Body Balance Awareness tip #2

Do you ache when you wake up? What is that about, anyway? One would think that you would feel at ease and rested after a nights sleep, not as though you had been out sledding on Icy Hill!

So, my tip #2 is to deal with the body aches at the very start of a day. When you wake up try to lie there for a minute and check in with your body. Do a quick scan from the toes up to the head and be aware of how your body feels. Then follow this routine. Remember, your body is just waking up. Think about how a cat gets up from a nap, with long, luxurious, stretches, no hurry, give yourself the time and go slowly!




1. Focus on the toes: wiggle them around and flex them, stretching them out.
2. Now the ankles. flex your feet downward and then upward. Make circles first one way, then the next. As you do this, feel the muscles stretch in your calf and shin.
3. Then focus on your pelvis. tip the pelvis one way, then the other. If you can, raise your knees to your chest and feel the stretch in the thighs and lower back.
4. Then sitting up at the edge of the bed, rub your hands together, put them together palms facing and push the fingers against each other to stretch them. Circle your wrists and flex them, stretching out the muscles in your forearms.
5. Shrug your shoulders up and down. Put your arms behind you and try to touch your shoulder blades together in back - carefully!
6. Then flex your head forward, then back, then side to side. roll your head in a circle one way, then the other.
7. Now stand up and stretch your arms upward, shrug and roll your shoulders around and bend over to stretch to your toes.

Now go and enjoy the day! Oh and don't forget to smile! stretch those face muscles too!!!