What makes stretching a high-quality work break?

Sitting at a desk all day can lead to muscle stiffness and particularly back pain. This is made worse by the fact that when we're stressed our muscles tense up as part of our fight or flight response.

The good news is that just five minutes of stretching can quickly relieve this pain and tension, helping to remind our body that everything is ok and telling our brains to feel calmer. And stretching isn't just great for relieving pain and tension – it can help prevent musculoskeletal injuries in the first place!

Stretching is also a great way to re-energise: getting your blood flowing delivers oxygen and nutrients to your muscles, helping to combat the dreaded fatigue.

The best thing is that you can have a quick stretch any time, anywhere, whether you’re at the office, working from home, or even in your favourite coffee shop!