Excruciating migraines, incapacitating spine pain, and utter lethargy are some of the conditions that may befall ordinary healthy people once stress piles up gradually during long hours on desk sitting and sometimes exercise itself. Muscle tightness is probably one of the greatest overlooked effects resulting from modern life. Well, unless massaging by some professional is completely ruled out, there are a few rather simple things that can relieve muscle tension safely at home.
PMR
Progressive muscle relaxation starts from the toes and works into the face by tensing and releasing each muscle. Teach the brain to differentiate between tension and relaxation. Tension in this case would mean putting some muscle group in tension for 5 seconds and letting it go afterward.
Heat
It seems that heat has been the oldest and greatest method for loosening stiff muscles. Epsom salt mixture in warm water or heating pad will facilitate a gradual increase in the supply of blood to the affected areas, while oxygen, nutrients, and organic acids will also be there and will help loosen or unwind muscle fibers.
Diaphragmatic Breathing
In PMR, alternately each muscle group from the toes to the face will be tensed and relaxed. Rather, it should be made consciously and just contract any muscle for about five seconds, then let it go.
Self-Myofascial Release with a Tennis Ball
Put the tennis ball or lacrosse ball against any “trigger point” on your back, glutes, or feet, and apply some pressure onto that ball by leaning against a wall or the floor. The pressure straight away works as deep tissue therapy for fascia knots.
Hydration
Water is the primary composition of muscles. Therefore, anything less than ideal hydration will work against the muscle, cramping or locking it up. What needs to be done, therefore, is that water flows to it by ensuring that one drinks well throughout the day.
Magnesium Supplementations or Sprays
Magnesium is the mineral of relaxation for the muscles. One of the most commonly found deficiencies is low serum magnesium level, which usually causes chronic muscle tension. Sometimes spritzing on magnesium oil during the intake of extra magnesium from outside, particularly from green leafy vegetables like spinach or almonds, could aid in relaxing too active muscles.
Foam Roller
Foam roller rolling your legs and back over foam rollers for sometime is a self-myofascial release type. It works connective tissue that surrounds the muscle and smoothens out a few things. Slightly painful while working, but we will enjoy it afterward.
Micro-Pause at the Desk
For every thirty minutes on that computer: chest opener, interlace fingers behind the back, pull shoulders down and back. Computer use almost all day long shall not be placed by this position at risk to the upper back and neck as that position counters it and prevents the buildup of tension.
An Ice Pack for Angry Muscle
For angry inflamed muscles, heat is good for chronic stiffness but cold is what you need here. Crying for 20 minutes applied ice treatment will reduce the inflammation and numb the pain; afterward, this muscle injured and high-toned, likely hot and swollen, can be treated with warmth.
Importance of Good Sleep
Most muscle repair and restoration occur during good sleep. Thus, any time when a person is unable to sleep, then the body is stressed out and hence transferred to the muscle stress. Good sleep promotes muscle relieving of all tension.
