It’s only natural for your energy levels to fluctuate throughout the day, and most of the time, it’s possible to schedule your day to accommodate this and hopefully avoid the odd lapse in concentration and fatigue. 

But there are times – when you’re in the middle of something important, for example – that you can’t afford to spend the next hour yawning your head off or struggling to concentrate. You need a pick-me-up, and fast.

But instead of reaching for a late afternoon coffee (and regretting it come bedtime), why not try something simple like a good stretch? While a few lunges might not have the same kick as a caffeinated beverage, moving your body can help stimulate blood flow to the muscles and trigger the release of key neurotransmitters like endorphins and serotonin to give your body and mind a nice boost.  

Stretches that incorporate movement (known as dynamic stretches) are ideal for this, says Helen O’Leary, a physiotherapist at Complete Pilates.

“Dynamic stretches are a brilliant way to help you feel more awake,” she explains. “In modern-day life, we spend a lot of time sitting, which can create poor posture. This, in turn, can physically make us slump, but potentially make us feel ‘in a slump’ too.

“Exercises that incorporate spinal mobility are particularly great for reducing stiffness and making you feel taller and lighter, giving you an extra spring in your step.”

To help you reap the energy-boosting benefits of a dynamic stretching session, we asked O’Leary to share five stretches you can do right now to feel more awake.  

“The book opening exercise is great as it reduces tension through your chest, back and shoulders,” O’Leary explains. “Creating space through your chest can also optimise diaphragmatic breathing, which is key for taking deep breaths.”

How to do book openings

1. Lie on your side with your knees bent and together at a 45-degree angle and your arms stretched out straight in front of you.
2. Leaving your knees in place, open your top arm and lift it towards the ceiling. Open all the way until it reaches the floor on the other side; your arms should be out straight on both sides of your body.
3. Take a deep exhale and enjoy the stretch before returning your arm to its original position; repeat several times before doing the same on the opposite side. 

“The cat/cow exercise is a great spinal stretch,” O’Leary says. “Working through spinal extension and flexion, it helps you to get moving straight away. Reducing tension through your spine can also give you more freedom in your day-to-day movement.”

How to do cat/cow

1. Start kneeling on all fours, with your hands underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips.
2. Push up through your hands and round your back to create the curved ‘cat’ position. Think about the stretch in between your shoulder blades.
3. Return to neutral, before pushing your chest forward, rounding your back and lifting your head for the ‘cow’ position. Repeat as many times as desired. 

“Thoracic extension creates space and mobility through your mid-back,” O’Leary says. “Increasing movement and mobility here can help reduce shoulder and neck discomfort. You can do this with a pilates ball, foam roller, or a couple of pillows.”

How to do thoracic extension

1. Place your object of choice under your mid back and lie down – in most people it will feel most comfortable at the base of the shoulder blades.
2. Using your hands to support your head, lower it back towards the floor, feeling the stretch in your upper and mid back.
3. Repeat by lifting your head and chest back up to neutral before lowering down again. To hold the stretch, take a few breaths at the bottom. 

“The mermaid exercise is a common favourite to make you feel energised,” O’Leary explains. “It is a wonderful exercise to stretch out the sides of your waist and to get your spine rotating. The more mobility and rotation we have throughout our spines, the easier daily tasks are.”

How to do a mermaid

1. Starting in a Z sit (see the video for reference), lift one arm and stretch it over your head.
2. Stay in this position for a few seconds, breathing into the space being created.
3. Swap sides and repeat.  

“One of the common complaints in the pilates studio is tight hip flexors; stretching out the front of your thighs can help reduce the tension throughout your hips,” O’Leary says. “This will make walking, running, and sitting easier.”

How to do the kneeling hip flexor stretch

1. Starting in a kneeling position, step one foot forward as if you were going to stand up.
2. Press your hips forward; you should feel a stretch around the knee which remains on the floor.
3. Taking the opposite arm to the foot that’s stepped forward, reach over your head to enjoy a slight side bend. Repeat on both sides. 

Images: Getty