Feeling Cold, Excess Tension, and the Alexander Technique
Last week here in Wilmington, Delaware it was really cold. Maybe not as cold as in some parts of the country, but the high was below freezing for a couple of days. Even though the reported high Wednesday was 30°F, according to Weather.com it never “felt like” more than 20°F even at the “warmest” part of the day.
I mention this because I like to walk outside every day, usually for about 45 minutes. I do this partly for the exercise, but I also crave that time outside in the open air moving my body. For me exercising inside (which I sometimes do also, but not on a daily basis) doesn’t give me this satisfaction.
As I mostly walk alone I often like to use this time to specifically work with the Alexander Technique as a way to be aware of my body, my thoughts and my surroundings, and as a way of redirecting my thoughts consciously to prevent unnecessary tensions.
Last Tuesday and Wednesday I took my walk in the afternoon at the “warmest” time of day. Even so, despite my layers of clothing, I was still cold. I noticed that my habit was to respond to the cold by tensing up my body and contracting in on myself. I think this is very common. Imagine miming to someone the feeling of cold – you’d probably hunch your shoulders in, scrunch your neck, hold your arms real tight to yourself, and so on. Having practiced the Alexander Technique for years now, I was able to notice this very quickly and consciously prevent myself from allowing those unwelcome tensions. After all, I could let my clothes keep me warm (not the tension!).
More of a challenge, however, came as my finger tips started to throb from the cold. I noticed when I balled my hands up into more of a fist, to keep my finger tips more protected and to warm them up, it was very hard not to also tense my arms and tense my neck. I also put my hands in my pockets for a while (something I never normally do when walking, as I like to let them swing naturally), so the challenge was to not stiffen and tighten my shoulders, even though my arms weren’t moving as much as usual. Using Alexander Technique thinking I was able to consciously help myself not tighten or stiffen up. I was also able to allow my hands to curl softly around without them being tense and rigid, which in turn was much nicer for my arms and neck.
This made me wonder, when we complain of having a sore neck after sitting in a cold draft, for instance, could it be that sometimes it’s not actually the draft that caused it? Rather, it’s our response to the cold – the tensing and tightening up – that is the culprit.
Do you know if you tense up when you’re cold? Next time you have to be outside in the cold (or inside for that matter) see if you notice how your body responds to the cold. If you have scrunched yourself up in some way, ask yourself if it is necessary? Are you able to let it go?
I am actually freezing in this damp rainy Louisiana evening as I read your blog and feeling my shoulders and neck tense. Your blog Saved me! As I breathe into my joints and relax my shoulders and begin to allow myself to type using different muscles, I feel like I’m coming back to myself. I absolutely love the insight that it is our response to cold rather than, say, a draft itself, that causes the soreness.
So glad the blog was timely for you, Vicki 🙂
Last Saturday I got so so cold… I was out all day, mis judged the weather. That kind of cold that sucks everything out if you. Got back in at 3:30 and slept for 2 hours. That cold.
Sounds like you did the right thing by resting. Would also give your body a chance to “unravel” any residual tension from spending so long in the cold.
Tensing does make you colder. I used to play paddle tennis outside in ten degree weather and got cold and tense up. Then I learned to really make sure my core was warm by layering and to think of my blood flowing down to warm my fingers and relaxing. It worked!
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Judith.
I am very sensitive to the wind and the cold (which is contracting by it’s very nature) and try to avoid being in it as much as possible, so I admire your daily walks. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, cold is considered a pathogen that can invade the body. Shivering keeps the blood moving while tensing the muscles would have the opposite effect. I will try to remember to take notice my level of muscle tension the next time I’m out in the cold (no pun intended!)
Maureena Bivins, PhD
Acupuncture & Somatic Therapy
http://maureenabivinsphd.com
Curious. Committed. Compassionate.
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Yes – notice the tension, and see if all of it is necessary or helpful. It’s an interesting experiment. I think, for the most part, with our warm clothes and central heating, a lot of it is unnecessary.
Oh, that’s a great idea. We don’t get that kind of cold out here but being closer to the ocean we do get cold if we don’t have the right jacket or sweater at nights. I will definitely try that out. I hope I remember!
Julieanne Case
Always from the heart!
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Yes remembering is sometimes the hard part. Hopefully this blog has planted a seed so you will notice next time you are out on a chilly evening.
I don’t even have to think about it, Imogen; I know I’m a “scruncher!” Living in NYC, I like to joke that I’m cold from October through June. My muscles never fully relax until it’s close to 80 degrees. Thanks for these reminders to stop scrunching, especially my shoulders and neck. I completely agree with you that it’s not the cold that harms our bodies, but rather our reaction to it.
If you notice yourself scrunching up in the cold, see if you can let go, even a little bit. Also, if you’re really cold, a more appropriate response might be to put on an extra sweater or pair of socks, for instance, or even turning the heat up if you are inside. Save your muscles, and let your clothes do the work of keeping you warm!!
Yes, I too am a scruncher and often wonder why everything hurts! Thanks for the awareness lesson, it will make a difference I am sure.
Glad you found it helpful, Cheryl.
Lol- love Cory’s definition of being a ‘scruncher’ as that is a great definition and one that fits me perfectly. I am often cold and have to physically stop myself from scrunching. I don’t know if it is a habit or whether it is just in direct response to being cold. I am so glad I read this as I can now be much more aware of what I am doing and when and physically relax the muscles. Being on the computer already scrunches those neck and shoulder muscles and being cold just adds to it. The more aware, the better! thanks.
