While some types of exercise may leave us feeling tired afterwards, exercises that stretch the tissues of the body should leave you feeling energised and refreshed. There are a couple of good reasons why we feel an increase in energy after a stretch.
Firstly when we stretch we promote movement of fluid into and out of the layers of tissue. This happens through change in pressure which cause the fluid to shift. As a result we get more blood flow and nutrients into our tissues, and we clear out any waste products that may make affect the health of the tissue.
A lesser known property of our body tissues is what is known as the piezoelectric effect. Piezoelectricity is a word that simple describes the generation of energy in response to pressure changes. Many different substances have piezoelectric properties. The most common example is the quartz stone that is used in watches. When the stone oscillates, it drives the working mechanisms of the watch.
Our connective tissues also have piezoelectric properties. When we stretch our tissues they generate electrical energy. The electrical energy leaves us feeling energised physically, and can also improve our mental alertness and cognitive function.
This is one of the reasons that stretching is best done after other forms of exercise such as walking or resistance exercises. Please leave us a comment and tell us what your favourite stretching exercise is.