One of the most common complaints that brings people to see me is tension somewhere — sometimes everywhere — in the body.
All tension, regardless of the area it is felt, is a reaction from our neurological state. Our nervous system receives signals from our body, which interprets our internal and external environments. One of the ways the nervous system responds is with tightening or tensing our muscles.
In general, tension is designed to help us get ready to react to a perceived stress, but sometimes it will stick around longer than we need it.
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Tension can stem from physical exertion, mental and emotional stress or even uncontrollable shifts in the weather. While it is largely unavoidable, there are a few things we can use to help ease tension in our bodies.
One of the easiest ways to interact with our nervous system and cope with tension is through our breath. Do four-second inhales matched with seven- or eight-second exhales. When we invite longer exhales, we engage with the “rest and digest” portion of our nervous system. This helps the system settle any need to react and discharges tension.
Breathing with longer exhales than inhales, over a few minutes a few times a day, can help relieve tension held anywhere in the body or mind.
TRY SLOW MOVEMENTS
When used separately, or in addition to the breath practice, slow movements can also help release tension.
I like to start at the shoulders, a common area where people experience tension. On an inhale, slowly shrug your shoulders toward your ears. On your exhale, release the shrug back down. You will find you follow the pull of tension on the inhale, consciously creating some tension through muscle contraction, and then releasing it on the exhales.
Sometimes when we are tense, stretching the tense spots only creates more tension. Doing slow movement toward and away from the tension spot instead helps regulate the nervous system and create a release. The goal is to create a contraction in a muscle group and then reverse that movement.
You can apply this method anywhere in the body. An effective treatment for back tension, for example, is to tighten muscles with your inhales and then release them with your exhales as you move from your shoulders down to your glute (butt) muscles.
If tension in the body or mind persists, consult a health-care provider for help to determine the root cause. Tension can be a precursor to sleep issues, anxiety, pain and many other health complaints, and it is an important early symptom to acknowledge and seek support.
