There are times when you find yourself bumping into things or almost falling over for no apparent reason. You feel like you’re losing your balance.
It must be because you work on a computer for hours, that you forget you have a body while you sit in front of a computer for long hours.
Studies have confirmed that our physical and mental health are intimately intertwined. It directly influences our body, our state of mind, our emotions, thoughts, and beliefs. This strongly affects the processes associated with physiological well-being.
These issues can often be solved with a little body awareness. Read the full article to know how you can connect with your body.
What is Body Awareness?
Body awareness is how knowledgeable you are of your body and connected to it. It is also known as kinesthesia or awareness of the position and movement of body parts related to muscles and joints.
These include the proprioceptive system, which shows where and how muscles move, as well as the vestibular system, which consists of the organs of the inner ear that are involved in spatial orientation. The vestibular system helps maintain balance, posture, and head stability. If you feel dizzy, your vestibular system may be affected.
Awareness of the body can also extend to your body’s signals. If you find yourself hungry, thirsty, or tired, train your body consciousness.
Benefits of Body Awareness
Balance and stability
The main benefit of body awareness is a strong connection between your mind and body. Once you know and feel where your body is, you can instruct it to do what you want.
Weight management
Body awareness can help you manage your weight. Studies show that people with low body awareness are more likely to eat when they are not hungry, which is associated with a risk of obesity.
Pain management
Body awareness can also relieve pain with a careful approach. People who used mind and body interventions showed a higher level of consciousness and connection to their bodies. This increased self-acceptance, and vitality and reduced sensory pain.
Improved mental and emotional well-being
It can be stressful if proprioception and the vestibular system do not process the right information from the environment. The perception of the body gained by balancing the vestibular system and the proprioceptive system can reassure both your body and the world around you.
Physical exercises for body awareness
Several exercises can increase body awareness. Especially when the exercise is combined with an intentional awareness of body parts and sensations.
Balance exercises
Improving balance is a way to activate both the proprioceptive system and the vestibular system, thereby raising the body’s awareness. Balance exercises are as easy as walking straight or standing on one leg.
Yoga
Yoga is the most practiced form of body awareness exercise. It’s a spiritual practice that helps connect the body, mind, and mind. Most importantly, it gives you a first-hand experience. An opportunity to listen to your body.
Tai chi
Tai chi is another practice that is safe and effective for beginners. It’s an ancient Chinese practice that involves safe, deliberate movements and breath. It helps you sleep better, improves mood, and gives mental peace.
Walking backward
Walking backward may sound funny at first but it is a great way to improve body awareness. Walking backward helps you connect with your body in a new way and relate differently to your movement. It also engages with muscles that are not used as regularly as those in normal walking.
Yoga Nidra
Yoga Nidra is a practice of relaxation. It’s like meditation, where you can smooth out the rough parts of your mind and experience a more peaceful and comfortable life. In the yoga tradition, it is described as “psychic sleep,” or putting the body to sleep while the mind remains awake.
A word from the doctor —
Body awareness-related exercises can be helpful for people who’ve recently been injured or had surgery, or have a developmental or neurological condition.
Simple exercises, mindfulness, and focused therapies can all help you deepen your connection with your body.
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