BAM! I felt it.

In the yoga class I attended this week, the teacher had us do a lot of hip-opening poses. My hips needed this. Then, BAM. I felt how tight my left hip was. I said to myself, “This is where I store my tension.”  If you didn’t know, mental issues such as stress/tension, fear, anxiety, etc., can have physical manifestations.

Physical symptoms of stress can include dizziness, fatigue, headaches, nausea, and tense muscles, among others (Hedy Marks and Dr. Lori King, WebMD). This explains why my left hip was so tight. Thanks to the yoga class, the hip is looser now. Other than my hips, I know I hold stress in my shoulders. Going forward, it will be important for me to do exercises to keep my hips and shoulders open and loose. This means it is important to know the symptoms of your stress, so you can manage it. This might be difficult, so I recommend doing a daily body scan like I do. “Body scan meditation is a technique to help you increase awareness of your body and assess how you’re feeling — basically, it’s a way for you to become more in tune with yourself.” (Cleveland Clinic)

How to do a body scan:

1.    Get comfortable (lie on a yoga mat or in bed)

2.   Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths in and out through your nose

3.    Begin at the top of your body by focusing on your head and asking yourself what sensation you feel in that body part.

4.    Then SLOWLY move down the body, repeating step 3 (I prefer to work from the toes up) (Cleveland Clinic)

The next time you’re feeling sluggish or queasy, ask yourself if it is stress. By doing this for many years now, I understand my stress and know how to manage it.