On the very last day of the 10-day challenge, we challenge you to give yourself a full-body stretch.
The benefits of stretching extend well beyond your workout regime and is a great way to check in with your body. It is especially important if you spend most of your day sitting or doing repetitive movements. Stretching will help you improve your mind-body connection and is known to ease aches and pains, increase your flexibility, increase blood flow and relieve stress.
Here are some simple stretches you can try today:
Side neck tilts
- While sitting or standing, tilt your neck to bring your left ear towards your left the shoulder
- Place your left hand on the top side of your head and very lightly press down
- Press your right shoulder away from your ears
- Hold for 20–30 seconds
- Repeat on the other side
Child’s pose and side stretch
- Come down to the ground on your hands and knees
- Press your hips back towards your ankles and walk your hands forward slightly bringing your chest down towards the floor
- Deepen the stretch by opening your knees wider, or by placing your hands on a block or stiff pillow
- Hold here for 20–30 seconds
- Walk your hands over to your right side and breath into your left ribcage to feel a side stretch
- Hold here for 20–30 seconds
- Repeat on the other side
Figure 4 stretch
- Laying on your back, plant both feet on the ground, knees bent
- Cross your right leg over your left so your ankle is resting just above your knee
- Grasp behind your lower thigh and lightly pull towards your chest while pressing your bent knee away
- Hold for 20–30 seconds
- Repeat on the other side
For every stretch you do, make sure to breathe slowly into the stretch and imagine the tension is melting away. For deeper relaxation, close your eyes and hold the stretches a little bit longer.
Take your stretching to another level
Feeling like you really need to relieve some tension? Try taking a Yoga or Pilates class. Many studios offer gentle classes specifically designed to help you to relieve tension in your body and de-stress. You can even find classes on YouTube that you can do for free in the comfort of your own home.
Congratulations! You’ve completed the 10-Day Self-Care Challenge
After 10 days of self-care, we hope you are feeling energized and refocused. Taking care of yourself is an important piece to your health and wellness journey, and we hope this has inspired you to make your self-care a priority.
We challenge you to keep going!
Did this challenge make you feel great? You can keep the momentum going with some of these easy self-care activities:
- Cook a new recipe
- Dance it out
- Learn a new word of the day
- Volunteer
- Meditate
- Write down 10 things you’re grateful for
- Sing out loud like no one’s listening
- Put your phone down
- Repeat daily affirmations
- Eat more greens
- Get to bed early
- Take the stairs
- Get up and stretch every hour
- Call someone you haven’t spoken to in a while
- Give yourself a mani or pedi
- Put on your favorite outfit, just because
- Stargaze
- Get a massage
- Pick flowers
- Give yourself a facial
- Go to a movie
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