The surprising health benefit of rolling your shoulders — and why it feels so good, according to new research

You know that little shoulder roll you do while sat at your desk to unhunch your posture or at the end of a stressful day? Turns out it might be doing more good for your body than you think. A recent study has revealed that this simple 10-second stretch can lower blood pressure and switch on the body’s ‘relax’ reflex.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota Medical Center wanted to better understand what happens inside the body when we stretch our shoulders and upper back. Many of us instinctively roll our shoulders to ease tension, but the team suspected there might be more going on beneath the surface.

What the study shows

To test their theory, they recruited 24 adults and asked them to hold a simple stretch. Participants sat in a chair, lifted their shoulders toward their ears, leaned back slightly and held that position for 10 to 15 seconds. During the movement, the research team closely monitored their heart rate and blood pressure to track how the body responded.