Believe it or not, cooling down your body after exercise is an indispensable part of your workout. Lots of people warm up, but it can be easy to forget or skip cooling down. Cooling down should take between 3 and 10 minutes, and should incorporate stretches that target the areas/muscles you worked out. Here’s why cooling down after exercising is so important:

1. Lowers heart rate – Your heart rate increases during exercise to allow extra blood and oxygen to reach your muscles. Slowing your heart rate back down is incredibly important, and will prevent feelings of dizziness, light-headedness and low blood pressure.

2. Prevents injury – Stretching your muscles while they’re still warm will prevent tears and strains. This usually happens when the muscles have cooled down without stretching, so make sure you stretch!

3. Reduces muscle pain – Delayed onset muscle soreness is painful and can prevent you from working out to your full potential for a few days. Stretching while the muscles are still warm can prevent this.

4. Improves your flexibility – Did you know that muscles are more elastic when they’re warm? This means that post- workout is an ideal time to work on some stretches to improve your flexibility.

5. Relaxes your mind – Exercise boosts energy and mood, and cooling down further enhances the benefits. Have a quiet moment to reflect on your workout and listen to your body before you head back into your busy day.

What’s your favourite cool down routine? Let us know in the comments!