I've had a few visits to the chiropractor lately, and as a result I've gained an amazing insight on how much the health of your spine affects your overall health and wellness. I won't get into the nitty-gritty details of why this is true - after all, I'm no chiropractor - but, I can share my perspective based on my own experience.
Overview
Have you ever been so stressed out that you feel stiff in your neck and shoulders? I know; that's like me asking, "Is the sky blue?". OF COURSE at some point or another you may have experienced this unfortunate side effect of stress. And, do you also sometimes aggravate that tension by setting yourself in a hunched position as you pore over notes in preparation for a test or surf internship opportunities on the internet? I've been there...actually, I am there...and, I'm just thinking the cycle of stress to tension and tension to stress is going to continue unless I make a sure effort to halt it.
So, without getting too technical here, I think the following quick tips are worth trying if you're looking to relieve mental stress and physical tension in your own mind and body, as well.
Educate yourself
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| Courtesy of Google Image Search |
Talking to different chiropractors and massage therapists and reviewing my old Gray's Anatomy flashcards has really illuminated the importance of taking care of my spine (meaning back and shoulder and neck, etc.). When you look at it, all our nerves and muscles extend from and attach to this uniquely curved structure. It's like the source of mobility and sensation. It should not be ignored, but rather
nurtured often.
Be kind to your spine. Articles on the internet, books and especially health practitioners are a good source of information for ways to do this.
Stretch and Massage
It's probably a good idea to take time out of everyday to just stretch out all of your muscles. Think about it. On a day when you're not warming up, working out, and cooling down, you may easily forget to stretch. But, even if you're just sitting in class or just "doing nothing" all day, it's still important to stretch to
give those muscles some attention rather than abandoning them to build up tension. (See what I did there? Or, what I tried to do...)
And, of course, if you can get a professional massage ever so often, that would be great, too! But, odds are you can't simply enjoy this luxury as much as you may desire (or even require, really). So, instead, why not just take time to massage yourself? You can massage your temples, massage your neck, and even your legs! Maybe it won't be as great as when a massage therapist does it, but
any attention you give those tension points in your body would be better than none, in my opinion. (But, my main vote is to try and see the professional if you can!)
Take breaks and Sleep
In this culture, we often work very hard towards our goals, whatever they may be. In my experience, I've seen this admirable work ethic turn into a
restless race towards those goals. Who hasn't pulled all-nighters and chugged chai lattes (I don't really drink coffee, so I can't relate to that, but chai is still caffeine!) in efforts to get ahead of a self-imposed deadline? It's okay to step away from the laptop and take a few moments to
simply breathe. Even if you do nothing else in those few moments but just breathe, I can't see how that doesn't help you in some way. And, on that note of resting, I wrote a
post about the importance of sleep in the other blog I contribute to, and my opinion remains the same:
good sleep can be so rejuvenating.
A Final Word
I'm finding that the sooner you realize how interconnected everything pertaining to your mind and body is, the better you are able to improve your overall wellness.
Think better, do better, feel better, and cycle through it all over again. After all, it's
your well-being, so own it.
