Relaxing into a stretch involves using von Economo neurons to access neural circuitry that reduces alertness and stress, thereby increasing parasympathetic activation and overriding reflex muscle contractions.

“Oftentimes, you'll hear that stretching should be done by relaxing into the stretch. Well, what does it actually mean to relax into the stretch? Well, these von Economo neurons sit at this junction where they're able to evaluate what's going on inside our body and allow us to access neural circuitries by which we can shift our relative level of alertness down a bit, or our relative level of stress down a bit and thereby to increase so-called parasympathetic activation and to literally override some of those spindle mechanisms, even the GTO mechanisms, but especially the spindle mechanisms at the neuromuscular and muscular spinal junction.”