Stretch your stress away
As well as the physical benefits of stretching, such as loosening tight muscles and increasing blood flow and circulation to your muscles and brain, there are also many mental benefits. The connections between our mind and our body are crazy, so when we relax our muscles and areas of physical tension, it can relax our mind and ease anxiety. When you stretch you are slowing yourself down through physical stillness and deep breathing, which has a very calming effect on both your mind and body. It can help to normalise your heart rate and can also allow you to enter a meditative state. If you feel stressed and under mental pressure, stretching can be a very simple and effective way to reduce or manage this and help us to look at things from a clearer perspective.
The way we think and react to situations can create a build up of physical pain inside of us because when we repress emotions, they are then stored in our mind and body. When we are sad we feel physical pain in our hearts which is why we use the term “heartbroken”; the pain goes beyond emotions. When we are stressed our heart rate increases which promotes a “fight or flight” response; this is because our bodies release a chemical called cortisol from our adrenal glands into our bloodstream. In order to get rid of this toxic energy, we need to first recognise and accept that it’s there; only after feeling the emotion can we begin to relieve it through acts of self care (such as stretching, meditating, hot baths and many others).
As humans, when we feel threatened it is our natural response to protect our core by bringing our knees up into a fetal position, clenching our hips tightly. We store a lot of emotional stress and unconscious tension in our hips as a result of this. Feelings of stress, fear and worry get trapped here. This is why hip opening stretches feel especially good; they feel like such a relief because they allow us to release the muscular and cognitive tension we hold here. These stretches can be challenging and it’s important to take deep breaths through them to regulate your heart rate. Bring your attention to the stretch and nothing else; this will help you to get deeper into it and, in turn, let go of more tension. Some of my favourite hip opener stretches (the ones I feel the biggest sense of relief from) include pigeon pose, reclining twist and runners lunge on forearms.
When we tense up during periods of stress we hold tension in other areas too; neck pain and headaches are a common symptom of persistent stress and many people who suffer from depression and anxiety struggle with chronic neck pain. A very easy way to at least ease the pain here is through stretching your neck (a simple seated neck stretch works!). Another way to reduce tension here is through improving your posture, which will also put less strain on your back. Your posture is such an important part of you because it represents how you portray yourself to the outside world, and therefore how others perceive you. Bad posture (stiff and hunched over) is often associated with low-self esteem, a lack of interest and even depression. Good posture (holding yourself up right) is associated with confidence, openness and interest. Having good posture also improves your breathing as when you are standing/sitting upright you are better able to take deep breaths and fill your lungs (and as I said earlier, deep breathing calms you down). Some of my favourite stretches which will help to improve your posture are cat-cow pose, child pose and cobra pose.
To really feel the benefits of stretching and how it can affect your mental state, try to work it into your daily routine. In the morning, try doing 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretches to get the blood flowing and relieve any tightness in your body. By bringing awareness to your body and calming your mind you will feel more energised for the day. In the evening, try stretching before you go to bed to improve the quality of your sleep. By reducing mental stimulation and relieving muscle tension (so they’re unlikely to go into cramp/discomfort during the night) you will sleep more comfortably. Of course, stretching isn’t the only thing which releases endorphins and provides a sense of tranquility and euphoria… There are many other ways you could lift your mood and calm your state of mind. Massages also stimulate a connection between your mind and body which creates a sense of peace and relaxation; through increasing blood flow they eliminate toxins and provide a feeling of relief. They are, too, a great way of relaxing and reducing stress and anxiety. Hot baths are another way of physically relaxing yourself which will provide mental relief. The list goes on! Work these things into your schedule to help reduce mental stress and lift your mood!
Jasmine :)