Remember when the spring equinox happened, and we were all ready for spring to come? Then, you saw more snow in the forecast? Although spring is around the corner, you may still need help with warming up your muscles, and in particular, your back and back body to prepare for spring activities. Before you go for a hike up to Mt. Tabor, cycle along the Willamette, create the most epic garden, I highly recommend a dynamic back stretch to warm up your muscles before your spring ahead.
With shifts in the seasons, there is often a shift in our sleep patterns, with a lot of our patients coming in with complaints of restless nights or overly active dreaming/nightmares. Under the lens of Traditional Chinese Medicine, this occurs because we are moving from a season of Yang energy (summer) to a season of Yin energy (Fall and then Winter).
Working from home is great in many ways - zero commute, the ability to wear sweatpants all day, etc. But it has drawbacks in terms of posture and ergonomics, especially if you end up working from the couch by the end of the day. Over time poor posture can lead to what is known as Upper Cross Syndrome, which basically means your shoulder, upper back, chest and neck muscles are out of balance, likely leading to tight muscles, pain, and possibly tension headaches. Here are five of my favorite acupressure points to release tension in your neck and shoulders and relieve tension headaches.
