If you’ve ever felt like your disconnected with your body, you’re not alone. That’s actually quite common, as we’re not really taught how to listen to what our body’s telling us. If you’re not in tune with your body, and it’s trying to tell you that it’s injured, or sick, or exhausted, you’ll probably end up a lot more injured, sick, and exhausted by the time you realize what’s going on.
Becoming in tune with your body requires attention. You need to know what’s “normal” for you, so you can then realize when something is out of whack.
Feel & Listen
- Slow down. I know that school, work, and life, in general, is overly-demanding for all of us. But you’ve got to find some time for yourself, to get to know yourself.
- Feel out your symptoms. Rather than focusing on fixing the problem with external solutions (like drinking more coffee or taking more Advil), it’s necessary to look at what’s going on inside. So let’s say we always feel tired when we wake up, instead of drinking even more caffeine than you regularly do, maybe start going to bed an hour earlier. If you’re always feeling uncomfortable and stiff, instead of taking Advil, try doing some stretches when you wake up or before you go to bed.
- Try new remedies to figure out what feels good. Figuring out what feels good and works for your body can be a process. There are so many things to try, you may not know where to start. Try thinking about a solution that worked well in the past or something you used to like when you were younger and think of similar activities.
Things to Try
- Get a massage
- Eating mindfully
- Hot baths/showers
- Breathing exercises
- Gentle yoga
- Dance
- Stretching
- Reading
- Walks in nature
Written by GUADS staff member Toni with contributions from www.mindbodygreen.com
Stretching For Strength