I am a very visual person, and while I love me a good metaphor, I am always seeking the literal interpretation, if one exists. So I was happy to discover a very valid and anatomically sound explanation behind the yoga mantra of “creating space” during poses and stretches.
Turns out, “creating space” isn’t just a metaphor! A closer study of the body’s anatomy reveals that this is exactly what you are doing when you stretch in yoga… create space in your muscle fibers and your body as a whole.
This realization also led me to the answer for my question: “When is the best time for me to practice yoga?” I had been debating if I should do it immediately after I wake up? Mid-day? Before bed?
But consider this: What’s the first thing an animal does when it wakes up in the morning? They stretch! And there is a physiological reason for this (one that leads me to believe that I need to be stretching upon waking as well!)
When animals stretch first thing after sleeping, they are literally creating space in their fascia, keeping their bodies healthy and flexible.
According to Mind Body Green blog:
“Fascia is connective tissue that’s found all over the body. Western science and medicine has largely ignored the role of the fascia in good health; but because it’s found literally head to toe, it’s something worth taking note of, and the role that it plays in your overall health.
Healthy fascia, composed of layers of collagen and elastin, is smooth and slippery, so that it can “glide” and move. When your muscles are stiff, it’s because something is causing the fascia to meet resistance. That something is referred to as “fuzz”, which is actually a growth of sticky cobweb-like collagen fibers that solidify the muscle, making movement difficult. This fuzz forms during periods of long inactivity, such as when we are sleeping, watching a movie, on a long car trip, or when we don’t exercise. As the fuzz builds up and knits together, what was once muscle stiffness can turn to a limited range of motion.
Your range of motion won’t be the only thing impacted. According to Dr. Frank Lipman, an internationally renowned expert in integrative medicine, tightened fascia can lead to other health problems, eventually squeezing nerves and veins, which may stop areas of the body from getting much needed nutrients.”
Yoga is a great way to free yourself from “the fuzz” that accumulates after periods of inactivity, like sleep. When we stretch the fuzz breaks up and disperses. You are literally moving the collagen fibers that knit together and causing them to let go of each other, allowing the muscle to move freely and quite literally “creating space”!
Knowing this, I am going to add a 1 minute stretch to my morning routine, immediately after rising. After I’ve made my morning rounds of weighing in, taking my supplements, making coffee and journaling, then I will do my full yoga practice for the day.
And moving forward, whenever I am on my yoga mat, I will be mindful that “creating space” in my body aren’t just metaphors – they are the literal actions of what is taking place in my body on a cellular level!
CURRENT STATS
Start Weight (May 15, 2020): 201 pounds
Current Weight (May 23, 2020): 193.6
Total Pounds Lost (Since May 15, 2020): 7.4
Pounds Left to Lose to Reach Goal Weight of 130 pounds: 63.6
Interesting post Gingi! My dog used to stretch every morning when he woke up and after resting for long periods of time. Stretching does help with mobility. Have a great week!
It feel so good to stretch, I don’t know why we don’t default to doing it ourselves more often! I am trying to be much more mindful of making time for things that are good for my body. <3