Alexander Technique Help for Computer Users – Part 3: Don’t Lose Your Head!
As you sit reading this blog, take a moment to notice your head! Is it lightly balancing on an easeful neck, or is it pulled forward toward the computer screen, distorting your neck, and most likely your back and the rest of your body too? For most people I would bet on the second option – this is all too common and you see it everywhere in various manifestations.
In my last blog I explored balance as we sit at the computer, and I encouraged you to get to know your “sit bones!” Now we need to look at the other end of the spine – at the head! The sit bones are part of the pelvis which sits at one end of the spine. The head is at the opposite end, in counterbalance, you could say, to the pelvis. If either end is “off-balance,” our whole structure is compromised.
The Alexander Technique is a wonderful method for teaching us to notice and change those habits that bring us “off-balance” and a lot of attention is paid to the relationship of the head to the neck and back as a (if not the) key factor in our overall coordination. It is also the key place where we have habits that don’t serve us well, and learning to manage the head/neck relationship better is vital in learning to be more comfortable at the computer.
So, it’s important to know where the head actually balances on the top of our spine (the atlanto-occipital joint). It is not at the back where we can feel the change from neck to head. It is more central – approximately between the ears and behind the nose.
When introducing this concept to my students, I often use this little exercise to help them explore the balancing point:
- Sitting on your sit bones, put your fingers in your ears and imagine you have a rod going through the middle of your head (a beautiful mind-body image, I know!) and see if you can very gently nod your head forward as if around the “rod” – as if you were very lightly nodding “yes” in agreement with something. This is actually where the head balances on the very top of the spine.
When we lock onto the computer screen, head jutting out, neck tense, we lose this poise and the possibility of movement at this very top-most place – not a good thing for a long-term comfort while we work!
Imogen uses the Alexander Technique while she works at her computer
As you look at your screen, does your head pull forward? Instead, expand your awareness to the space around you, notice your sit bones supporting you, and think of allowing your eyes to receive these words so your head can be balanced (not held or pulled forward!) at the top or your spine. Remind yourself that you do not have to hunch down and thrust the head forward to actually see the screen.
The Alexander Technique helps us fine-tune our awareness of ourselves in any activity, giving us choices about what we do and how we do it. So instead of being stuck in a set position while you work at the computer, you can choose not to let your head pull forward. And if and when it does start to pull forward again, you notice and can renew your choice not to lose your head!
Do you know what happens to your head when you use your computer? I challenge you to start noticing when your head pulls toward to the screen. Can you decide not to do that? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
Very clear description. Thanks Imogen!
Glad you liked it 🙂
Great exercise to check one’s head position. When I work at the computer, I try not to sit too long. I like to get up and move about every 15-30 minutes, otherwise, I lose awareness of my alignment. Usually, I am reminded soon enough, when my upper back and neck begin to ache. Thanks for this clear description and practical exercise!
Thanks, Maureena. Yes, it’s great to get up and move as often as possible – though for some that it is not very often… Remembering that we don’t have to be “stuck” or “set” even as we sit, to allow flow and motion as we sit, is extremely useful.
Thanks for the great reminders, Imogen!
You are most welcome, Jennifer!
Great tips, as always, Imogen. I manage to tie myself in literal knots while sitting at the computer. I twist my legs around each other, torque my torso, jut my head forward – it’s awful! I’m finding my posture is much better when I move away from my desktop computer and use my laptop while sitting on the couch. My spine is straighter, my feet are planted flat on the floor and I don’t think my head juts forward as much. It’s definitely an improvement for my head and neck. Thanks, Imogen – I will try to incorporate your tips into my desktop routine.
-Cory Zacker
http://www.mosaictutoring.com
We can certainly get ourselves into all sorts of contortions!! Interesting that you end up more comfortable using your laptop – maybe you’re not in the “this is work” mode as much when you’re on the couch with your laptop, so are more relaxed as you work… Sounds like you are building some good awareness of yourself as you work 🙂
Whenever I think about correcting my posture – especially when I’m sitting at the computer – I focus on the lower part of my back. These tips are exactly what I need with the upper part, and they will be a big help with my neck and shoulder tension. Thanks!
