Decompress Your Neck and Begin to Relax
It is so helpful to learn how to lengthen, relax, and decompress your neck and relax your shoulders. As you become familiar with your own body, you will find there are simple treatments you can manage, to begin to do this.
Because of the structure of our chairs, the positions we sit in, the kind of pillow we use, the weight of our own heads, the purses and backpacks we care, and the stress we maintain, our necks compress little by little. This can cause neck aches, headaches, and your shoulders to further tighten up and stress to begin to control your body.
Here are simple exercises to prepare you for keeping your shoulders down and your neck relaxed. The primary exercise will always initially begin with exercising your mind. Take in a needed breath of oxygen. Stress and pain cause us to hold our breaths. Slowly exhale and use your mind to visualize the carbon dioxide leaving and therein making room for more oxygen. Do this several times mindfully.
Now, hold an object weighing one or two pounds in each hand, letting the weight of the objects pull shoulder blades down. Make sure that you keep the breastbone lifting up so that the tops of the shoulders don’t pull down and forward, collapsing the chest.
Set the objects down and see if you can find the muscles you need to pull your shoulder blades down just as the weights did.
These muscles are called the lower trapeziums muscles. They attach to the vertebrae of the middle back, and insert on the inner border of the shoulder blades. They are antagonist muscles to the upper trapeziums muscles.
These muscles are very important posture muscles, and help support the spine in the middle back. When the lower traps are too weak to counteract the pull of the stronger and tighter upper traps, the scapulae will tend to ride up, compressing your neck.
Remember to use your oxygen. Roll your shoulders simultaneously in circles moving forward. Do this several times. Reverse the circles to move towards the back.
Press your shoulders up – then push them down. Think – and lift your head up from your shoulders where it’s been pressing downward, bend it towards your left shoulder, then lift again and bend towards the right.
Remember, as you decompress, you will allow vital oxygen to move through the areas with ease. Think of a garden hose that is crimped and how the water doesn’t flow freely. It works the same with your oxygen.
Take a few breaths. When you begin to feel discomfort again during stressful times, remember to use these simple techniques. You are in charge of how you feel, and if it’s not good, you are the only one who can change that!
Remember, too, groups are available who can help you discover your stress level through testing, and many organizations have been created specifically to help you through hard times.
Meditation and yoga are two ways to help you learn to manage your stress.
It’s your body, and the only place you have to live! Take care of it and have a wonderful day and a great weekend.
