Are you on automatic pilot in the mornings? Do you have a morning routine, particularly on work days, that is completely mindless and habitual. Here are some things for you to think about:
- When cleaning your teeth, are you bent over the sink, arching your back?
- Are you gripping tightly onto the toothbrush?
- When shaving, putting in contact lenses or painting on makeup, are you sticking your neck forward to see in the mirror?
- When you put on your socks, are you doubled over, arching your back or over-twisting?
All these habits accumulate. And they are multiplied many times over with all the other habits we have during the day. And these can cause or add to back pain, neck and shoulder tension and general discomfort.
So it’s worth being more mindful. Starting from tomorrow, see if you can be more conscious about your morning habits. Here are some top tips:
- Teeth cleaning: try gripping less tightly onto the toothbrush and pressing less hard on the teeth;
- When bending over the sink, see if you can do so without arching the back. Bend the knees a bit and then hinge forwards from the hip joints. Keep the neck in line with the spine;
- See if you really need to lean forward so much to look in the mirror. Consider if the mirror is at the right height.
- When putting on socks, see if you can do so keeping the back in alignment. Maybe bend the legs more or keep the arms longer.