As many of you know, I struggled with pain in my hands over the past couple of years that made it hard to work on my creative projects. Many have asked for updates along the way, and I can now say that I'm doing a lot better.
On my journey to healing I explored a lot of different explanations and had several professional examinations. I did have a theory that the pain might be connected to the tension in my shoulders and neck, which I've had more or less chronically since childhood.
The turning point
A short phone call with a manual therapist in a different part of Norway changed everything. She suggested that the pain in my hands, my shoulders and neck could all be caused by a shallow breathing pattern. I started sobbing uncontrollably after our conversation. I think my body was telling me that I was on the right track this time.
I found a digital course in breathing, and learnt a simple technique that I have to repeat for a couple of minutes several times a day. To my amazement, I noticed that the tension in my body gradually withdrew. Here is a Ted talk by the woman who hosted the course, she explains everything very well.
As long as I remember to take time to breathe throughout the day (it can be surprisingly easy to forget) I can prevent tension to build up in my body. I have much less pain in my shoulders, neck and hands, and I can enjoy my creative projects again.
On shallow breathing and anxiety
A quicker breathing is a part of our fight-or.flight response to perceived threaths, as it provides more oxygen to the muscles (source). A person who is often anxious (like me) may therefore develop a quick and shallow breathing pattern, as opposed to long, deep breaths.
What's interesting is that shallow, quick breathing can in turn cause us to feel more anxious. This creates a viscious cycle, where our anxiety causes a breathing pattern that triggers even more anxiety. By practicing a slow breathing pattern, we can actually reduce the sense of anxiety in our bodies, signaling to our nervous system that we are safe.
Practicing slow breathing can release a lot of tension and emotion that has built up in our bodies. It has been quite a cathartic experience for me.
Letting our hands rest
I have also learnt the importance of letting our hands rest. If you start noticing how much you use your hands throughout the day, it's easy to understand why they might call for a break. Perhaps letting our hands rest can be a reminder of self kindness in a busy world.
For an artist, this might mean taking breaks from creative work as well, something I find quite challenging. My hands are always itching to get busy with a drawing project. But I have learnt the importance of listening to my body, and I am simply not able to create tirelessly for hours on end anymore.
Working out and stretching helps a lot too, as well as getting a good night's sleep and keeping my stress levels low. When it comes to stress management and sleep quality, slow breathing has once again become one of my best helpers.