Candace Davenport
http://www.ourlittlebooks.com ~ Little Books with a Big Message
I think there is probably a natural physiological response to cold that makes us tighten up. However, I believe we have also “learned” this response so that now it is a habit (we may also, as children, have mimicked adults scrunching up in the cold, who knows) – and maybe we aren’t truly assessing what’s necessary and what’s not. The great thing about awareness is that it opens the door to explore this and see what it necessary and what is not. With our warm clothes and central heating, I think much of the tension is not necessary at all. I also know, because of my past neck problems, if I spend long periods tightening up, I will definitely be hurting later!
Cold. Hmm, I think we had some of that a couple of months ago. It’s been in the 70s/80s, colder at night, but I run the heater, have a ton of throw blankets, and a hot water pot always warm, lol. I know that when I get cold, I tend to cross my arms and hug my body. I haven’t noticed soreness after being out in the cold. I have soreness because I don’t sit/stand/lay down properly, and I’m aware of it. Even now, I’m curled up sideways on the couch with the laptop on the end table. I’ll have a sore neck because I know it’s going out of alignment.
Have you tried propping yourself up in a more upright position on the couch, maybe even putting your laptop on a cushion on your knee so you don’t have to scrunch up as much? Just an idea… 🙂
I’m sure I do hunch up the way you describe–I felt myself doing it just in reading your description of the cold! I hold a lot of tension in my shoulders in general, so cold only exacerbates that response. The more I read about Alexander Technique, the more I could see it being really helpful to me. I was just writing today about wanting 2012 to be a year where I balanced physical exertion with something that embodies rest and release. You’ve got my interest!
Judy Stone-Goldman
The Reflective Writer
http://www.thereflectivewriter.com
Personal-Professional Balance Through Writing
Alexander Technique really provides a way for us to be more aware of ourselves, and with that a methodology for change – and I definitely think it would help you be more balanced, both when exercising and when resting! At the following two websites you can find loads more information about AT, plus, if you do want to follow up, listings of teachers so you could find one in your area: http://www.amsatonline.org (this is the organization through which I’m certified), and http://www.alexandertechnique.com (The Complete Guide to the Alexander Technique).
Thanks for the links!
The answer is yes…tight muscles to produce heat to protect from the cold – a totally natural body response. Tightening muscles is how we produce a fever to fight an infection. Interesting experiment to relax the muscles to avoid the tension – but what about staying warm? LOL! Love your body awareness!
Brandy 🙂
I think you’re right – the tight muscles do, in some ways, protect from the cold – but I also think, as I said in another comment, that we have also “learned” this response and are doing it in a more habitual way often, rather than it being truly necessary – or certainly more exaggerated than necessary. I know if I scrunch up my neck for any length of time and will be sorry… so avoiding any unnecessary tension is key! I prefer to let my warm clothes do the work of keeping me warm 🙂
Absolutely right on! Whenever I feel my feet get cold, sure enough I’m tensing my kneecaps and calves – and undoing them will make my feet get warmer. Didn’t even realize that kneecaps can have that effect – but sure enough, they do. Funny, isn’t it?
Very interesting (and great awareness!). Do you think it’s because letting go of the tension in your kneecaps/calves helps the circulation of blood to your feet, resulting in them actually warming up?
I can remember many times when my shoulders and back would be sore – sometimes immediately after being cold, sometimes not until the next day. For me, it is absolutely true that being cold causes me to tighten up. Your tips on how to manage the cold without the tension are great – especially today as we are expecting snow!
Yes – it’s COLD again here today, and quite windy too… Glad you find my tips useful!
I think that could be so true, that we tense up from the cold and then we get stiff. I think thats what happens to me. I know when I am cold, my body tenses up to almost a stressful way.
First step is noticing. Then see if you can let some of the tension go. Or – go put on a sweater or turn up the heat 🙂
I’m so impressed at your body awareness and ability to change. It is a true testament to what you teach. There is a saying about those who can’t teach. So not true in your case! Wish you lived closer.
Susan Berland
A Picture’s Worth
http://susan-berland.com
Thanks Susan. I certainly didn’t have this awareness before the Alexander Technique came into my life. It’s been invaluable to me in so many ways.
I’ve recently been noticing that it’s not solely my shoulders & collar bones raising up while my neck scrunches. The scrunching/collapsing causes the front of my rib structure to cave in; that part of my back to round over; and my low back to continue the process of rounding under. This also carries on through my leg joints—flexion, flexion, flexion!
Then again, it’s no only a reaction to “cold” that can bring on this scrunching. Take a look at anyone in front of a computer……. At least with the “cold” I can layer an extra muffler around my neck, pull my hat over my ears, and dream of Fiji.
Yes, I agree. The cold can be easier to deal with than that computer screen…
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Superb website you have here but I was curious if you knew of any user
discussion forums that cover the same topics talked about in this article?
I’d really like to be a part of group where I can get responses from other experienced individuals that
share the same interest. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.
Kudos!
Ya, mindfulness, as simple as it is, is really powerful. I suspect it’s just the tip of the icebirg though. What I’m trying to do is control my body so that I can make myself warmer at will.
Socrates from Way Of The Peaceful Warrior taught Dan how to do this so there must be a way.
Here’s the quote:
“When combined with intense concentration and control of specific muscle groups, this breathing exercise heated my body up like a sauna and allowed me to remain comfortable outside no matter what the temperature.”
How?!
I would love to know. What a great quote. Thanks for sharing!