Hello again,
Welcome to “Traveling Well” Part II. Today I have been thinking about all of the tension, aches, pains and soreness that creep into our bodies when we travel and how to reduce, or better yet, avoid these disturbances altogether.
Even those of us who really strive to keep moving, eat the right food and practice mindfulness techniques on a regular basis still get out of kilter when we travel.
There are many reasons this happens, ranging from how our bodies tense up and hold stress in the neck, shoulders and low back, to how we pack and carry our bags, to the position we are forced to sit in for long periods of time (what often feels like eons).
What to do?
Just as with any restorative endeavor, we have to begin with awareness. In the case of travel, we need to be aware of situations that cause tension to mount, the physical stress of carrying or pulling bags, and the unhealthy and unnatural postures we take on, contorting in all sorts of ways to find comfort, often in the most uncomfortable places.
Basically we need to “Straighten up and fly right”, which is much more fun to remember than posture, alignment and breath.
Check out the Andrews Sisters for a fun reminder:
Let’s take a look at how this can work for you.
Can you remember the last time you felt you were stressed – especially if you had no control over the situation – like long security lines for example, or potentially missing a connecting flight or maybe facing a time crunch and being stuck in traffic?
Are you beginning to tense up just thinking about it?
When stress and tension overwhelm your body, you are flooded with hormones that frankly make matters worse – especially if you are stuck in a situation where you have no control over the circumstances. Your blood pressure and heart rate go up, your breath becomes more shallow and rapid, and your muscles tense. Imagine the recoil of an angry cat.
What to do?
Breathe.
Simply understanding what is happening in the moment can be very helpful. Once you become aware of your unconscious reactions, you can begin to bring yourself back into balance.
“Straighten up and fly right – cool down papa don’t you blow your top.”
Notice your breath. Slow it down. Allow your breath to fill you up and lengthen your spine. With every exhale, blow out your stress.
Think of your breath like mouthwash for your brain. Bring your breath in, envision it clearing out stressful thoughts and emotions and then expel it.
Release your jaw and breathe out the tension in your neck and throat.
Next – what about baggage? Whether you are carrying it, pushing it, pulling it, or stuffing it, dealing with a bag or bags creates turbulence in your gait and balance.
What to do?
When dealing with bags of any kind, try to balance your load. For example an evenly packed backpack worn on BOTH shoulders is preferable to a heavy purse, bag or backpack slung over one shoulder.
If you are pulling a bag, change hands frequently. If the option is available, alternate between pulling and pushing your bag.
When you are standing in line or at a counter, put your bag(s) down. Give yourself a break!
If you need to stuff something in an overhead bin, under the seat, or in the back of a vehicle - USE YOUR CORE!
“Straighten up and fly right”
Before you stuff it – suck it. Suck your abdominal muscles in and brace your spine.
Now let’s get back to basics.
“Straighten up and fly right. Straighten up an be right.”
..or put in a less rhythmical way, way pay attention to your posture.
It helps to remember that your skeleton, soft tissue and organ systems all work together based on a lovely balance. Your skeleton literally sets the framework that the rest of your tissues respond to.
When you habitually collapse into postures that put your skeleton out of alignment, the rest of your body systems are forced to react. This causes imbalance to your entire being. The result is tired tense muscles, stiff joints, headache, backache and even constipation.
Yep. Your mother knew what she was talking about when she told you to stand up straight.
What to do?
Standing in line or at a counter, keep your weight balanced on both feet. Plant your feet firmly into the ground. Line up your pelvis over your ankles, your shoulders over your pelvis and your ears over your shoulders. Try tucking your chin in to lengthen the back of the neck.
When sitting, try to keep both feet on the floor, planted evenly, with your weight balanced on both sitting bones. I know this is a lot to ask, but try to come back to this alignment whenever you can.
What about sitting in airplane seats or car seats? These troublemakers are neck and back aches waiting to happen.
They have been designed to round your low back while at the same time, push your head forward – forcing you into a C-shape. When you find yourself in seats that force your body into non-human positions, there are a few things you can do to help.
First, if you are unable to adjust the position of your headrest, use a small pillow, blanket or towel - NOT behind your head – that will only make matters worse. Instead, place the pillow in the position along your spine that allows your low back to assume a more natural curve and places your head in line with your shoulders.
If you are in a seat that does allow you to adjust the headrest (e.g. a car seat), you may need to raise it to prevent it from pushing your head forward. Or if you are tall enough, lower it so that the part that pushes into your head is actually supporting your cervical spine. If you have a car seat that allows you to adjust lumbar support, by all means, give your low back the support it needs.
Straighten Up Fact: Your head weighs about the same amount as a bowling ball, roughly 10-13 lbs. That’s why it is so important for your head to be balanced over your shoulders. When you adapt a forward head posture (the head hangs toward the front of the shoulders), the influence of gravity effectively increases the load on your neck and shoulder muscles 10 lbs. for every inch that your head droops forward. (Kapandji, Physiology of Joints, Vol. III). That is A LOT of extra weight for your poor neck and shoulder muscles to bear.
Check out the Andrews Sisters one more time. See if you can spot the demonstration of forward head or chicken neck posture.
I know this may all sound way too complicated. Simply put, there are three things to take away from this article:
Posture! Posture! Posture!
Keep posture in mind and keep it your body to help reduce the stress and strain of travel.
Remember the Andrews Sisters (and me)…
“Straighten up and fly right”
Safe travels!
