Stretching vs. Stressing

Stress is an animalistic response complex that morphed into something more serious for humans who have the ability to internalize the symptoms, the feelings, the emotional and physical pain that comes along with it. It is a chemical reaction induced by the feeling of perceived threats, in which the nervous system opens a floodgate of stress hormones including cortisol and adrenaline. While this is useful for emergency or high pressure situations, consistently high levels of stress hormones can lead to problems which put your health at risk. At Espinosa Family Chiropractic, we believe in helping people find the true source of their stress, healing it naturally, and establishing systems that will help prevent and manage stress as it comes and one way we have found to be truly effective is with stretching. The next time you feel overwhelmed, give this one a shot:

• Wall roll-down: Stand with back against the wall, feet hip width apart and a foot from the wall. Inhale and press your entire back against the wall. As you exhale, roll down the wall until only your tailbone and buttocks are touching. From this position, let your arms hang and take deep breaths as you feel the relaxation that comes to your neck, shoulders and back.

Mental stress translates to physical tension, especially in the muscles and connective tissue in the back, shoulders and neck- it can literally leave you in knots, of the kind that can be released through trigger point therapy. At our office in Sacramento, we utilize hands-on modalities that release problem points from tension and promotes relaxation. Along the way, we correct spinal imbalance, regulate the nervous system and fight inflammation. With someone looking after your body in this way, you have a strong foothold from which to fight back against daily stress. 

Dr. Raymond Espinosa, D.C.