If you’ve
ever endured a nerve-racking situation followed by a throbbing noggin,
it wouldn’t seem far-fetched to connect one with the other. Nearly one
in four adults reports experiencing multiple headaches every year in the United States. The World Health Organization estimates 50% of all adults have at least one headache annually. Though there are over 150 types of headaches, tension headaches are the most common and often triggered by stress. Yet while doctors might agree the two can be linked, they still don’t understand exactly how.
Brian Cole, MD,
an orthopedic sports medicine surgeon at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush
and a professor of orthopedics, anatomy, and cell biology at Rush
University Medical Center, agrees with this sentiment. “The exact reason
why stress creates headaches is still unclear. One theory is that
muscle tightness in the neck and head, which can reflexively increase
with stress, results in dull tension headaches.”
It’s
reasonable to presume a relationship between a headache and stressful
thought exists because of where the brain is located. Since thoughts
tend to be associated with the mind — which is often synonymous with the
brain — they all appear to reside in the same place. However, the
farther down pain travels in the body — further distancing itself from
the head — the murkier the relationship between thoughts and tension
becomes.
When
pain is felt, it’s usually assigned to a specific body part. Localizing
pain to a certain region inadvertently disconnects it from the rest of
the body, thus making its origin harder to pinpoint. For instance, there
is a low likelihood a medical doctor would suggest the onset of torticollis, a form of neck strain, is the result of ruminating thoughts. Linking kyphosis,
or hunchback, with depression sounds even less plausible. But are
connections like these really so hard to believe? Not according to Erik
Peper, PhD, a professor of holistic health studies at San Francisco
State University.
The manifestation of thoughts in the body
In his study, “How Posture Affects Memory Recall and Mood,”
Peper illustrates how thoughts and body tension are interrelated.
Participants were asked to recall negative memories while sitting in
slouched and upright positions. They were told to do this again, but
this time to think of positive memories. Peper’s research found that 86%
of participants reported it was easier to access negative memories when
collapsed than upright, and 87% of participants said it was easier to
access positive images while erect than hunched over.
Peper
explains, “If you are in a collapsed position, I think almost everybody
finds it harder to access or be really involved in a positive memory
and vice versa. When you’re in the upright position, it doesn’t mean you
can’t have negative or hopeless thoughts. However, if you keep that
opposition — as if you’re slightly removed from the emotional impact,
once you’re in the upright position, it’s easier to access the more
empowering and positive thoughts. Because thoughts and body are not
separate.”
The evolutionary patterns of posture are described in Peper’s book, Tech Stress, where
he examines the prevalent symbols of power throughout evolution. “A
depressed or collapsed posture is a universal symbol of constricted
posture in both humans and animals. In nature, throughout the animal
kingdom, collapsed posture indicates submission. On the other hand,
erect posture universally indicates leadership.”
But
don’t get too excited about straightening your back just yet. There is a
difference between sitting tall — which connotes length — and sitting
straight. The latter has become a well-known way to command sitting
correctly. Thoughts evoked by picturing a “straight” back might resemble
a soldier pose, the most common depiction of what “standing up
straight” looks like. Yet, if the images associated with a straight back
were truly congruent with alignment — or balance for that matter — good
posture would not be analogous to a fixed and tense figure.
The power of habit
The
desire to perform activities successfully is a deep-seated norm.
“Sitting up straight” is the perfect example of how people may
unwittingly arch backs, lift chests, pull back shoulders, and tighten
necks — namely contort their bodies — in a strained attempt to do it the
“right” way. Because the alternative — collapse — represents defeat.
A century-old method known as the Alexander technique
was developed upon the principle of unknown habits. The founder of the
technique, F.M. Alexander, was a Shakespearean actor who repeatedly lost
his voice during performances. He thought he was doing everything
right, yet his problem only worsened.
Alexander
sought the aid of medical professionals to fix his problem but to no
avail. He came to wonder if perhaps it was something he was doing to
himself that caused his laryngitis. He learned that once he stopped
repeating certain habits — such as standing soldier-like while
performing — his voice returned. More importantly, he discovered the
self-imposed pressure to perform successfully resulted in tense and
tight positioning that constricted his breathing and voice.
The
next time you sense the slightest tinge of stress — whether you’re
running late or feeling angry, frustrated, or generally inadequate —
just pause. Take note of what is happening in your body. Catching that
moment is key.
Common contributing stressors
Wanting to succeed in life is part of human nature. Social comparison theory tells us that individuals determine their own worth based on thoughts of how they stack up against others. Yet, comparison doesn’t always lead to self-improvement. For example, social media has made measuring up seem impossible as it takes a considerable toll on self-esteem and can lead to depression.
In addition to the pressure of achieving or maintaining success, Americans are notorious workaholics.
They work long hours, take few vacations, are more likely to work at
night or on weekends, and feel pressured for time. It’s no wonder
Americans are among the most stressed people in the world.
