Whenever I’m really sad it feels like either heartburn, or this “tightness” or something just below my sternum.

Also Creamsicle says he’s sorry for making a dumb post. Here’s a picture of him with a noodle on his head.

Btw I take him to the vet when he eats cat food because that’s Gregory’s cat food. I tell the vet he got into some chocolate so they’ll give him an emetic and maybe he’ll decide the cat food isn’t worth it and there won’t be a next time, but he’s an idi—GOD DAMNIT CREAMSICLE COME BACK HERE.

”Yay!”

  • chickentendrils [any, comrade/them]
    ·
    7 months ago

    meow-hug Stress, poor sleep, and a bunch of related stuff for a lot of people will manifest as a literal tightening of muscles. Existing imbalances caused by things as mundane as desk work are exacerbated. Exhausted brains are happy to bend over and use the low back to lift a heavy box and tons of other inappropriate biomechanics. It adds up over weeks.

    If you can't immediately address the root causes, you can "roll out" tight muscles with a tennis ball or similar, wrapped in a towel or pillow case, between your body and the floor or a wall. There are videos online of people who can demonstrate it much better than I can describe, and it's remarkable how much of a difference it made for me to feel out muscles that I'd never learned how to use. I don't think I've had a particularly sedentary or active life, probably more active than average in the US. I think a lot of people probably would benefit from what is essentially physical therapy...