Have you ever noticed that your shoulders are practically touching your ears?
You weren’t consciously doing it. You weren’t trying to tense your muscles. Yet somehow, there they are.
For many of us, tension creeps into our bodies without us even noticing.
A busy day, worrying about something, sitting at a computer, driving, looking down at a phone or simply rushing from one thing to another can all leave us feeling tight and uncomfortable.
And the neck, shoulders and back are often the first places we notice it.
Why do we hold tension in our bodies?
When we’re stressed or worried, our bodies can respond by becoming more alert and physically tense.
This is part of the body’s natural stress response. It’s useful when we need to react quickly to something, but modern life doesn’t always give us a clear “off switch”.
Instead, we might carry that tension around for hours.
We may clench our jaw without realising it, lift our shoulders, tighten our stomach muscles or sit rigidly.
Over time, this can leave us feeling uncomfortable and stiff.
Your breathing can play a part too
When we’re rushing around or feeling stressed, our breathing can become quicker and shallower.
Taking a moment to slow your breathing can be a surprisingly simple way to encourage your body to relax.
Try this now.
Take a comfortable breath in.
Let your shoulders drop.
Unclench your jaw.
Then slowly breathe out.
You don’t need to force a huge breath. Just allow the exhale to be a little slower and softer.
Sometimes the simplest things are the ones we forget to do.
Give your shoulders some attention
Most of us spend a lot of time with our arms in front of us; typing, driving, cooking, using phones and tablets or reading.
It’s no wonder our shoulders sometimes need a little attention.
Gentle movements such as shoulder rolls, neck movements and upper-body stretches can help you become more aware of areas where you’re holding tension.
The key word is gentle.
Stretching shouldn’t be painful, and there’s no prize for pushing yourself further than your body is comfortable with.
Don’t forget your back
Our backs also benefit from regular movement.
Long periods of sitting can leave the muscles around the back and hips feeling tight, particularly if we don’t change position very often.
Getting up regularly, walking around and including gentle mobility exercises throughout the day can all help.
This is one reason chair yoga can be so useful.
You don’t need to get down onto a mat. You can work through movements from a chair, helping to gently mobilise the body while also giving yourself a chance to slow down.
A little pause can make a big difference
We often think we need a whole afternoon to relax.
In reality, a few minutes can be valuable.
Try setting aside five minutes during your day to sit comfortably, take some slower breaths and gently move your neck, shoulders and upper body.
No phone.
No rushing.
No trying to achieve anything.
Just a few minutes to check in with yourself.
Come and unwind with Stretching Stars
Our Stretching Stars classes combine gentle movement with breathing and meditation, giving you an opportunity to look after both body and mind.
You don’t have to arrive feeling calm and relaxed.
That’s rather the point!
Classes take place in:
Sheepy – Mondays at 6:45pm
Nuneaton – Tuesdays at 11:45am
Atherstone – Thursdays at 9:45am
Market Bosworth – Thursdays at 11:45am
Classes are £5 per session, and you can choose the option that suits you, whether that’s coming along regularly or joining us for an individual session.
Check the latest timetable and booking information through Stretching Stars.
And next time you catch yourself sitting with your shoulders up around your ears…
Stop.
Breathe.
Drop your shoulders.
Your body might just be asking you to slow down for a moment.