Beret
Arcaya, a master Alexander technique teacher and the founding member of
the American Society for the Alexander Technique, describes this as a
“habit of thoughts.” She says this is something we do with our brain and
we don’t have to. “You don’t have to be on that rat race. You really
don’t. But you’ve got to get conscious of when you’re doing it.”
The
way you react to each situation is a choice, though until that choice
is realized, the reaction remains a habit. When it comes to lack of
time, Arcaya explains, “You have to say, ‘Ah, I was just thinking that
way again — I don’t have any time, I don’t have any time, I don’t have
any time!’ Wait a minute. Stop and feel what happens to your breath.”
Arcaya
tells her students there may never be enough time, but that’s fine.
There might even be a way out of the rat race if you don’t react to it.
She says, “Don’t even argue with the habit. Don’t even argue with ‘I
don’t have enough time, or I didn’t have time today.’ It will make you
stay in the moment, and that will elongate the time.” In other words,
wait before responding to a stressful thought because that delay keeps
you in the present.
Psycho-physical pain
Having
taught the Alexander technique for over 40 years, Arcaya is no stranger
to human behavior and how habits present themselves as tension. A
renowned teacher, people come to her when they have exhausted all other
options to ameliorate their pain.
One
such woman came to her after suffering for years with terrible neck
pain. Doctors couldn’t find a way to help her. They didn’t consider her
stress level even though thoughts of neglect, abandonment, betrayal, and
loss consumed the woman’s life. She developed a wrenching spasm of the
neck called torticollis shortly after the passing of someone beloved to
her.
Arcaya
recalls it was way beyond a stiff neck, the woman was essentially
trapped in her pain. The pain made it impossible to eat or walk
properly, forcing her to walk sideways. It seemed the woman couldn’t
face the events of her life. Her head was turned away, and the tension
locked it there. It was as if it was all too much; she couldn’t even
look at it.
When
asked if she believed thoughts could directly impact the body, Arcaya
responded, “Thoughts and the way you think — and the whole way you are
when you are thinking — is your body tension. It doesn’t impact it; it
is it.”
See it to believe it
As past president of the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, Peper is an established biofeedback expert. His work focuses on training individuals to learn awareness and gain control of body functions through the aid of electromyography (EMG).
During a treatment, biofeedback sensors are attached to the skin to
measure the body’s biological signals that are shown as feedback that
informs and assists in health improvement.
The psycho-physiological principle
asserts that “every change in the physiological state is accompanied by
an appropriate change in the mental-emotional state, conscious or
unconscious, and conversely, every change in the mental-emotional state,
conscious or unconscious, is accompanied by an appropriate change in
the physiological state.”
Another study
led by Peper, who was instrumental in establishing the first holistic
health program at a public university in the United States, recorded
physiological signals demonstrating the mind-body connection.
A
25-year-old participant who had been playing the piano for 16 years was
asked to relax and then imagine playing a musical piece in a series of
intervals. Muscle activity was recorded from her right forearm extensor
muscles and displayed on a large screen so that other group participants
could observe. Each time she imagined playing the piano, the forearm
extensor muscle tension increased, even though there was no observed
finger and forearm movements. The physiological monitoring showed how
her body responded to “playing” only in her thoughts. When recordings of
her movement were shown later, she reported being completely unaware of
activating her muscles — especially since her forearm appeared to stay
in a relaxed position.
If
the mere conscious thought of performing an activity (such as playing
the piano) can evince body tension, what can be said about the impact of
unconscious thinking? This begs the question of what might happen to
the body with repeated thoughts of anger, resentment, and hopelessness —
or with thoughts of kindness and love.
What you can do (or not do) about your thoughts
According
to Arcaya, thoughts don’t have to become tension. She says, “We’re
always directing ourselves. We don’t realize it a lot because it is
subconscious.” She notes that direction provides a purpose toward a goal
that serves to guide or motivate. “To have conscious direction is to
take agency over your life. It’s to have self-possession. To take your
energy and decide what you will and what you will not do.”
When
thought is attached to an expectation and the outcome is unmet, the
reaction will translate into tension. That is unless the habitual
response is recognized first. The next time you sense the slightest
tinge of stress — whether you’re running late or feeling angry,
frustrated, or generally inadequate — just pause. Take note of what is
happening in your body. Catching that moment is key. Pay attention to
your thoughts. Giving yourself even 10 seconds to pause might allow you
to substantially calm your nerves and prevent you from going down a
familiar spiral that could lead to stress and pain.
Albert
Einstein famously said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same
thing over and over again but expecting different results.” A habit can
only be changed if it is recognized. Then it’s up to you to make the
choice of which direction you choose to take. You could repeat the same
habit and get the same outcome or pause and see if a new path presents
itself. Who knows, you might even bypass a headache (or two or three or
20) along the way.
