| Did you know the psoas muscles are one of the hidden factors of fatigue? Why is this? Your adrenal glands and kidneys are next to these muscles in the body. In Chinese and Japanese Bodywork Practices Kidney Deficiency is linked to imbalanced psoas muscles and adrenal overstimulation which affects the kidneys adversely. An imbalanced psoas has a direct effect on this deficiency by pressing against these organs and making them work harder. |  |
The psoas muscles are vital, contributing to your overall health and well-being in a multitude of ways. There are contributing physical factors for tight psoas muscles. If you sit for long periods of time, sleep with your knees drawn up to your chest, or even do sit-ups on a regular basis, your psoas muscles may be tight or too contracted.
What you may not realize is physiological reasons aren’t the only consideration when understanding the cause of tight psoas muscles. Because these muscles are so tied to our fight or flight response the psoas can contract from an emotionally stressful situation. This is a fascinating physiological response.
Stressful situations make the adrenal glands release a hormone called adrenaline which rushes to the heart and to the psoas muscles simultaneously. Adrenaline tells our bodies to fight, flee (run) or freeze. Over time a continued pattern of the adrenals constantly telling the psoas to contract and run can create imbalances both in the musculature and in the adrenals glands themselves creating chronic fatigue. When you are continuously stressed, the psoas muscles stay “on guard” constantly because the adrenal glands talk to the psoas telling it to stay ready to run or fight. With constant stressors, the psoas muscles are tense and ready to go, every second of the day. This means they never fully relax. This creates extreme exhaustion in the body if it has to be "ready" at all times.
Additionally, these muscles create a surface on which your kidneys and adrenals rest. When these muscles are not optimally balanced, it can contribute to feelings of exhaustion because it's pressure on the organs overstimulates them..
So chronic stress causes tense muscles, which then imbalance your adrenals, which then causes chronic tiredness, which then contributes to more stress. This is a vicious cycle. The psoas also affects the flow of lymph throughout our pelvis. Improper lymph flow is associated with headaches, migraines, hormone imbalance, chronic fatigue, thyroid issues, and depression. It’s a roller coaster of pain and dis-ease that is difficult to stop without intervention of some kind.
There are things you can do to assist with a psoas/adrenal imbalance.
Reduce your stress.
The best thing you can do for many physical problems is to reduce the stress in your life. Go through your schedule and ask if this event or activity is really necessary in your life right now. If not. remove it. Also, remove yourself from unnecessarily stressful situations and even toxic people in your life. It's important to be around healthy and loving people in order to have viable relationships.
Start a regular meditation practice that utilizes muscle relaxation techniques..
Stretch your body before you ever get up in the morning like a cat. Breathe down into your lower belly and ask yourself how you can make this area softer and easier. Focus in on that softness and then make it even more soft. Do this for 5-10 minutes every morning and you'll be surprised at how effective it is to help create more balance in your body.
Work through unprocessed emotions through the body..
Use somatic body awareness to process through anything that has been emotionally upsetting to you. Unprocessed emotional trauma can be a cause of chronic stress and fatigue. The body does not differentiate between physical and emotional pain. It reacts the same to both, by shutting down and becoming tired. Utilize somatic therapies that can help you through blockages that are in your way.
Work with a professional who understands the Chinese & Japanese Meridian System as well as Somatization in the body.
Activating points in the Chinese and Japanese Meridian System can allow your body to release trauma, stress and begin to regain the balance that has been lost. By combining specific acupressure points and somatic awareness it can bring both physical and emotional balance back to the body.
Practice Yoga.
You don't have to spend a lot of money or time with yoga. Go to youtube and look for mindfullness meditation, somatic movement and gentle yoga videos. Even 10 minutes a day can help tremendously. These gentle forms of yoga are really some of the best for stress and chronic fatigue. Make sure you find gentle and relaxing yoga. We want to relax the body not overstimulate it with an aggressive yoga workout.
Take time for yourself. Play, laugh and enjoy your family or friends.
If you have few friends or your family does not live close by. You can still get out and play in nature, play in an art gallery or just do something that feeds your soul. Relax, breathe and have fun.
I hope you find this both informative and helpful. Until Next Time,
Kim M. Green, Founder
www.advancedtherapyinstitute.net
Kim is the Founder and Senior Instructor at Advanced Therapy Institute of Touch. She teaches laypeople and professionals alike advanced bodywork techniques which utilize Somatic Trauma Release therapies, Japanese/Chinese Practices and rehabilitative forms of bodywork such as Integrative Meridian Therapy, Massage, Reflexology, Cranio-Sacral Therapy & Lymphatic Drainage. She loves teaching practitioners to assist their clients in releasing long-held chronic injury, traumas or somato-emotional patterns that reduce a persons ability to enjoy their lives fully. At ATIT, we believe "All Things Are Possible!"
