How to Listen to your Body for Sustainable Health
Introduction
The ability to listen to your body is essential to embarking on a journey towards lasting health in today’s world where we are often encouraged to ignore our intuition and physical cues. Learning to listen to your body is a practice I’ve been cultivating for a decade, and it remains a priority today. This article explores what that means and how you can start listening to your body to take care of your well-being.
What does it mean to listen to your body?
Listening to your body means cultivating attentive awareness of your body’s needs in each moment, then responding to them with kindness. This intuitive practice will help you understand and make decisions based on your internal signals, rather than overstepping your limits. The more present and receptive you are to these important signals, the more effective your journey to health will be. In fact, simply cultivating intentional awareness of your body can improve:
- – Emotional regulation
- – Attention span
- – Self-acceptance
- – Brain functioning
- – Compassion
- – Stress management
- – Anxiety or depression
Plus, when you do what’s right for your body, rather than forcing yourself to do something that isn’t, you’re often more consistent because you enjoy the experience. This leads to better long-term results and greater self-confidence.
5 ways to listen to your body
Now that you understand the importance of listening to your body, here are five practical strategies I’ve used to listen to my body and respond to its signals every day.
1. Ask questions and scan your body for answers
Give yourself a moment each day to sit down and ask yourself: “How am I feeling and what do I need right now?” Then, before moving on to the next task on your list, act according to your body’s needs. Here are some examples :
– I’m tired, so I’ll have a snack, take a short walk, then return to my computer feeling more refreshed and ready to work.
– I’m full of energy and want to move, so I’m going to do a 15 minute workout with Lindywell right away, while the kids are at school. That way I won’t have to worry about it when they come home.
– I’m feeling some tension in my neck, so I’ll do some circles and stretches to relieve that discomfort before driving to the store.
In your busy life, it’s easy to neglect these basic bodily needs. The good news is that listening to your body and responding to its needs doesn’t necessarily disrupt your day. It might just mean taking a few minutes to stretch or take a walk, which will likely make the rest of your day much better.
2. Observe your body’s reactions to certain emotions
Emotions manifest in the body, including the cardiac, respiratory, nervous and gastrointestinal systems. I know I often feel anxiety in my chest or stress in my head. You may be able to remember the areas of your body where you commonly feel your emotions as well. Becoming aware of these emotions and focusing on where you feel them in your body can make it easier to calm these intense reactions and get you back into balance quickly.
The next time a strong emotion arises, be curious about where you feel it. A contraction in the throat? Heat in your cheeks? Tension in the forehead? Sweating under the arms? Nausea in your stomach? A fast heartbeat in your chest? Then visualize sending love, calm, or peace to that area of the body while breathing slowly and deeply until you regain balance. You might be surprised how quickly the emotion passes compared to times when you try to ignore it. In fact, according to Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, it only takes 90 seconds to go through an emotion if you stop, identify it, and simply maintain your awareness of that emotion. Instead of letting this persistent anxiety haunt you all day, let it go in this moment!
3. Practice mindfulness during meals
Bring mindfulness to your meals to start developing more awareness of your body. The idea is simple: when you eat, slow down and pay attention to your senses. What does it smell like? How does it taste? What is the texture? Do you hear cracking or slurping noises? By practicing this, even for just one meal a day (eating with kids is probably not the easiest time to practice this, but maybe a solo lunch), you are training yourself to slow down and listen to your body . It can also make it easier to perceive hunger cues that indicate you are full or want another portion; a skill that most of us have lost. Additionally, mindful eating can reduce stress, promote digestive health, increase body acceptance, and limit emotional eating behaviors.
4. Choose your workout based on your body’s needs
Your workouts are most effective when they match your current energy level, endurance, and time capacity, which vary from day to day. One morning you may wake up motivated to do a 30-minute weighted Pilates workout, while the next day you’re craving a gentle 15-minute afternoon stretching session. This is completely normal for women, and that’s why syncing your workouts with your cycle can be really beneficial. If you don’t have a cycle, you can still choose your workouts each day based on your body’s needs. Before you start a workout, take a break and ask yourself what type of movement feels most good at the moment. Do your legs feel strong and ready for a challenge? Or do you want a slower movement? Additionally, ask yourself: Do I have extra time or do I need to do something quickly? Choose your workout based on these answers. Lindywell members can easily meet what their body demands (and their schedule) because we offer over 300 workouts, both gentle and challenging, lasting from 10 to over 30 minutes . As a member, you’ll find the training you need, no matter the season or length of time available. Start your 14-day free trial to get instant access to all of our workouts, plus guided breathing sessions and nourishing recipes!
5. Dedicate time alone to connect with your body
When was the last time you thought of your body as a friend you can connect with, rather than just a vehicle…
Conclusion
Listening to your body is an essential skill for taking care of your health sustainably. This involves cultivating a careful awareness of one’s needs and responding with kindness. By asking questions, observing your body’s reactions, practicing mindfulness and choosing appropriate workouts, you can begin to create a conscious and positive relationship with your body. So take the time to connect with your body, listen to it and respond to it with love and compassion. Your health will benefit enormously.
FAQ – How to listen to your body and take care of yourself?
1. Why is it important to listen to your body?
Listening to your body is essential to maintaining a sustainable health journey. This allows us to understand and make decisions based on our internal needs, rather than exceeding our limits. By paying attention to these important signals, we can improve our emotional regulation, attention, self-acceptance, brain function, compassion, stress management, anxiety or depression.
2. How can I start listening to my body?
A practical way to start listening to your body is to take time each day to sit down and ask yourself: “How am I feeling and what do I need right now?” Then, take actions based on your body’s needs. For example, if you’re feeling tired, have a snack, take a short walk, then come back to your computer feeling refreshed and ready to work.
3. How can I manage my emotions through my body?
Emotions manifest in the body, including the cardiac, respiratory, nervous and gastrointestinal systems. When you feel an intense emotion, become aware of where you feel it in your body. Then visualize sending love, calm, or peace to that area while taking deep breaths. This practice can help you calm intense reactions and regain emotional balance more quickly.
4. How can I be more mindful during meals?
Pay close attention to your meals to create greater awareness of your body. Slow down and focus on your senses while you eat. What are the smells? What does it taste like? What is the texture? By practicing this for even one meal a day, you practice slowing down and listening to your body. It can also help you recognize fullness cues and avoid emotional eating.
5. How do I choose the right workout for my body?
Choose your workout based on your energy levels, endurance and current schedule. Listen to what your body is calling for before you start a workout. Do your legs feel ready for a challenge or do you prefer a slower movement? Do you have enough time or do you need to train quickly? Choose your workout based on these answers.
