How Somatics Reduces Stress-Related Pain and Muscular Tension
May 2, 2023
At some point in our life we come to terms with the fact that stress can be painful. Whether acute or over a long period of accumulation, stress can cause pain due to chronic muscular tension. The questions is why and what can we do about it before the pain cycle begins.
The brain moves the muscles, the muscles move the bones. Simple. But when stress levels are high our brain sends a reflexive “protective, retractive or action” response to the nerves to activate the muscle groups necessary for us to function. After a period of time under this response as the muscles remain tense, circulation is reduced resulting in an increase of lactic acid in the muscles which causes pain.
Stress is not always bad. As a living organism, humans are sensory beings. We response to our environments, our worlds and life experiences through our sensory system and how we pattern movement. The body responds to physical and emotional stress unconsciously. We are not often aware of how grief is held in the body until we have a sore neck. Perhaps we sit over a computer for long periods and have relentless neck and shoulder pain.
How do we release it now and how do we stop it from happening to begin with.
Firstly, stretching may only temporarily relieve pain, but a pandiculation goes deeper to “wake up” the contracted side so the brain become aware that it is holding on to tension and can learn how to release it. If it’s not needed, let it go. Easy to say, but the brain has a wonderful way of automating the nervous system. Check it out…
General Somatic Self Scan
- Find a quiet area free from distractions and wear comfortable clothes
- Lie on your back, use a flat pillow or towel if necessary under head, legs and arms straightened.
- Breath deep and begin to notice the imprint of your body on the surface you lie on. As if you were in sand and you were lifted out. What does that shape look like? Are you limbs the same length, weight?
- How much space is behind the back of knees/thighs, lower back, back of neck and shoulders?
- Notice if you chin and forehead are in alignment or is you chin a bit tipped toward the ceiling.
Noticing these characteristics is a good starting place to determine what your patterns are. We don’t sense these as much when we are up right as lack the feedback from the floor to give us the information.
General Somatic Awareness Move
- Find a quiet place to sit.
- Bring you awareness to your shoulders. Notice if they feel equal. Is the space from the shoulder to the ear the same on each side? Does one feel more elevated, depressed, forward or backward than the other.
- Choose the shoulder you feel is tight. If both feel the same just pick one.
- Inhale and shrug your shoulder up to your ear as far as you can and notice what contracts.
- Slowly let it melt back to its resting place.
- Repeat 3-4 times and notice what the head wants to do…do it a bit more…
- Final one…rest and just become aware of the differences between your shoulders.
We are increasing our level of awareness and regaining control of unconscious tension. By learning how to release habituated patterns of muscular contraction and relearn how to release it we are building new neural (brain) pathways and creating an opportunity for pain free movement. If you don’t need it, let it go.
Want to learn more?
Join me on Monday’s at 11:30 Central Time for LIVE-ONLINE verbally guided session to learn how to pandiculate your way to freedom from pain. Book HERE and your first class is FREE.
Want to Dive Deeper?
This July, I will be running The Principles of Somatic Movement-An Introductory course in Somatic Movement. This introductory course is a 4- week experiential movement series where you will put into practice the Principles of Somatic Movement.
You will learn 8-10 movement sequences, “exercises” that are practiced as you to explore the reflexes addressed in Clinical Somatic Education.
Learn More and Book HERE
