Stress is inevitable. But it is supposed to be short lived.
When the mind perceives danger (either physical danger or mental stress), the body undergoes rapid chemical reactions that could save its life. These chemical reactions are collectively known as the stress response. This collective chemical response allows the body to rev up for action. It is an invaluable tool when you are running from a tiger or gearing up for that big presentation. And when the danger is over, we were taught that the body goes back to its normal resting state. Homeostasis is established once again. While this may be true of your heart rate and blood pressure, the myofascia isn’t quite so forgiving.
Myofascia gets tighter and stickier during periods of stress. It is not uncommon that during periods of peak stress you feel tightness or pain in your low back, neck or shoulders. There is a lot of fascia in these areas. But what happens when your stress is alleviated? The chemical cascade of the stress response may end, but that stickiness in your fascia is not so quick to reverse. Remember that fascia is not elastic. It is made up of primarily collagen that is very slow to release and move. You end up just a little bit tighter than before. So you can imagine over the course of years what is happening to your soft tissue system. You are tightening down little by little. Your body is giving you warning signs that this tension is present. The trick becomes learning to anticipate and treat this tightness before it becomes a source of pain or dysfunction.
Myofascial release and craniosacral therapy reverse the stickiness. They allow the tissues to rehydrate. They alleviate the internal tension in your body and help the body to return to its resting state. So you can be ready to handle the next thing life throws at you. Myofascial release is not a treat. It’s a treatment. Free up some time to free up your body. And your mind will thank you.
Stress less. Stay healthy.