The age-old advice “listen to your body” echoes across all aspects of health and wellness. But… what if you’re unsure how to do this? 

Developing that mind-body connection can prove challenging, especially if you’ve never paid attention to it before. However, it’s one of the most important factors in improving your overall well-being.

What Does It Mean to Listen to Your Body?

Your body offers so many cues and hints about what’s happening beneath the surface. These clues can give us insight into what we need or when something is seriously wrong.

When it comes down to it, “listening to your body” means tuning into feelings, thoughts, or symptoms that aren’t normal for you. For instance, when you notice a nagging ache in the back of your shoulder or neck, pause. Are you holding yourself at an odd angle or hunched over? Can you adjust and fix the problem? If you can’t, can you seek out care or professional help that can? 

Another example involves something we do every day: Listening to our hunger and satiating cues. When we’re hungry, we eat. When we’re full, we stop. This is one of the most basic ways we can tune into what our body is telling us every day. But let’s dig a bit deeper.

How Can We Listen to Our Body?

Listening to our bodies can help prevent small discomforts from becoming huge inconveniences or painful situations. When it comes to your spinal health, this proves true as well. So, here’s how you can check in with your body and posture.

Try the Slump Test

This test reveals how well your body maintains its natural alignment without conscious effort.

To perform the slump test:

1. Stand normally, then take a deep breath in.
2. Exhale slowly and completely.
3. Allow your body to relax fully, as if you’re letting go of all muscle tension.

Now, observe your posture. A body in good alignment will largely maintain an upright position even when relaxed. Look out for these signs:

• Minimal rounding of the shoulders
• Little to no increased curvature in the mid-back
• Abdomen not protruding forward
• Head and neck remaining in a neutral position, not jutting forward

Notice Pressure or Any Points of Tension

While it might not be “painful,” these niggles are a sign that something isn’t quite right. You may benefit from a chiropractic adjustment or even lifestyle changes, such as increased movement or improved dietary choices.

Stop, Pause, and Breathe

If you get regular chiropractic adjustments, this can be a good one to do before and after. You might notice more restrictive or stressed breathing before your adjustment. Meanwhile, afterward, you might notice you can breathe with greater ease.

But this is also a great check-in throughout your daily activities. When you remember (or set reminders!), stop, pause, and breathe. Is your breathing fast? Slow? Would performing a few deep breathing rounds help? Would adjusting your posture make a difference?

Note Any Clumsiness and Adjust

Yes, some of us are more inclined to be clumsy than others. But if you notice you’re running into things or making more mistakes than normal, this could be a sign to slow down and tune in. Half of the whole “listening to your body” equation is being aware of your body and limbs in space.

Feeling more imbalanced could also be a sign that you’re due for a chiropractic adjustment. Misalignments in the spine can lead to imbalances throughout the entire body, causing errors in movement (and cognition!). 

Perform a Body Scan

A great way to tune into your body and its cues is by performing regular body scans. This generally involves lying down on a comfortable surface, such as a mat or your bed. From here, start from the head to your toes and note any areas of tension in your body. Purposefully try to relax these areas.

Interested in learning more about your body and how you can enhance your overall health and wellness? Your Finsbury Park chiropractor is ready to help. Schedule your FREE discovery call. BOOK NOW.