Your appointment has just ended. You’re relaxed. Your body feels lighter. Your breath is deeper. Your muscles and connective tissue are more free. Your mind seems balanced. So now what?
If only the afterglow from meaningful transitions made during bodywork maintained indefinitely…
THEN DAILY LIFE HAPPENS.
You have work, commitments, obligations and a lack of time for yourself (all the usual suspects of a human existence).
Your shoulders begin to tense up again. You start to feel that pain in your mid-back creeping in. Your headaches have returned for their weekly visit. Your body is giving you not-so-subtle clues that it’s time for more bodywork!
BUT sometimes there are obstacles in life that prevent an immediate bodywork intervention–time and money being the two most frequently mentioned culprits…
So what can you do if you can’t get in for an appointment anytime soon and you need to find some kind of relief? You can start by building in small (but significant) daily habits that can help to bridge the gap between your bodywork appointments.
Get some ZZZ’s: Allowing time for adequate rest is so important. It’s how our bodies repair, regenerate and renew themselves. Entering uninterrupted DEEP sleep cycles is absolutely essential for our connective tissue and muscle cellular recovery.
Stretch it out: Even if you think you're not flexible I promise your body wants to be stretched! It only takes 5-10 minutes a day to stretch tight areas in your body and can more often-than-not provide you with some much needed relief. (I’m always happy to provide some recommendations).
Sit up straight: Did you have a parent that nagged you about this? Heads up (literally) –they were absolutely right! How we consciously or subconsciously hold our bodies sets the stage (so-to-speak) for how well they hold us together in return. Pro-tip: align the head and spine.
Feel the burn: Our bodies NEED to be moved. And just like bodywork, the effects are cumulative. So the more consistent you are with your exercise routine the better you will feel on the regular: warm muscles=less muscle tension.
Take the heat: Applying heat to tense areas of your body is immediately gratifying–it’s like a big “thank you hug” from our tissues. Targeted heat application increases blood flow to tight muscles and they are then able to relax and release tension which means less pain for you!
Drink up: This one is by far the easiest. Our bodies are roughly 60% water and our muscles, in particular, are about 75%. And they want more because they can’t store it. Besides the obvious very positive effect of keeping us alive, staying consistently hydrated acts as lubricant for stiff joints and connective tissue and allows muscles to function smoothly (i.e. less muscle cramps or soreness after exercise or bodywork).
Hopefully the blissful relief that bodywork can provide isn’t far off for you, BUT keep in mind these recommendations to help your body maintain in the meantime.
