Where do we store tension in the body

Not everything that weighs you down is yours to carry.

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Yoga has proved to be extremely beneficial to anxiety and tension-relief, both physically and psychologically. Many practitioners of Yoga report a more consistent body awareness, being able to release tension much more often and more easily as well as ultimately, a better quality of life. More than just excessive physical exercise or bad posture, negative emotional experiences can also impact several areas of the body and cause muscular tension. Chronic tension and stress impede any opportunity for the body to recover. By practicing mindfulness and tuning into where we hold tension, we can begin to uncover these hidden emotional burdens. Recognizing the connection between emotional and physical health is the first step towards releasing stress and achieving greater well-being in both body and mind. 

Moreover, when we suppress the emotions and the trauma in the body, it always finds a way to come out, to express itself in a physical way. Through pain and tension, the body responds intelligently to external threats and chronic stress by contracting or going inwards and if this state has been going on for a while, then the blood flow is obstructed to those areas and the body finds itself unable to let go of this state or learning how to unwind.

But what if this stress in the body is more connected to our emotional realm than we think? And where do we usually store tension in the body and which areas are more common to experience tightness, tension and discomfort and why? As a Yoga teacher, I have come to discover that there are certain areas of the body that hold more emotionally-charged tension than others. Some common areas are related to very important joints, such as wrists, hips, shoulders, neck, upper or lower back, forehead, jaw, diaphragm and pelvic floor. In this article, we will focus primarily on the last three ones, while keeping a separate article to explain mainly the tension in the hip area, which is a little bit more complex.

Jaw

In general, tension in the face for example when frowning is something very easy to spot, due to the fact that we are always facing the world and everything that we experience comes to us first at the level of the skin, therefore also marking our face as the time passes by. The jaw is an important joint of this area, with a structural support made of muscles, ligaments and tendons, and also connected to the ears, eyes, mouth, teeth, neck, shoulders and head. Moreover, many people tend to clench their jaws, grind their teeth, oftentimes unconsciously or experience intense migraines, sensitivity to light, ear pain, and vertigo. This is an indicator of the nervous system feeling under threat or that oftentimes they need to suppress their emotions or they are not good at setting boundaries. Some simple techniques that can be done during the day to ensure the jaw is unclenched is massaging the area gently with the fingers, opening and closing the mouth a few times, as well as practising Lion’s breath. Ujjiyai breath is maybe the best technique to unlock tension in this area as well as chanting, learning to express oneself through the power of the voice, in a healing way. Also, massaging gently the whole face helps a lot with releasing any tightness or postural flaw (due to sleeping or working position at the desk) that often goes unnoticed in this area during the day. Tapping into this area of the body and working with the tension and the trauma stuck there can lead in time to the possibility of finding a truthful and authentic expression of ourselves, finding our voice and not being afraid to speak up.

Diaphragm

Intense negative emotions or ongoing trauma can impact physically our breathing as well as the area of the diaphragm and core, the center of our being. The way we breathe throughout the day can also correlate and exacerbate the way we are dealing with all these emotions. Expanding the belly on the inhale and then exhaling very slowly and mindfully, becoming aware of our breathing patterns means also creating a healthy connection to our bodies and to our emotions. A correct way of breathing using the diaphragm actively can also help a lot with other areas of tension in the body, such as neck pain.

Pelvic floor

This area stores a lot of emotional pain, grief, stories unsaid, our core beliefs so it is not surprising that it contains a lot of tension. Pelvic floor issues appear often as low back or hip pain, so it is not always easy to identify the level of tension in this area. Stretching and breathing are both significant when dealing with tightness in the pelvic muscles. A few good practices to relieve the tension and stress from this area are: cat and cow, pigeon, butterfly or happy baby pose, but basically all hip opening poses can make a difference. The hip area also by itself is very important to our bodies, supporting weight, stabilizing the core and facilitating the movement of the lower body. Tight hips can reduce mobility, cause pain and lead to poor posture by tilting the pelvis and misaligning the spine. Also, extreme trauma and distress can cause tension to still linger in the body, especially in the hip area that can feel super contracted. There are many practices that can help with working with any tension in our hips and pelvic muscles. Somatic movement also helps a lot with enhancing the mind-body connection and understanding more of our emotions, but also simple practices like dancing, shaking, twisting the body and so on. Taking a restorative pose or Savasana, at the end of any practice, also teaches the body to let go of the physical challenges and prepares the nervous system to return to balance after a period of stress.

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To sum up, all these areas of the body where we are holding tension are personal and they tell a lot about our own stories and experiences, as well as our current emotional health. For example, tension in the shoulders indicate being overwhelmed, juggling too many responsibilities, while lower back and psoas muscle tensions reflect inflexibility, anger issues or sexual trauma. Unlocking the stress and tension in our bodies is a constant process that does not have a clear recipe or universal steps; however, next time when we step on our Yoga mats, we can simply allow the breath to flow more throughout these areas that hold tension and stay with any sensations we might experience. Letting go of any emotion that does not serve us right now, one breath at a time and allowing for a gentle release to happen organically in the body. Becoming aware of our tension and stress is the first step in healing.

(Article updated)
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