What you may not realize is physiological reasons aren’t the only consideration when understanding the cause of tight psoas muscles. Because these muscles are so tied to our fight or flight response the psoas can contract from an emotionally stressful situation. This is a fascinating physiological response.
Stressful situations make the adrenal glands release a hormone called adrenaline which rushes to the heart and to the psoas muscles simultaneously. Adrenaline tells our bodies to fight, flee (run) or freeze. Over time a continued pattern of the adrenals constantly telling the psoas to contract and run can create imbalances both in the musculature and in the adrenals glands themselves creating chronic fatigue. When you are continuously stressed, the psoas muscles stay “on guard” constantly because the adrenal glands talk to the psoas telling it to stay ready to run or fight. With constant stressors, the psoas muscles are tense and ready to go, every second of the day. This means they never fully relax. This creates extreme exhaustion in the body if it has to be "ready" at all times.
Additionally, these muscles create a surface on which your kidneys and adrenals rest. When these muscles are not optimally balanced, it can contribute to feelings of exhaustion because it's pressure on the organs overstimulates them..
So chronic stress causes tense muscles, which then imbalance your adrenals, which then causes chronic tiredness, which then contributes to more stress. This is a vicious cycle. The psoas also affects the flow of lymph throughout our pelvis. Improper lymph flow is associated with headaches, migraines, hormone imbalance, chronic fatigue, thyroid issues, and depression. It’s a roller coaster of pain and dis-ease that is difficult to stop without intervention of some kind.
There are things you can do to assist with a psoas/adrenal imbalance.
Reduce your stress.
The best thing you can do for many physical problems is to reduce the stress in your life. Go through your schedule and ask if this event or activity is really necessary in your life right now. If not. remove it. Also, remove yourself from unnecessarily stressful situations and even toxic people in your life. It's important to be around healthy and loving people in order to have viable relationships.
Start a regular meditation practice that utilizes muscle relaxation techniques..
Stretch your body before you ever get up in the morning like a cat. Breathe down into your lower belly and ask yourself how you can make this area softer and easier. Focus in on that softness and then make it even more soft. Do this for 5-10 minutes every morning and you'll be surprised at how effective it is to help create more balance in your body.
Work through unprocessed emotions through the body..
Use somatic body awareness to process through anything that has been emotionally upsetting to you. Unprocessed emotional trauma can be a cause of chronic stress and fatigue. The body does not differentiate between physical and emotional pain. It reacts the same to both, by shutting down and becoming tired. Utilize somatic therapies that can help you through blockages that are in your way.
Work with a professional who understands the Chinese & Japanese Meridian System as well as Somatization in the body.
Activating points in the Chinese and Japanese Meridian System can allow your body to release trauma, stress and begin to regain the balance that has been lost. By combining specific acupressure points and somatic awareness it can bring both physical and emotional balance back to the body.
Practice Yoga.
You don't have to spend a lot of money or time with yoga. Go to youtube and look for mindfullness meditation, somatic movement and gentle yoga videos. Even 10 minutes a day can help tremendously. These gentle forms of yoga are really some of the best for stress and chronic fatigue. Make sure you find gentle and relaxing yoga. We want to relax the body not overstimulate it with an aggressive yoga workout.
Take time for yourself. Play, laugh and enjoy your family or friends.
If you have few friends or your family does not live close by. You can still get out and play in nature, play in an art gallery or just do something that feeds your soul. Relax, breathe and have fun.
I hope you find this both informative and helpful. Until Next Time,
Kim M. Green, Founder
www.advancedtherapyinstitute.net
Kim is the Founder and Senior Instructor at Advanced Therapy Institute of Touch. She teaches laypeople and professionals alike advanced bodywork techniques which utilize Somatic Trauma Release therapies, Japanese/Chinese Practices and rehabilitative forms of bodywork such as Integrative Meridian Therapy, Massage, Reflexology, Cranio-Sacral Therapy & Lymphatic Drainage. She loves teaching practitioners to assist their clients in releasing long-held chronic injury, traumas or somato-emotional patterns that reduce a persons ability to enjoy their lives fully. At ATIT, we believe "All Things Are Possible!"
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