Letting go of Tension

Happy Thursday Everyone!

My question of the day today asked all of you what parts of your body hold tension and what you do to release it?  Every once in a while I run across this reminder below, and every time I read it, I follow the instructions and am so surprised to realize I am holding so much tension in my shoulders and mouth.  Your turn...give it a try...


Did you notice the difference when you relaxed these parts of your body?  If I had written this directive, I would have also added take a deep breath to the end of it.  After I drop my shoulders, unclench my jaw, and relax my tongue (yes I know that sounds silly), I try to take two or three deep breaths too.  Just this quick exercise, which you can do literally anywhere and at any time, can be so helpful in producing calm in our bodies.    

These are three very simple techniques for releasing tension from your body.  But there are others too!  I explained in my question of the day that another way I release tension is by rolling my shoulders back, and raising my hands out to the side next to my shoulders, stretching my chest, and taking a deep breath.  Always a deep breath!  No matter how you release tension, it should always include deep breathing.  

Sometimes at the end of my day, stretching my hips is really helpful too.  You can do this while laying on the floor watching TV...it's super simple.  Stretching and relaxing any of the muscles in our body is important in preventing stress and moving on from stressful situations.  When something stressful happens, we clench or tighten our muscles in response to that stress.  Even if we don't perceive that our days are stressful, the demands of a day can have us all tied in knots by the time the sun goes down.  Learning to take some time to relax our muscles is a great way to lower our overall tension levels, in order to stay both physically and mentally well.  

There are about 600 muscles in the human body, and the face alone has 43 of them, so stretching those face muscles is good practice as well!  If you are not sure how to get started, you can practice a body scan that focuses on muscle tension and then relaxation.  Try the one linked below, which will help to release tension and create a sense of calm in your body.  


If you try this out, I'd love to hear your feedback on how it felt and if you experienced a sense of calm or relaxation afterward.  If you are a person who's mind won't shut off a bedtime, or you have trouble falling asleep, you may want to try this while you are lying in bed at the end of the day.  

I hope you all have a relaxing and tensionless day!  

Be Well,

Mrs. Hempey

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month - Resources For You

Image
If you or someone you know is in an emergency, call  The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  at 800-273-TALK (8255) or call 911 immediately. From the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) :     September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month—a time to share resources and  stories  in an effort to shed light on this highly taboo and stigmatized topic. We use this month to reach out to those affected by suicide, raise awareness, and connect individuals with suicidal ideation to treatment services. It is also important to ensure that individuals, friends, and families have access to the resources they need to discuss suicide prevention.  Here are your local resources for suicide prevention :   Who can you connect with at CBMS for help ?   Mrs. Hempey, School Counselor - 802-583-8071 or jhempey@huusd.org or just come to my office!   Mr. Estes, Vice Principal - joshestes@huusd.org Hillary, Dean of Students...
Read more

We Miss You!

Image
The Crossett Brook Staff wishes to cheer your spirits on this rainy Monday morning!  Enjoy these messages from all of us to you! Remember, we put out lots of information about supporting you through all of this, you know reminding you how to keep a positive frame of mind - look on the bright side - all of that, but it's okay to feel sad too...   Sadness is part of the human experience, so when it comes, let yourself experience it, and when it moves past, use a strategy to get your brave back on.   Be well today Cougars!   Mrs. Hempey
Read more

Lived Experience

Good Morning Everyone, Today I'd like to continue addressing social justice and antiracism from my blog. What is antiracism you ask? Well, let me explain what I have come to understand.  Antiracism is when we actively take a stance against racial injustice.  It is fighting for equality.  It is going beyond just thoughts and feelings and taking action.  That action can come in many forms.  It can be in the form of educating your self or others, peaceful protest, monetary support for organizations like Black Lives Matter or the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), or it can be about simply lending your voice to someone in need.   Some people would argue that topics such as these are wading into the water of politics and taking sides and that we shouldn't be talking about them in school or with young kids.  My response is that I don't care what political side people are on.  This is a human rights issue!  It's...
Read more