues, an appointment with a physical therapist can help you devise a routine you can do safely. And now that spring has sprung and you can get out of the house a little easier, try a class in yoga, tai chi, or qigong. Be sure to look for one that’s within your abilities; Paula and I tried a class a few years ago and were embarrassed that we couldn’t get up and down as easily as the 20-somethings.

The net effect should be that your muscles and your connective tissue will be more pliable. Who knows, you just may end up living a little while longer as well! Sounds like a good investment of time to me.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

References:
1. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2020 Dec;52(12):2554-2562

2. BMC Public Health. 2023; 23:1148.

Reducing Your Risk of Dying the Easy Way

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Quick! If I were to ask you which form of exercise would decrease your chance of dying, and especially your chance of dying from cardiovascular disease (CVD), what would your answer be? You’d probably pick some form of aerobic exercise such as running, elliptical training, walking, and cycling—any type of exercise that works the heart and the entire body to improve your cardiovascular fitness. That’s on the list for sure, but it’s not the form of exercise that seems to decrease your risk of dying the most. Data from two large observational studies show this form of exercise decreases your risk of dying the most: stretching.

Stretching? Stretching is that toe-touching and heel-to-butt type of stretching we were all taught in high school or some other fitness class. But that’s not all. What also counts as stretching would be activities such as yoga, tai chi, and qigong. They feature slow, elaborate movements that control the body in ways that result in stretching the muscles and other connective tissue. That all counts as stretching.

How much does it reduce mortality? In two large studies, 10% and 12% respectively over the course of several years, the highest reductions in both studies. You get more benefit if you combine it with other forms of exercise such as aerobic training and weight training. But stretching? How or why? I’ll cover that on Saturday.

The Insider Conference Call is tomorrow night at 9 p.m. Eastern Time. Get your questions answered about anything related to health including exercise if you become an Insider by 8 p.m. tomorrow.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

References:
1. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2020 Dec;52(12):2554-2562
2. BMC Public Health. 2023; 23:1148.

How Flexible Are You?

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Living every day you’re alive requires flexibility. Range of motion in your joints is important to your ability to move, but it can be difficult. As the years add up, touching your toes with your knees locked, whether sitting on the floor or standing, lifting your arms over your head, or even lifting your arms to shoulder level can be a challenge.

Connective tissue tends to tighten as we age; it’s another case of use it or lose it. And when I say age, I mean from teen years on. Later, after we’ve torn ligaments, sprained ankles, been in accidents, and on and on, if we haven’t worked on our range of motion, we can end up restricted in our ability to move. The less we move, the more restricted we can get.

The obvious way to increase flexibility is to stretch. There are dozens if not hundreds of programs online, but I would recommend that you get an examination by a physical therapist who can identify your strengths and weaknesses and prepare a program just for you, taking into account your current level of flexibility and previous injuries. The older you are, the more strongly I recommend physical therapy, because if you stretch too far and damage connective tissue, you’ve just made your situation worse. Another option, especially if you’re younger or more fit, is to try yoga, which is an overall muscle-strengthening and stretching program. Take a class with an experienced instructor so you can get feedback on whether you’re doing the movements correctly.

Stretching is something you should do every day. There’s one area that needs special attention and that’s your core. I’ll cover that on Thursday.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet