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One of the questions we often get asked at Epoch is “what else can I do?!”
I get it, and I’ve been there too! When starting a health journey, it can be frustrating. If you’re anything like me, you want results yesterday! And understandably, there is an eagerness to try and incorporate new things to help speed up the process.
We love to provide tailoured help along the way like stretching and exercises, but often at the start of chiropractic care and throughout your journey, rather than adding more in, we try to take a different perspective.
You see, sometimes we need to keep it simple and reflect on what you are currently doing. Your body is so clever, it will respond to the habits that you create, and often, those aches and pains are an accumulation of years worth of stress. Whether it be through thoughts, trauma or toxins, yes the ‘3 T’s’ you have probably heard us talk about!
Let me give you an example. If you sit at a desk 8 hours a day then spend the rest of the evening on your phone or device looking down, overtime your head and neck will creep forward, putting stress on your spine and causing the muscles to get tight at the back of your neck and shoulders. Daily tasks like looking over your shoulder whilst driving or putting eye drops in may start to become hard work because you feel restricted. Your lower back will likely start to feel stiff and achy too, because it is under stress from the weight of your body, which is loading at the base of your spine all day with little movement. That, combined with everyday life, may end up feeling like the world is on your shoulders.
But what happens if you adapt these habits? Over time, your body will respond positively. Combining that with the focused adjustments you are getting to help, your aches and pains will start to ease, and long-term change can be created. In turn, you get to enjoy the things you love which is what I want for all of you.
Which is why this week I share some ideas, to see if these, or any other habits come to mind that you can adapt or take away to accelerate your health journey:
So let’s get started, this is by no means exhaustive but here are 5 habits that may be holding you back:
1. Prolonged sitting:
Whether it be in the car, at your desk or relaxing on your sofa, sitting unfortunately doesn’t help the health of your spine. The best thing you can do, is set a timer and stand up, have a wiggle, or take a short walk, then sit down every 20 minutes. If you are driving, be sure to include regular stops at least every hour, and whilst you are driving and if you feel safe to do so, squeeze your bum muscles, gently move your spine, and keep your head close to the head rest to help reduce that tension.
2. Prolonged phone or computer use:
Technology is an integral part of our lives, but how much of your time is spent doing essential work, and how much is spent watching YouTube or scrolling social media? (Don’t worry, reading this blog is essential for your health so I give you full permission to keep going!) Reducing screen time where you can, will do wonders for your body. Whether it is a laptop, phone or watching the TV, over time watching screens encourages that forward flexed position I spoke about earlier. A big thing you can do to help yourself, is elevate your screen so it is slightly above your eye line. This will help to keep your body upright and reduce that stress on your spine.
3. Crossing legs:
We are not robots, but there is certainly something we can learn from them, and that is, keeping two feet on the ground. Some of the positions we put ourselves in create a lot of tension through our body. Whether it is simply crossing one leg over the other whilst out for coffee, or twisting yourself up when watching your favourite film, it may well be the thing that is exacerbating your issue. Quite often we see this manifest as lower back, glute or referred leg pain. Keep checking in with yourself throughout the day and remain in that neutral position where possible, with both feet on the ground. And don’t forget, stand up and have a wiggle when you can.
4. Using one side:
Whether it be carrying the shopping, having a bag over one shoulder, doing gardening, whatever the activity be mindful of using one side only. You will likely have a dominant side and hand, but if carrying out tasks for sustained periods of time, be sure to use both sides of your body where possible. This will create more balance and reduce uneven loading and wear to your joints.
5. Sleeping positions:
On average we spend 33 years of our life in bed! That is a lot of time, so it is understandable that the position of your body at night is just as important as the day. I share more detail in a previous blog here, but to keep it brief, is your spine in a neutral position? Checking the depth of your pillow and being mindful of your sleeping position, can make a huge difference to how your body grooves the next day.
I am by no means perfect, as I was eagerly typing point 3, I noticed my legs were crossed and I’d been sat for too long. Great reminder for me too. But hopefully these areas have created some food for thought.
There is so much you can do proactively to help yourself by adapting your current day to day, before adding more in. Making these simple changes will not only accelerate your progress at Epoch, but will help your body long term.
Why not take some time today to observe yourself, really be present on what you are doing and how your body is feeling? Was it covered in the ideas above or did you find something new that you can adapt? I’d love to hear what comes up, let me know in the comments below.
Have a wonderful day, be sure to get in touch if myself or the team can be of any more help.
With love,
Sarah
