Neck: Is stress making it stiff?
Quick, check to see if your neck is stiff.
Chances are that for most of us, our neck and shoulders are.
Stress in the neck comes from chronic stress over weeks and months. Poor posture and lack of exercise makes it worse.
What’s the most effective method for relieving neck tension?
At the risk of simplification, being aware of the stiffness in your neck is a great start.
Try these exercises [see here]. These exercises will reduce the strain in your neck.
If it is feasible, get a massage of the neck, shoulder and upper back area. A trained expert knows how to optimise bloodflow, release tension from the fascia, and break down knots.
Stiffness causes reduced blood flow, the biggest challenge to any muscle in your body.
Use an ice pack or wrap. Cold stimulates increased vascular flow, improving circulation.
Avoid it if you have hypertension, but otherwise, tilting your neck below your head is a good idea. Do this by lying down on a bed and allowing your upper body to dangle over.
If someone laughs at you while you do this, tell him I asked you to.
Magnesium serves as an excellent muscle relaxant. You can use a spray or oil to relax the muscles in the neck and shoulder area.
Be careful, because magnesium can be absorbed by the skin so dont overdose.
Let us not ignore the original cause, which was stress.
Stress can be reduced through a variety of ways. We have spoken about slow breathing in the past. In addition, consider
Using lavendar around the home, your pillow, clothes and even laundry will help mitigate stress to some extent.
A stiff neck prevents the flow of blood into your head. Lack of blood flow will reduce oxygenation.
Remember your brain takes up a bulk of the energy required by your body. Low oxygen affects the ability of the brain to function, adding to your stress.
Learning how to deal with stress starts with somatic awareness of how it influences the body.
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