Can prevent bad posture
The reason that many people who spend a large part of the day working in front of computers get a 'hunched' posture is often not because of weak back and shoulders, but due to tight chest muscles (and I am typing this realising that I am hunched over!!!)
One of the best ways to reduce upper-back pain is to stretch your pectoral muscles.
Can help combat Diabetes
Stretching has been found to lower blood sugar levels, a key factor in managing diabetes. A 2011 Hawaiian study of people either at risk or already diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes found that 20 minutes of stretching lowered glucose levels in the blood by 28ml per decilitre. Researchers believe stretching opens blood vessels in muscles and joints, enabling glucose to be better absorbed by cells.
Can lower cholesterol
Prolonged stretching, in combination with healthy eating, has been found to reduce cholesterol. An Indian study of adults with coronary atheroscierotic disease - hardening of the arteries - found that after a year of yoga stretches and diet, the condition was reversed by 20 per cent, and the cholesterol levels of the participants improved.
You can be stronger
A study carried out in 2012 found that after ten weeks of stretching one calf, the strength of that calf increased by an amazing 20 per cent.
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