Does anyone else find themselves with their shoulders up, for no reason?

Posted by Rob1150@reddit | GenX | View on Reddit | 8 comments

I will find myself just sitting on the couch, and my shoulders will be tensed up.

[-]

Bitter_Kiwi_9352@reddit

Also - your tongue is currently touching the roof of your mouth.

Let it fall and see how more relaxed it feels.

[-]

Rob1150@reddit (OP)

Well, I was eating, so mine wasn't. But I get the idea.

[-]

All the time. I have to focus on relaxing them. As soon as my attention is turned to something else, they'll tense up again. Trying to sleep with tense shoulders, even after doing some meditation, is a challenge.

[-]

BigMoFuggah@reddit

Stress

[-]

steelthumbs1@reddit

I think it could be a state of unobserved anxiety and habit. I work as a massage therapist and most every client describes this situation. (“I think I may be the only one who has their shoulders up to their ears.”) I think that it has roots in one’s breathing patterns (holding breath, shallow breathing). The lack of oxygen increases the levels of carbon dioxide in the blood stream which leads to increased levels of stress. (Fight, Flight, Freeze etc)

Habit is our way of managing stress in the moment. The pattern as I see it is to tighten up, hold our breath and complete the task. Do this enough & it becomes “normal”.

I suggest to clients to breathe in a little bit more than you normally would. What this does is to move beyond our perceived barriers of “normal”.

This may describe your experience or just part of it. Just my thoughts.

[-]

Comedywriter1@reddit

This usually only happens to me at work.