Thursday, August 14, 2008

Recognizing tension

I noted in my comments yesterday that I was fighting yet another migraine. And it was one of these new types that I never seem to be able to stop, except with drugs. I called my trainer, because he's the one that's helped make them stop (and I know he's not a doctor, but I seem to be taking after my father who only asked his dentist for medical advice). He said to apply heat, which I did, which helped a little. And then I had my therapy appointment at 3:00. I went there all weirded in the back/neck/head, and we were going to do relaxation exercises for half the time, but I said I just wanted to talk for a while.

So I talked about my little and big things that were worrying me/making me feel depressed, and she helped me also talk about the good things in my life and assure me that this IS a big time of change for me. And lo and behold I felt better. No more feelings like I was going to have a migraine. I've had so much help and things are going so relatively well for me that I felt I could not complain, so I held it all in. And created tension.

See, there are so many ways the body can hold tension. The most obvious ones affect the big muscles, like when your shoulders are up to your ears. Stop and think - and bring them down. Or, purposely tense some muscles and let it go, and you'll see if they were tense before you did that.

But there's tension that's not so obvious. One thing I do is jut my lips out a little - it's not pursing, it's kinda like the very very early stage of kissing someone. Aw, how sweet you might say. But keep it in that position for a long time, and the tension gets into your jaw, face, head, neck. So, periodically I have to touch base with my face and see what's happening. Or even a very tiny bit of furrowed brow can do the same thing. Also, breaths become more and more shallow. Stop and take a deep breath or two.

Think about your body periodically throughout the day. Is it holding tension? Well, let it go.

14 comments:

Unknown said...

I stand up and stretch once an hour. It helps bring my blood pressure down and break some of the tension that builds in me as soon as I walk through these doors.


vodka helps too...i'm just sayin...

Squirrel said...

I do some vinyasa when I start feeling tense - down dog, plank, chaturanga, up dog, down dog. Usually helps.

You could try kissing the nearest person when your lips start doing that. Might relieve the tension. Or create more. It would certainly make your day more interesting.

Well... maybe just stick with the vodka and vinyasa.

NoRegrets said...

WNG, good for you. Is the stretch fast and aimed at someone?
Squirrel... wonder how my boss would feel about that, since she's usually the closest one nearby? :-) I have to look up chaturanga - the others I know. WNG - there you go! Vodka and Vinyasa!!! Great combo!

Nate said...

after the full body massage I just had (doctor's orders!) no tension here!

NoRegrets said...

Oh, wow... I can still remember what that felt like when I got one a while back. Yes, ok, I'm jealous.

Susan said...

My tension level has dropped to a nonexistant level today. I'm going to eat pizza. Much happiness sent your way, darlin.

Anonymous said...

I have stopped doing tension all together. I used to worry about everything from work to home to money to relationships....no any more.

It was making me crazy getting all worried about stuff, so i decided that nothing is THAT important. me first....

Unknown said...

NoR - HOW DID YOU KNOW???

Actually, now I've got some pics from the reunion in a folder on my desktop and I look through them a lot. It calms me down.

also - sticking my tongue out at Susan because she has a couple days off AND keys to a boat...that helps too!

Churlita said...

I have to work on relaxing things more often. I'm glad you got your tension fixed. Maybe we should have had a massage therapist at your party.

NoRegrets said...

Susan, good for you. And enjoy the days off.
Evile- good philosophy!!! Sounds like stopping smoking cold turkey.
Oh, Churlita, that is such a great idea. I'll put it on the list for next year.

Ami said...

I tend to clench my teeth and get upper back/neck tightness when I'm stressed and tense. I didn't realize the teeth thing until my dentist asked me about it because he'd noticed some changes in the surfaces of my teeth. When I started paying attention to it, I realized that I was clenching at work when I was stressed out. Go figure...

Now when I feel the tension taking over I try to do yoga or deep breathing. When that doesn't work, it's wine with dinner (or on a really bad day, just the wine).

Suzanne said...

Tension? I'm walking coil,s so I appreciate the advice.

Anonymous said...

Too bad I have not figured out how to do that for more than two years at a time....

Got to go, need a smoke.

Glamourpuss said...

Ha! As I read this, I realised my shoulder were by my ears and my brow was furrowed!

BTW have you tried masturbation as a migraine cure? I swear to God that it was seriously recommended to me and I'm not just being a dirty bint...

Puss