You cannot switch stress off completely, but you can give your body regular signals that it is safe to relax.
“Think of it as preventative healthcare. You wouldn’t just brush your teeth when you got a cavity, you do it every day to prevent this in the first place so do the same for your nervous system and your muscular system. One hour every two weeks is all it takes to stay more relaxed, regulate the nervous system and release tension in your body. ”
If you feel worked up, struggle to switch off or wake up already tense, you may have heard people say their nervous system is “overactive”. It is not a medical diagnosis, but it describes a very real feeling which manifests in our bodies. Many of us find it hard to calm their nervous system and we spend far more time in stress mode than our bodies were built for.
Here is what your nervous system is doing, the signs that it is stuck in heightened alert, simple things you can do that will help and where assisted stretching fits in.
What your nervous system is doing
Your autonomic nervous system runs in the background without you having to think about it. It has two main settings:
The sympathetic side is often called fight or flight. It raises your heart rate, tightens your muscles and gets you ready to act.
The parasympathetic side is often called rest and digest. It slows your heart rate, supports digestion and helps your body recover.
You need both but the trouble starts when the stress setting stays on for too long. Work pressure, poor sleep, worry, too much caffeine and constant notifications can all keep it switched on.
Signs you may be stuck in stress mode
feeling tense or on edge for much of the day
tight shoulders, neck or jaw
shallow, upper chest breathing
trouble falling asleep or waking in the night
feeling tired but unable to relax
a racing mind in the evening
poor posture/ stooped positioning
First things first - slow your breathing
Breathing is one of the few parts of the nervous system you can control directly and you can do this at any time, no matter where you are. Slow breathing in and out of your nose, especially with a longer breath out than in, is linked with a calmer heart rate and a lower sense of stress.
Try breathing in through your nose for four counts and out slowly for six. Do this for two to five minutes. Do not force it, smooth and easy is the aim, and it is fine to do it lying down. Try to think about your belly rising as you breathe to push the breath down and expanding your rib cage. Many people who are stressed, ‘sip’ their breath right up by the throat so expanding the ribs and belly breathing is a faster track to calming things down.
Move your body, gently
Regular movement helps your body deal with stress hormones. It does not have to be intense, something like a brisk walk, a swim or some gentle mobility work/stretching all count.
Very hard training on top of poor sleep and a stressful week can add to the load rather than reduce it. If you finish a session feeling wired instead of better, that is useful information and you should notice that and try a few slow stretches with calm breathing to slow things down again.
Protect your sleep
Sleep is when your body does most of its recovery. A few habits make a difference:
keep a regular wake time, including weekends
cut back on caffeine and sugar after lunchtime (that includes fizzy drinks and energy drinks)
keep screens off for the last hour before bed, try reading a book instead, having a shower or bath or listening to music (not on your phone!)
keep your bedroom cool and dark
Get outside
Time in green spaces and natural light is linked with lower stress and better sleep. A 10 minute walk at lunchtime is enough to start. Try Highbury Fields near our Islington studio, Granary Square near Kings Cross or the South Bank riverside near Waterloo. Afterwards, book a PNF stretch with us to keep your body as relaxed as your mind.
Turn down the background noise
Notifications, news and multitasking keep your mind switched on high alert waiting and craving the next ping like Pavlov’s dog. Try a proper lunch away from your desk, a short walking break with no phone in your hand and no headphones in your ears, or a set time in the evening when work stops and you don’t check your emails or messages. If you live or work near one of our studios in Islington, Waterloo or Kings Cross, you can also stop by for an express 10min neck and shoulder stretch to ease the stresses of the day or if you have more time, a full body 25 minute PNF stretch will help reset you ready for a calm, relaxed evening with a body free of tension.
Why muscle tension matters
Tension in the body and tension in the mind often feed each other. When you are stressed, you tend to hold your shoulders up, clench your jaw and breathe high in your chest (that ‘sipping’ breath we mentioned earlier). Those habits tell your brain that something is wrong, which keeps the cycle going.
The nervous system also decides how far a muscle is allowed to stretch. When it senses threat or risk of injury, it holds back to protect you and only let’s your body go so far, which is why a stretch can feel tight on a stressful day and easier after a good night’s sleep.
Where assisted stretching fits in
Asssisted stretching will not fix the outside influences on your stress, but it will lower cortisol levels and calm your nervous system through our specialist physio-led PNF method.
In a session, you lie back and your therapist moves your limbs for you, taking you into a deeper range of motion to relieve tension in your body and mind. You do not have to hold anything up or work to get into position. Every Stretch Life session uses PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation), where you gently press against your therapist’s resistance for a few seconds, then relax and they take you a little further. That contraction and release works with the nervous system, helping muscles let go of tension rather than being forced.
The pace is slow and the breathing is steady so you’ll feel calm, looser and relaxed and many tell us they sleep better that night. For a lot of people it is the one hour in the week when they do something just for themselves, completely relaxed, no phone, no distractions, just letting someone else work on their body and mind so they can really let go of tension and tightness.
How often to get stretched
If you are new to assisted stretching, start with one session and tell your therapist how you have been sleeping and what tends to trigger tension, they will see where exactly you’re holding it in your body and work on those areas. After your first session your therapist will talk you through how your body responded to the PNF stretches and would be able to suggest how often you should return. Many clients book every 2 weeks. This is because muscles open up during the session but your body is very good at adapting. Within a couple of weeks, studies suggest it settles back into the positions you put it in every day, whether that is hunching at a desk or tensing up under stress. It is good to come in for regular sessions to help keep our bodies open and our minds relaxed.
Think of it as preventative healthcare. You wouldn’t just brush your teeth when you got a cavity, you do it every day to prevent this in the first place so do the same for your nervous system and your muscular system. One hour every two weeks is all it takes to stay more relaxed, regulate the nervous system and release tension in your body. Even if you’ve been dealing with this for months or longer, a few PNF assisted stretch sessions really can transform your body and mind. Just read our reviews to see how.
You cannot control everything that makes your body tense. You can build in regular chances for it to switch off, and an assisted stretch is one of the most enjoyable.
Life's short. Stretch it out.
Regulate your nervous system and release the tension with PNF assisted stretching. We’re the UK’s only PNF stretch specialists and our studios are in Waterloo, Angel Islington and Kings Cross. Open 7 days a week to help you relax. Your first 50min session will transform you. Try it for yourself.
Book now…your body and nervous system will thank you.
