3 Stretches To Stay Calm and Ease Driving Pain
1. Neck tension plagues many of us daily and contributes to stress and fatigue. A simple way to tone the lower facial muscles from your chin down through your neck, is a Stoplight technique:
- At a fresh red light, slowly turn as you exhale, looking over your right shoulder.
- Push out slightly through your chin.
- Keep the rest of your body facing forward and your hands rest, relaxed on the steering wheel.
- Hold for a few seconds and swing slowly to look over the left shoulder.
- If there's time, do 10 repetitions slowly.
- Make sure the light hasn't changed, then look over your right shoulder and up slightly, so you feel a good stretch though the neck muscles.
- Next, leading with your chin, drop your head down as you roll to the other side - slowly again.
- Check on the traffic and if there's time, repeat these rolls slowly 10 times.
2. Whenever you sit for long periods, and especially in a car, gravity takes its toll. It's harder for fresh blood to flow, to bathe your lower spine, inner organs, thighs and sit muscles; to cleanse and bring renewed energy. A simple way to work those lower muscles is with a slow squeeze and release:
- In a smooth motion, slowly contract your sit muscles - from your hips down through your thighs.
- Hold for a count of 10 or 15 and slowly release.
- Be sure to keep breathing and repeat often.
3. Working your tummy muscles with awareness and intent helps tone that area, while aiding digestion and elimination:
- Slowly squeeze in below your diaphragm (the muscle below your ribs)
- Hold for a 15 count and release slowly.
- Remember to keep breathing.
- Repeat 10 or so times a day to help keep your stomach muscles firm.
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