Tension

Have you ever felt like your whole body is locked up? I am sure we have all felt this way at some point or another. We have that project deadline looming over our heads, we have that financial burden occupying our minds, the pressures of everyday living in this chaotic world we live in is overwhelming us, etc. What it boils down to is we have let ourselves become reactionary to our environment rather than becoming proactive towards it. This causes all the stresses to be absorbed by our body in a defensive manner causing us to tense up. Tension is what I will be discussing today.

What are the effects of tension? When we are tense, we take a defensive posture which makes us very ridged. This posture does not allow for much range of motion in our joints. Although this seems like a good defensive mechanism, and in some cases it is just what we need, it makes us more susceptible to greater trauma when our body is not free to move through its full range of motion. This is why you are more likely to sustain less injury in a car accident if you did not see it coming, rather than see it coming and tense up. In chiropractic we have a term called Adverse Mechanical Cord Tension, which is referring to the tension placed on the spinal cord. There are certain places in your spine where the cord attaches to the bones. If the bones at these attachments are out of proper alignment (usually due to a defensive posture taken by the individual), unwanted  tension is placed on the cord increasing its tone and energy state. This in turn decreases the spinal cord's ability to communicate with the rest of the body. When the spinal cord is unable to communicate with or link the body and brain, all types of dysfunction can happen in the body. This is why it is very important to find strategies to overcome the things in our lives that cause tension on our bodies.

Here are some ways that I have found to cope and release tension in my body.  First is through chiropractic care. When my body has a properly aligned spine, the extra stress of having a dysfunctional nervous system is removed causing greater function of all my body systems. Another way of removing tension in my body is to take that tension and focus it in physical activity. I have found that taking a walk, riding my bike, and running have helped me cope with most of the tension causers as I have traveled through my education and life. Also, when exercising, your body releases chemical hormones that trigger the happy centers of your brain so that you enjoy life more. Who does not want to have a more enjoyable life. Another great help for me has been deep breathing. This can be done anywhere, in a meeting, right before sleep, in traffic, etc. The key is to breathe deep in through the nose and out through the mouth. Network Chiropractors have developed a whole program incorporating deep breathing exercises (called somatorespiratory integration SRI) to help with the relaxation and removal of spinal and body tension. These deep breathing strategies have helped me especially as I have battled my way through midterms and my preparations for national board exams.

I hope that I have been helpful in explaining how we can all cope with tension and hopefully have a much more relaxing, enjoyable, and full life.

-Mike E