I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of learning about how our body systems all work together. It truly amazes me how each system has its own purpose, yet is intricately intertwined with the entire body. Here is yet another one that sounds a little “woo-woo”, but makes sense once you think about it. Did you know that stress can make your hips tight? And here I just thought it was because I spend a lot of time sitting at my desk.
Have you ever been in a yoga class and seen someone break down or tear up during a deep stretch? Or maybe you’ve experienced your own unexpected emotional release during a hip-opening stretch yourself. The reason is that your hips are directly connected to your fight-or-flight response via the psoas muscle. (Pronounced so-as.)
This muscle connects your spine to your legs, and it’s activated when you’re in a stressful situation. The problem is that most of our modern-day stresses (like that irritating email) don’t require you to actually run or fight. Thus, the stress isn’t relieved, and it just sits there in your hips. Here’s an example of why that’s bad news.
Last May, my lower back/hip spasmed and I ended up flat on my back with my legs up for nearly five days. It was awful, and it probably could have been avoided if I’d reduced my stress and did some stretching. But hindsight is always 20/20!
At the time, I’d been doing a bunch of extra driving to races for the high school mountain bike team. At those same races, as much fun as they are, I had a parent coach that was becoming way too invested (aka negative) in his son’s racing.
When I came back from that last, stressful race, I only had two days to get everything together for two team parties (one middle school and one high school). This is when things started to go sideways. I could feel that my hip was tight, but I was too busy to pay much attention to it. As I was running around doing errands, I had just enough time to stop at the carwash to clean my dusty car. I bent and twisted to reach the wheels, and my back seized completely up.
Did I stop and get myself home? No, of course not. My car was covered with soap and I still needed to pick up cupcakes and drinks for the party. I soldiered through and by the time I got home, I had to call my son to have him pry me up and out of the car.
I made it inside, got him to help me to lay on my back and lift my legs onto an ottoman, and that’s where I stayed while he made the party happen for me. It was terrible, and I definitely learned my lesson.
By doing a few hip-opening exercises a few minutes each day, or every other day, you can release some of that built-up tension. Here are some of my favorites:
Pigeon Pose: Sit on the floor with one leg bent in front, the other extended back, and gently fold forward, making sure to breathe. Hold this position for as long as feels comfortable (or at least 30 seconds), and switch sides. When I do this pose, I put a folded blanket under my bent leg hip to balance my sides.
Butterfly Stretch: Sit on the floor, press the soles of your feet together, and let your knees fall toward the floor. Take nice deep breaths and let your legs release. I also like to do this one laying back; it gives a slightly different stretch.
Hip Circles: Stand with your feet apart, knees slightly bent, and rotate your hips in large circles clockwise about ten times and then reverse directions for another ten. Alternatively, get a hoola-hoop! It might take some practice to remember how to do it, but it’s a lot of fun no matter how young (or old) you are.
Give these exercises a try! Once you do, you might notice you feel more energized, spacious, and even more grounded and relaxed.
Resources:
Join my mailing list to receive the latest news and updates and get my new Good Morning, Good Night Ritual Guide.
Don't worry, your information will not be shared.
50% Complete
What if you approached self care as a gift, because you know you deserve the very best?
Sign-Up Below to Receive the You, 2.0 Guide and receive my weekly news and updates.