Breathing
One thing you can practice both while you drive and any time during the day is BREATHING! How you breathe actually does matter for a myriad of reasons, but particularly for the mobility and health of your upper torso. When we are stressed, there is a tendency to breathe moving the upper areas of the torso involving the chest, collar bone area, and the neck. This tends to be a shallower breath that moves less of the rest of the torso and overstresses the neck and shoulders. When we are relaxed, our breath tends to allow the diaphragm to drop lower into the abdomen - letting the belly expand and contract. We often call this belly breathing and this is what is generally taught in yoga and breathwork/meditation classes. Although breathing down into the belly can allow a longer, deeper breath which in turn helps us relax our nervous system, breathing this way all the time can dysregulate the support of our core and pelvic floor muscles.
A Third component or practice of breathing is what is called Torsional Rib Breathing. This way of breathing encourages more motion throughout the ribcage itself, can allow for the neck/shoulders to stay relaxed, allows for the core muscles to stay engaged to support the upper body, and can help with tension throughout the whole back. In order to practice this, it’s helpful to use a strap or stretchy band and place it around the ribs (below the sternum and shoulder blades so that it snugs the more mobile lower ribs). Hold the strap or band snugly around the ribs and breathe in encouraging the side and back ribs to push outward against the strap or band. With this breath, we’re increasing the volume of space between the ribs. Then breathe out and pull the strap to its tightened position. Breathing in and out this way helps mobilize those muscles and joints around the ribcage.
Once you have a feel for this movement in breathing, you no longer need a strap but can practice it anytime during the day and receive the benefits of a calmer nervous system, better engagement of the core, and relief from back tension.