Jennifer Peek
Find Your New Groove
Left-Brained Strategy for Right-Brained Businesses
And – interestingly, paying a bit of attention to what’s going on with the head and neck will often have a very nice effect on the lower back too 🙂
Oh such a good post for me. I find as I am working on photos and the details of them, I get closer and closer to the screen, instead of zooming in like I should. This is a helpful reminder of where my head should be! Thank you
Glad this was useful, Chery. Use that “zoom” and not your head!
My chiropractor agrees with you! I have been suffering from some muscle problems in my right shoulder and upper back because of all the hours I spend on the computer, and as I read your blog here I realized that I am not in balance. I do know better, but just forget and I probably don’t have the best ergonomic set up, either. I have also been told to switch to a ball mouse but keep forgetting to do that, too! I appreciate your posts, and am going to try to be more mindful, especially now that I am experiencing some pain because of my bad habits!
I’m going to include some ergonomic considerations in a later post, Donna! What’s more important, to me, is having a better knowledge of how to use our own body – so I feel that has to come first! Without that awareness, even the best ergonomic situation is not going to do you that much good. I’m glad you are finding my posts useful 🙂
I know I’m guilt of this one – jutting the neck forward – and I do get too much tension in my neck. I did your little exercise, and I can definitely feel the better way to balance my head. I’m practicing as I write this!
Judy Stone-Goldman
The Reflective Writer
http://www.thereflectivewriter.com
Personal-Professional Balance Through Writing
Just starting to be aware, and catching ourselves, is where we have to start!
Thanks, Imogen. Another perfectly stated, jargon-free explanation of a beneficial way to do an activity we do for hours.
And thanks for making the Alexander Technique so accessible and practical!
That’s my goal – “jargon-free!” (or course “perfectly stated” is very nice too).
I’m glad you liked my post 🙂
Thanks for the reminder. I needed that! I’ve had ergonomic consultation at my work station at home and I’ve been forgetting. I pushed forward a bit, raised my monitor a little. Ah, now I feel better!
Susan Berland
http://susan-berland.com
Yes – getting the monitor at the right height so we don’t hunch down to look at it can really help with keeping the head balanced at the top, rather than jutting out forward. Ergonomic tips coming in a future post…
lol- as I began reading your post, I was leaning forward, head jutting out, chin on my hand and not on my sitting bones. I am your perfect poster child for this post!
I loved that rod explanation. It made perfect sense to me. With your instruction, I practiced what to do correctly and at once my right shoulder stopped hurting! Amazing what simple posture can do. THANKS!!!!!
Candace Davenport
http://www.ourlittlebooks.com ~ Little Books with a Big Message
Wow – that’s amazing, Candace. Sometimes something very simple can really help!
Are you kidding? In the MANY hours I spend at the computer, I strike every kind of pose imaginable! I’m quite the wiggly.
Movement is good 🙂
So well done, Imogen. I find myself writing constant remonders to myself about this because I’m SO liable to go into the head thrust, not just to look at the screen but to watch the keyboard. I love the image of the rod, (even though I wouldn’t like to have one) because it connect with the pineal gland, so essential for cognition and peace.
As usual, Vicki, you add something new to my knowledge. And that makes perfect sense – if the head is in balance we are better able to think and we are calmer!
Thanks 🙂
My posture has suffered because of my work as a nurse and my work at the computer. This awareness will help me be more award of where my head and sit bones are.
So glad you found the post helpful, Sue.
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I had a belief before starting Alexander lessons that it was impossible to “undo” tension in my body once I sat down at the computer for too long, and then my anxiety level would rise in response to the tension, and my habit was to try to calm down by becoming even more mesmerized by the computer screen, which in turn created more tension and pain. It is a relief to have met my teacher, who helped me believe that I can let go of the tension.
I am so glad you found the Technique, Margaret. It is wonderful, isn’t it! And it’s rather astounding that we can, in fact, let go of tension in the most unlikely of circumstances.
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