Geeky wellbeing favourites: June 2023
On pain and mind–body practices, plus the usual science highlights
The first time I tried a toe stretch, about 15 years ago when I first started practicing yoga ‘seriously’, I thought it was the most horrible, painful thing possible. Now, overall, I’d say I have a high pain tolerance, but that felt like the equivalent of some sort of medieval torture. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, it’s the pose when you kneel with your toes tucked under, and sit back on your heels, basically stretching the whole of your foot.
These days, I teach it fairly regularly, and if I’m being good and actually stretching after a run I will also include that as part of my stretch. It no longer feels horrible, just a little uncomfortable, the kind that you can simply breathe through and try and relax into.
I think this is an example of increasing pain tolerance through yoga and other mind–body practices – there is some research showing that yoga practitioners have higher pain thresholds than controls. Given how subjective pain is, and how at least part of it is our interpretation of it, this stands to reason.
Now I write this from a place of privilege as I’m lucky enough to not live with chronic pain, bar my tension headaches/migraines (which I know are stress- and cycle-induced). But, as I watch relatives go through old age and live with a lot of pain, I am hopeful that this yoga-derived conditioning will make any pain I experience in the future a little more bearable.
Has yoga or other mind–body practices helped you with living with pain?
5 things to engage with this month
Read
Being more physically active increased pain tolerance – have a look at this article, which describes the latest research on this topic.
Pain is a mixture of mind and body – new research is looking at whether your beliefs about where your pain stems from influences how effective particular interventions (like CBT) are.
Listen
Yoga practitioners have higher pain tolerance than controls, likely through using techniques like breathing and leaning into the pain rather than avoiding it. Listen to the whole podcast on stretching or scroll to ~1.51 to hear about this research.
And if you want to know a little more about why this might be (and how it’s linked to interoception, ie the ability to sense what’s going on inside the body), then check out this podcast on interoception, emotions and pain – also debunking myths about how we store pain in our body (which drives me nuts every time I hear it) and discussing the mind–body origins of pain.
Practice
Speaking of pain, or rather discomfort tolerance, how about some yin?
Mind–body science highlights
Not recommended for the treatment of hot flushes
Ok, I know this is going to be controversial, but the latest update of the North American Menopause society has not recommended yoga, breathing exercises or mindfulness as non-hormone interventions for hot flushes in women who are going through menopause. This is based on the strength of the available evidence. Do note that CBT is recommended, so they haven’t only gone for medication. I should say though that, as we know, most studies in yoga and similar practices are not that great, so it doesn’t mean that there is no effect, but that the currently available evidence does not support their use.
Yoga could help with period pain
This article combines the available studies on yoga for dysmenorrhea, ie period pain. It concludes that yoga could be beneficial here – this includes physical postures (asana), breathing exercises (pranayama) and yoga nidra. Of interest is to look at the postures that have been investigated in the different studies; the author suggests that they may help to promote blood flow in the pelvic floor region, although other mechanisms are also discussed. But, as mentioned in the intro, this might also have to do with the psychological part of the pain.
What do yoga teachers know about high blood pressure?
This is quite an interesting qualitative study looking at yoga teachers’ knowledge and experience of yoga and high blood pressure, in the UK. There are no huge surprises here – most teachers know a little bit about it, know that there are some benefits, but haven’t received much training (unless practicing in a therapeutic way) beyond knowing what contraindications are and don’t feel super confident in adjusting the practice for those living with high blood pressure.
From the blog
I promise to start posting again soon – my other writing project is close to completion! Here are some posts to explore meanwhile.
Let’s talk about pain – My review of the research on yoga and pain.
Yin yoga, not just about the fascia – I would put yin high on the pain tolerance training scale, and here are some (quite old) thoughts on how it might work
Can handstands make me happy(ier)? – How strength training may actually increase our wellbeing
Until next month!