- End of workday relaxation habit: Stressing from when the alarm clock rings in the morning until the head hits the pillow is not how it is supposed to be. A great habit is to develop a habit of de-stressing at the end of the day, with herbal tea, meditation, walk or whatever works for you.
- Abdominal breathing: Stress often leads to shallow respiration that leads to a buildup of tension around the accessory breathing muscles in front of the neck and shoulders. This windup of tension can have a significant impact on spinal health in the area. Learning Abdominal breathing helps with oxygenation, relaxation and spinal health.
- Spice up your back-breaking work: Everyone has recurring boring jobs that can be back-breaking and brain-numbing at the same time. I keep hearing reports of dishes, weeding and vacuuming “killing peoples’ backs”. If these tasks can’t be avoided, then make a conscious decision to get into it. Warm-up, get some music and full movement going and take breaks to stretch and see if you can make the experience into a dynamic spinal workout rather than a tense back-breaking chore.
- Reset to a tall relaxed posture: Stress and depression are strongly linked with a hunched forward tense posture. Inhale and then breath-out into a tall relaxed posture this can both improve your mental state and spinal function. Imagine the impact of this habit if regularly practised over a 10-year period.
- Go out into nature: Being outdoors is great to get some sun, de-stress and move. All these help spinal balance. The daily habit of spending 10 mins, or more outside in the middle of the day is an invigorating and refreshing habit that can help to get a different, more positive perspective on things.
