How 10 minutes a day made me feel like myself again

LiveWell's Sarah shows how small changes in your everyday life can make a big, positive difference to your health and wellbeing overtime.

Sarah's story

I'm a big believer that small changes can make a bigger difference than we often give them credit for.

Earlier this year, I started noticing that my hips and feet were becoming increasingly stiff and painful, especially first thing in the morning. Those first few steps getting out of bed weren't particularly enjoyable, and after sitting for long periods I could definitely feel it. 

One thing that has struck me is that, despite spending a lot of my working life talking about health and wellbeing, I can spend a huge amount of my day sitting and there are plenty of days where I don't move nearly as much as I should. Looking back, it's not surprising that my hips started complaining.

It really came to a head during a camping trip over the summer. Getting up from the ground in the morning made me realise just how stiff my body had become and how much it was affecting me. 

I think the daily stretching has helped counter some of those hours spent sitting. It gives my body a chance to move in ways it isn't doing when I'm sat at a desk, in the car or in meetings. The difference wasn't immediate, but over time I started noticing that I was moving more freely and experiencing less pain in the mornings. 

I've also been paying more attention to my feet. Daily heel raises, both on two feet and one foot at a time, have become part of my routine. They've helped improve my balance, but they're also a great way of stretching and strengthening the fascia and muscles that support the arch of the foot. 

By the time I went camping again towards the end of the summer, I could really tell the difference. This time I felt much more like myself. I could get up more easily, walk without pain in those first few steps, and generally felt more comfortable moving around. 

What I've learned is that it doesn't have to be all or nothing. For me, it wasn't about finding the perfect routine or setting myself big goals. It was about finding 10-15 minutes that I could realistically fit into my day and doing it regularly.  When I look back at where I was after that first camping trip compared to the end of the summer, those small amounts of time have added up to a bigger difference than I expected. 

For me, the result wasn't running a marathon or achieving some huge fitness goal. It was being able to get out of bed more comfortably, enjoy a camping trip without dreading the mornings, and feel a bit more like myself again. 

Sometimes that's all the motivation we need to keep going. 

Here are some useful links to get you started with your 10-minute stretching journey:

10-minute standing stretches: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRrwU-gHSGI&list=PL9wzuXltV203-E-HSaHyfY82-GbIjMsTZ&index=6

10-minute hip pain-focussed stretches: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybXyTra5dg4&list=PL9wzuXltV203-E-HSaHyfY82-GbIjMsTZ&index=4

10-minute stretches for feet pain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GiLEupJq40