Physician lists benefits of early morning stretching exercise

A general physician, Dr Mercy Luka, has advised Nigerians to engage in stretching exercise when they wake up in the morning.
Luka told the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja that stretching would help in boosting digestion and circulation of blood.
She said that stretching in the morning could also help the body to recover by increasing blood flow to the muscles.
According to her, it will also flush out lactic acid which makes the muscles feel stiff and sore.
She said that most Nigerians do not know the importance of stretching, adding that those who knew often thought it might be inconvenient for them.
The physician said that stretching also helped to expand the blood vessels that would allow passage of good volume of blood.
Luka said: “Stretching has so many benefits to the body and some people don’t see the reason to stretch at all but it makes you more flexible
“In the morning as you wake up, your body is relaxed; you have the energy why not take some few minutes to do the stretching and I am optimistic that you will tell the difference.’’
Luka said that stretching also helped the mind and the body to relax.
According to her, it should be done gently, without bouncing or forcing oneself into an uncomfortable position.