Relaxation Postures and Calming Audios
How To Support Your Body To Feel Good
Over the past 20 years I've helped people reduce their pain. There is no standard protocol for releasing tension within muscles that can cause ongoing pain or discomfort, but I always encourage clients to practice 'switching off' their muscles. Then you are able to spend time doing mindful breathing to bring calm to not only your body, but also your mind.
Throughout my time as a natural therapist, often faced with clients who are always in pain or have to compensate in the way they sit or carry out home or work activities, I've developed helpful techniques. We are different shapes and sizes, that need to be taken into consideration not only for chronic pain relief but to get the most of our relaxation time.
Body Posture Challenge - Legs Too Short For Chair
The first body posture challenge may be your legs are too short, for the chair you're sitting in, you have to find ways to be stay seated as you cannot put your feet flat on the ground for support.
Possible actions developed:
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you have to sit forward on the chair
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you wrap your legs around the chair legs for support
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you lean backwards and slough in the chair
When I'm seeing clients in my pain clinic, I'm sitting next to them so I check to see if their feet are flat on the floor. If not I put yoga blocks under their feet.
I remember the first time I tried this idea - there was an enormous sigh of relief. She described the instant relief for her chronic back pain. Throughout her life, siting down had never been comfortable as she couldn't put her feet flat on the floor. Once her feet were on blocks, it placed her back against the back of the chair - just the way most of use 'longer legged' people can easily sit with support for our back.
Support your back when sitting - prevent back pain
Although Charlie seems quite comfortable sitting in the chair on the left, it's not until he puts his feet on the blocks that his back is fully supported.
You can try this at home using books or blocks of different heights until you can feel your body is fully supported.
This is useful if you have shorter legs that mean you have to lean forward, even taller people may benefit as the issue is about the relative lengths of the varies bones around hips, legs and feet.
Correct support for head and neck when lying down
Let's have a look at these three pictures, paying attention to Charlie's head position.
First photo, when he lies down his head is tipped back, contacting his neck muscles, putting them under strain
I call this the 'goldilocks' position, not too high, nor too low.
His head is in a supported position, he has a neutral spine, feeling comfortable and ready for some relaxation.
Some of you may find it more comfortable to bend your legs or put a pillow under your knees.
For this picture I put books under his head, continuing to lift and support his head.
However, I had to stop as his head was being pushed forward and he even noticed that it was making breathing difficult.
This is an interesting picture that shows how our posture, particularly our head and neck position can be different in some people.
This client of mine has had painful neck and shoulders for many years.
In fact when we began treatment she was unable to turn her head as it was too painful.
She now has full movement to the right and left without any pain. However, she still has a forward set of her head, although less than when she first came to my clinic.
Muscles begin to Relax and Release Tension
The most important way to start lying down relaxation breathing and bringing calmness to you is to ensure you are comfortable. Over time you could find that your muscles begin to loosen, to let go and this may give a change of posture that is more balanced. It may also give more pain relief over time.