Do you need to feel better in December? It feels like time speeds up at this time of year, doesn’t it? Things are supposed to be slowing down and coming to an end but somehow that means the to-do list is doubled because everything (illogically) MUST be done before Xmas.

It can be a great time of celebration, time with family and friends. But many of us also feel stress, worry, sadness and pain during this time of the year.

If that’s you, I hope this simple technique will help turn down the volume in your body from freaked out to chilled out.

Firstly, give yourself this first Xmas gift : set aside 15 minutes each day (more if you want to be even kinder to yourself). Lie down on the floor on your back in front of a chair or sofa. Lay a blanket on the floor first if it’s hard or cold. Then put your legs up on the seat of the chair/sofa, with your knees bent. See the photo with this post for the right positioning. If the chair is hard, put a pillow on it first, then rest your legs on the pillow. You can use a pillow for your head too, if you want one, and cover yourself with a blanket if needed.

Now rest your hands on your belly and close your eyes. Let your breathing slow down. Let your thoughts drift through your mind. You can meditate or listen to music or just rest quietly.

Inverting your body like this takes all the weight off your back, hips, legs and feet, allowing them to stop resisting gravity for a while. This releases tension from the muscles, connective tissues and joints. Breathing slowly with your eyes closed communicates a message of safety through your nervous system and brain. This message of safety reminds your brain that you are not under attack. Your brain begins to reduce the pain signals it sends to the body and to reduce feelings of worry and stress. After 15 minutes your whole nervous system will be calmer and you’ll get up feeling better, ready to go on with your day. Used every day, this technique can help reduce back pain and stress.

Try it through this silly season and let me know how it goes in the comments below. As always, if you need more support at this time for pain or stress, please seek help from your health practitioner.

If you need more help for back pain, an Ortho-Bionomy session can help. Read more about my practice here and learn about the unique approach to pain relief with Ortho-Bionomy here.