Article: What Feeling Stuck Does to Your Body

"In Western medicine, we don’t tend to connect our physical issues to our mental or emotional states. We’re trained to look at isolated organs or focus on mechanical issues such as diet and posture, instead of asking, “What do you think you’re holding in your gut?” or “What else in your life isn’t working?”

We can also easily find ourselves stuck psychologically, often due to trauma. Our brain feels as though it’s in a loop sometimes because it actually is—we’ve found a well-trodden neural pathway and dug in deep.

We seem to have a deep unconscious knowing that life is supposed to move. This is what makes it so obvious when things are not moving—even if we don’t yet know what to do about it. All life needs to move.

Though our bodies perform autonomic movement processes, it’s important for us to move consciously, as well. A longitudinal study on physical activity and longevity found that even ten minutes of brisk walking daily is associated with a longer life expectancy. Any doctor will tell you that exercise is essential for moving through stress and depression because it signals the brain to release feel-good hormones and that it has profound benefits for physical health in both the long and short term. This is backed by research from around the world indicating that some of the longest life spans are found in cultures where people’s lifestyle forces them to walk every day. Exercise helps not only the body but also the mind. It has remarkable positive effects on mood, as well as cognition. It’s essential that we integrate movement into our lives.

There are many factors at play here, but to a large extent, much of what the science suggests is simply logical. Stillness promotes tension. And when we hold tension in our body, we restrict our circulation, digestion, and nervous system, making it harder for our body to get nourishment."

Read the full article on Time

✨Takeaway: Feeling stuck in life can manifest physically and emotionally. Our physical and emotional health are interconnected. The body responds to emotional states, and this can affect physical health.

✨Reflection: Have you ever felt stuck in life? If so, have you ever tried taking care of your physical health to get unstuck?

#Health #Exercise #Wellness #Movement #MentalHealth

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