The Vicious Cycle of Tension

The Vicious Cycle of Tension

Our muscles have to work all day and need a break at night to recover. If we fail to relieve and relax our muscles during the night, this strain will sooner or later lead to tension-related pain.

The Problem

When lying in a poor, twisted position in bed, the body tries to correct this unnatural position through muscle tension. Since we hardly move during the deep sleep phases at night, we do not consciously correct an unfavorable sleeping position during the night. Since the body remains in this unnatural position, the back muscles try to correct it through tension. This excessive strain leads to tension, which later causes pain. A painful, heavily strained muscle, in turn, tenses up even faster, and the increasing tension in turn intensifies the pain. Thus, the vicious cycle of tension is set in motion!

Tips:

• Relax before going to sleep. The more relaxed we are when we fall asleep, the less pain we’ll feel when we wake up.
• Stretching exercises and massages relax the muscles and help break the vicious cycle.
• Strong muscles perform better. Train your muscles, but do it right! Put yourself in the hands of a fitness trainer who specializes in back pain.