Flexibility is an essential part of fitness, yet many of us neglect the simple act of daily stretching. It's time to change.

Stretching not only eases your joints effortlessly into exercise, it also directly improves your posture, and it's one of the easiest ways to boost energy and alertness for peak performance.

According to Christine Body, lecturer in exercise physiology at Portsmouth University, 'Stretching prepares the body's nervous system, increases the temperature of muscles and, in this way, helps prevent damage. If you don't warm up before exercise, the muscles are likely to tear. Look upon stretching as a muscle conditioning exercise.'

Good flexibility is as important a part of fitness as stamina: muscles must be strong but they also have to be long. Yoga, t'ai chi and Pilates all use stretching as the basis for their workouts. Advocates rave about the supple, toned and streamlined body that can result. Stretching can do a lot more for your figure than aerobics.

However, body control and Pilates teacher Samantha Robinson warns that you should never feel pain when stretching. 'Concentrate on stretching right into the muscle. If you feel the stretch more in the joint area, you could be putting stress on the ligaments, so stop, realign your body and start again,' she says.

To have any effect on the muscle, you need to hold the stretch for around 10 to 15 seconds. The more regularly you stretch, the better you become at judging how far to take your body. Aim to increase the duration of your stretches, so that you are eventually able to hold them for up to 30 seconds. This is the point at which muscles start to develop and lengthen.

Try these daily stretches for a more relaxed life:

The easy neck stretch
Stand with your back straight, chest lifted and abdominal muscles tucked in. Tilt your hips slightly forward and place your feet a hip-width apart, bending your knees slightly. Relax your shoulders and keep your head in line with your spine. Slowly drop your left ear towards your left shoulder without moving the shoulder and hold the stretch. Repeat, dropping your right ear to the other shoulder.

The complete back stretch (the cat stretch)
Kneel on all fours in a box position. Keep your knees in line with your hips, hands in line with your shoulders and everything in line with your spine. Make sure your back is flat and your tummy pulled in. Breathe in as you slowly arch your back towards the ceiling. Keep your tummy in and tilt your pelvis forward as you lift upwards, looking towards your navel. Breathe out as you reverse the action, drawing your chest towards the floor. Gently lift your head and push your bottom up. Don't over arch your back.

The seated shoulder stretch
Sit with both legs extended out in front of you and your feet together. Keep your back straight, chest lifted and tummy in. Make sure your head is in line with your spine. Put your hands on the floor behind you, with your palms flat on the floor and fingers pointing away from your body. Do not lock the elbows. Walk your hands behind you for as far as is comfortable, bending your elbows slightly. When you feel tension in your shoulders, hold the stretch.

The bottom stretch
Lie on your back with both knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Make sure your lower back is pressed firmly to the floor and your abdominal muscles are pulled in. Relax your shoulders and neck and keep your head in line with your spine. Cross your right foot over your left knee. Slowly raise your left foot off the floor, drawing your knees towards your chest. At the point of tension, hold the stretch. To increase the stretch, lock your hands around your left thigh, straighten your left leg and draw it towards your chest. Repeat using your right leg.

The total body stretch
Lie on your back with your legs together and extend your arms over your head, in line with your shoulders. Keep your head in line with your spine. Pull your tummy in tightly and press your lower back firmly to the floor. Take a deep breath in and, as you breathe out, extend both your arms and legs as far away from your body as you can. Breathing normally, hold the stretch.