Tips on how to get moving when you body says “NO”

Some days it just seems like the if the wind blows, I’ll hurt. I just want to stay in bed and shut out the world. Here’s the trick- DON”T! Keep that body moving! Do what ever it takes to stretch a little here or move a muscle there. Staying in bed can lead to your body tightening up too much and if you shut yourself out from the world, you can easily get depressed. Here are a few tricks on how to get just a few moments of exercise in on those really bad days:

– take a hot shower and do some simple stretches
– set a goal to get dressed and walk once around the block
or if it is a really bad day, go once around the house
– do 5-15 minutes of yoga after you get out of soaking in a hot bath
– practice controlled breathing exercises before you go to bed
( take slow big breathes in and let them out slowly,
concentrating on relaxing your body and mind)

Or, if all else fails, scream curse words at the top of your lungs! According to a journal by NeuroReport in their August 2009 issue, swearing will help reduce some levels of pain. I wonder if screaming will be accepted in my next yoga class?