Guide · body · 3 min read
Releasing tension you did not notice you were holding, without the usual nonsense, if you have done this a hundred times
By mid-afternoon most people are holding their shoulders, jaw and hands without knowing. Here is a two-minute check.
Start here
Every point here is written so that a bad week is still enough to manage it.
If you have done this a hundred times, change one small thing tonight.
If you only do one thing from this page, do the first point below. It is first because it removes the most friction for the least effort.
What helps
Change position every thirty minutes rather than trying to find the perfect posture. There is no correct way to sit for eight hours.
Check whether your tongue is pressed against the roof of your mouth. It usually is.
Uncurl your hands. If you have been typing, your fingers are probably still curved around an invisible keyboard.
What to do when it does not work
Drop your shoulders by a centimetre. Not a shrug in reverse — just let gravity do the work.
Stand up and walk to another room once an hour. Not for exercise — just so your body remembers it has legs.
Start with the jaw. Let your back teeth part slightly. Most people hold their jaw closed all day and only notice at night.
Questions people ask
Do I need a standing desk?
Only if you will actually change position. A standing desk you stand at for four hours is no better than a chair you never leave.
Why does my jaw hurt in the morning?
Often clenching or grinding during sleep. That is worth mentioning to a dentist, who will recognise it immediately.
Written for people who want the practical version. No accounts, no tracking, no newsletter wall.
If this is not the angle you need, try Releasing tension you did not notice you were holding — a realistic guide, if you are fitting this around other people, Breathing exercises that help during panic — what actually helps, when you have already had a long week or Using your body to come down after something stressful — explained without jargon, when the day has been loud.