These days, a lot of us are feeling the physical consequences of a year spent at home: on couches, in bed, on less than ergonomic makeshift office chairs.

If your body is feeling sore, pained, or just not at its best, it’s time to introduce a daily stretching habit into your life. Try setting aside some time every morning to stretch your limbs and core. Experiment with different stretches to figure out what works best for you. Do some less stressful stretches at night too before you go to bed. (Don’t forget to stretch before and after any workout too!) After just a few days of daily stretching, you’ll feel a noticeable difference in your body. Besides that physical spark, there are several benefits to a daily stretching habit.

Increase your flexibility
As we age, we tend to become less flexible as we use certain muscles less. Stretching will help revitalize and wake up those muscles, teaching them to lengthen. More flexibility can help with mobility, which will support any other fitness goals you’re working towards.

Reduce your risk of injuries
When we’re not stretching regularly, our muscles become tight and can lock up if we attempt to use them during a workout or physical activity. That can lead to strains, pulls, or even tears in your muscles. To avoid the pain of an injury, practice stretching every day—not just before working out.

Promote healthier circulation
Inflammation is a word on everyone’s mind, and it’s not something you want to particularly deal with. Stretching daily will help reduce inflammation by working the muscles and increasing circulation, which reduces the chance of swelling.

Improve your posture 
If you aren’t stretching your muscles often, they can become imbalanced. That imbalance might lead to poor posture, which can cause musculoskeletal pain. A daily stretching habit will encourage proper alignment and improve your posture.

Tackle your headaches
If you’re prone to tension headaches, a stretching habit might be the solution. When used in accordance with a health diet, adequate hydration, and lots of sleep, stretching can ease the tension causing your painful headaches and finally bring you some peace of mind.

Ease your stress
When anxiety enters our bodies, our muscles tend to tense up as well in reaction to the physical and emotional stress. With a stretching habit focused on the areas where you store your stress, you can alleviate some of your stress and find some relief.