Your Body Has “Check Engine Lights” Do You Know What They Are?
Note: I am a licensed massage and yoga therapist. I am not a medical doctor. All of this information is anecdotal from my experience in my own body and professional relationships with my clients. Take what you like and leave the rest.
I have two medical devices that will literally ring alarm bells if my blood sugar goes out of range. One of the few silver linings of having a chronic illness is that I am very fine tuned into my body. I manage my pancreas on top of everything else in my life. Since my diagnosis as a type 1 diabetic fourteen years ago, I have not only learned what a skyrocketing or plummeting blood glucose feels like, but also the bits of information my body gives when she is uncomfortable, in pain, or needs a rest. Bodies whisper until they have to scream. Mine has become a loud talker.
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I realize not everyone has a device to tell them when their body needs. We all have “check engine lights”, or clues our bodies need attention or some rest. We might need some guidance and curiosity to notice them. Over a decade of teaching yoga, just under a decade of being a licensed massage therapist, and six years of practicing yoga therapy, I have noticed now subtle and not-so-subtle ways people’s bodies communicate.
We are trained socially, especially those assigned female at birth, to downplay our own needs to keep the social peace. Our brains filter our necessities or desires into what we think will be less inconvenient towards the other person or party. I can’t tell you how many times I am massaging someone and they flinch. I ask if it’s too much pressure and they tell me it’s fine. I reassure them that they can tell me what they need. They then admit it was too much. Bodies don’t lie. I also have no blame for these individuals- I too have suffered through intense massages, conversations and situations I did not want to be in. I also learned that the more I ignored my body, the more pain I would be in. She would get louder and more obvious so I would hear and adhere to her.
I have gathered data from over a decade of listening to myself and observing others to share some whispers (subtle cues) and screams (overt cues) that many bodies display when they need a break. This is by no means an extensive list. Bodies can share their needs in many ways. The list below are the most common signals I’ve noticed.
Also- please know that there is no moral failing if you experience these cues. In the wellness community, there is often an idea that pain, discomfort or sickness means you “did something wrong”. You did nothing wrong. Pain and discomfort are simply information. Hopefully these clues will be a welcome permission to take rest when you need it. Within these lists, I will share some yoga therapy “prescriptions” on how to implement more rest and kindness towards your body.
Whispers (subtle cues):
Jaw Clenching. Sometimes folks don’t realize how tight their jaw is until I massage it or ask them to tune into it in yoga therapy. This is a very common stress response and breaking this habit might relieve other pain areas in the neck and head. Your jaw muscle, the masseter, is one of the strongest muscles in your body and can affect surrounding muscles with chronic engagement. This is often experienced as a tight neck or tension headaches. Yoga Therapy Prescription: Stretch, massage and deep breaths, specifically Lion’s Breath. Breathe in through your nose and exhale out of your mouth with your tongue out. If you laugh- even better. You may need to talk, sing, write or express yourself creatively. You might not be sharing your truth with someone, this could be yourself.
Hand or Foot Clenching. This one became very clear when I started working with Stroke patients. It is common for individuals in this population to have tight muscles on one side of their body, especially the limbs. With stretching and massage, the muscles can relax a bit but quickly can tightened up again with stress or discomfort. After seeing this with that my patients, I noticed this subtly in more able-bodied folks, myself included. When I feel stressed, focused, or in pain, one or both of my hands curl in. This is a reflection of the nervous system. You may notice this in your hands or feet, too. The information from our brains or the area of the pain travels all the way to the ends of our nerves, which is our hands and feet. In the neurotherapy clinic I work in, we say the hands are the “first responders” to stress. Yoga Therapy Prescription: When you notice this response in your body, open or relax your hands or feet and take a deep breath. This may be a clue that you are not in your body. Maybe take a minute to stretch, attend to the discomfort, take a break or get some nourishment.
Holding Breath. The breath is a wonderful indicator of what our mind is doing. Often hyper focus, pain, distraction, or discomfort all can result in holding breath. The breath is also a wonderful tool to shift your experience. If you are tired, take a bigger breath in to increase your energy. Bodies already do this with yawns! If you need to soothe your nervous system, increase the length of your exhale. Yoga Prescription: When you notice you are holding your breath, Take a deep inhale through your nose, then exhale making a shhh sound. This will calm your mind and bring you back into presence.
Tummy Troubles. Our bodies love to converse with us through our bellies. When is comes to too much movement or not enough movement in our digestion, our bodies are trying to say something. From a yoga lens, too much activity (diarrhea) means we need to slow down and not enough activity (constipation) means we are holding onto something. Either way, the yoga prescription is to rest more. Again, without judgement or moral implications, observe if you need tot take some time to yourself and feel your feelings. Eat foods regularly that nourish you. Be kind to yourself. Obviously if this becomes more of a problem, go to a doctor.
Screams (overt cues)
Migraines or Chronic Pain. When your body starts to get loud, they have likely been trying to tell you to slow down for a long time. I will continue to repeat that this is not a moral failing if you experience this. I truly hope you wouldn’t take your pet or child getting sick personally. Do not take your body getting sick personally. They are a being you get to care for and this is how they are expressing their needs. Yoga Prescription: Intentional and regular rest. I know this can be challenging with a full and busy life- and it is so important to center rest and joy as much as you can. Is it possible to take breaks in the day? What is an activity that creates lightness for you? Can you delegate parts of your life that create stress?
Flare Up of Chronic Symptoms. On a more personal note, I know my life is becoming unmanageable when my blood sugar is unmanageable. I see this with my stroke survivor patients and their pain or symptoms increase. I see this with clients in recovery fixating on using or wanting to control their bodies. Knowing our tendencies is so important to see when our “check engine lights” are flashing. Meeting these symptoms with kindness is key. Yoga Prescription: Ask for help. This might be a clue that you have too much on your plate. Maybe a friend, loved one, helping professional or doctor can offer help or support in relieving your symptoms.
Caring for your body is like caring for a pet or loved one. They need food, rest, movement, play and connection. Just as you would pack a snack for your child or take your dog for a walk, your body also needs regular tending to. By integrating these practices into your day and you will both be happier. The “check engine light” signals are a gentle reminder to tend to your body’s needs.
Please add your experience or questions in the comments below. I would love to know how your body tells you they need a rest.
I am a practicing yoga therapist and help people connect to themselves as they are. If you are looking for guidance in caring for your body, you can book a session with me or learn more here.
