Stretching improves muscle flexibility and overall mobility, which are essential as you age. It can also affect your mind by improving mood, mental clarity, and thinking skills.

1. Can Improve Your Mood

A relatively short stretching session may help improve your mood.

Scientists aren’t exactly sure how stretching improves mood on a physiological level. Heart rate decreases during stretching, which could signify the body entering a calm state. However, there are mixed results regarding whether stretching affects the parasympathetic nervous system (which is in charge of your “rest and digest” zone) in other ways.

On an emotional level, stretching may boost your mood because it allows you to take a moment for yourself, reconnect with your body and mind, and achieve something.

In one study of 25 middle-aged women, participants’ mood significantly improved after a 25-minute stretching program.

In another study of 19 physically inactive people, just 10 minutes of stretching increased feelings of vigor (physical strength and good health) and reduced feelings of anger, hostility, fatigue, depression, and tension.

2. May Reduce Depression

While aerobic exercise has long been praised for improving depression and mood symptoms, scientists are increasingly finding that low-impact forms of exercise, like stretching, can be just as, if not more, beneficial for people with depression.

In one study of people diagnosed with depression, a 30-minute stretching session improved depressive mood. Stretching had a similar effect on mood as other types of exercise, including aerobic exercise, vinyasa yoga, and yin yoga. All types of exercise improved mood more than the control group, who did not exercise.

Think of it this way: when you are depressed, it can be hard to get out of bed, let alone engage in intense exercise. One theory is that low-intensity exercises have a lower barrier to entry and can more easily lead to a sense of achievement and confidence upon completion.

3. May Reduce Anxiety

Stretching could also reduce anxiety. In multiple studies, participants in stretching programs reported feeling less anxious than those in control groups who rested instead.

Stretching is a low-impact form of exercise, and it’s possible that it could reduce stress hormones, similar to more vigorous forms of exercise.

4. Improves Overall Mental Well-being

Stretching can improve your mood and help with feelings of anxiety and depression. In other words, it’s a well-rounded way to promote better overall mental well-being.

Among older adults, yoga-based activities that include stretching have been found to improve mental well-being and health-related quality of life. Studies on younger adults have found a similar pattern.

In one study, office workers who participated in a twice-weekly stretching program for three months had significantly improved overall mental and physical health.

Taking care of your mental well-being is an essential aspect of self-care, and stretching can be a valuable tool to include.

5. Can Reduce Stress Levels

Stress levels are increasing for people nationwide. Stretching is one easy, accessible way to relieve stress.

When you’re stressed, your muscles get tense, which can lead to aches, pains, and poor posture. Stretching can release that built-up tension in your muscles. Releasing physical tension can help decrease mental tension.

6. Increases Focus, Concentration, and Productivity

Besides boosting your mood, stretching may also benefit your cognition—your ability to think, learn, and remember.

Taking a stretch break from your computer or textbook could help you concentrate, focus, and be more productive at work and in life. When you’re in a better mood, you may find it easier to think clearly and make decisions.

In one study, a short stretching session increased participants’ feelings of vigor and improved their cognitive performance. There was a positive correlation between vigor and cognition, meaning that the participants who felt the most vigorous also had the most improvement in cognition.

The researchers suggested that stretching may improve cognition, in association with its ability to improve mood.

In another study, 30 people completed a self-stretching program, which improved cognition scores, including selective attention (the ability to focus on one thing and tune out distractions) and cognitive processing speed (the speed it takes to understand information and make decisions).

7. May Improve Memory

It’s possible that stretching could improve your memory, but more research is needed to confirm.

In one study, stretching slightly improved working memory, but aerobic exercise had a much more significant effect. Working memory is short-term memory that helps us keep information available for mental tasks.

Other studies have also found that stretching improves memory, but only to a small degree.

More research, with larger participant groups, is needed to determine whether stretching can improve memory.