You know that feeling when you wake up and your whole body is just TENSE but you don’t know why? That was me this morning. My shoulders were tight, my face felt sore and I had a heaviness about my body that I just couldn’t explain.

Feeling physically tense is often an early sign that I’m stressed - my body will literally tell me I’m anxious before my brain even realises, and that means I can start managing my stress before it becomes a major issue. How cool is that?

When I start to feel physical tension my number one priority is to release that tension as efficiently as possible. By mitigating my physical response to stress I can give myself a head start and have one less side effect of anxiety to deal with.

Feeling tense because of stress can be overwhelming, but there are a few tricks you can use to ease any tension so that you can focus on what’s really important.

release your tongue and relax your jaw

We carry a lot of tension in our jaws, but simply by relaxing your tongue away from the roof of your mouth you can help to release a lot of that tension - give it a go, you’ll find your whole face relaxes.

take time to breathe

Focus on taking long, slow breaths in and out through your nose to help ease your body into a relaxing parasympathetic state. A simple protocol that I always find really helpful when I’m tense is to inhale for 1 second, hold for 4 seconds and exhale for 2 seconds, and I usually do this for 5 to 10 minutes a couple of times a day (it’s especially soothing right before bed).

move your body in ways that feel good

Physical tension is uncomfortable and simple mobility and stretching movements can make a world of difference. Doc Jen Fit is an app I find really helpful for stretching and mobility prompts and getting outside for a walk is another great way to get moving when you feel tense. By moving you’ll gradually ease out any aches while also boosting all the neurotransmitters that help your body relax and feel good. Move outside and you’ll also enjoy the wellbeing benefits of being out in nature.

Have sex

I’m not kidding! Orgasms are amazing for your wellbeing. Better sexual wellness is known to lead to better over-all wellness and a healthy sex life (whether solo or with a partner) can trigger all sorts of “feel good” chemicals which help support your physical and mental wellbeing. In short, the more orgasms you have the better you’ll feel. Read more about why here.

learn where you hold tension

Although there are some obvious places we hold tension (our hips, jaw and shoulders), there might also be less obvious spots. Some people scrunch up their feet, others clench their butt. Take some time to scan your body and work out where your tension is being held and then focus on releasing the tension from that particular area.