Managing Stress with an Understanding of Torso Lengths

The title of this article may sound a little crazy, but your torso and leg lengths reflect both a response and a solution to stress based on your comfort level. When you push beyond what is comfortable for your physical body, you can start to drift, lose focus and your attention span is shortened. When you identify your structure and honor it, life gets easier.

 

Let's start with long legs and a short torso. You have a higher center of gravity and are more comfortable SITTING. If you have to be on your feet for long periods of time during the day you will become physically uncomfortable and feel stressed. If you are really interested in what you are doing, you can force yourself to be up and about. But at the end of the day, you will want to crash, sit, relax, watch TV.

The opposite structure is short legs and a long torso. You have a lower center of gravity and are built to MOVE. To sit still for long periods of time can feel like torture for you. You can get nervous and squirmy when you are not allowed to move.

A client of mine, Jeff C., came for a kinesiology session with the label of ADHD (Attention Deficit Attention Disorder). Typically at the end of the day, he would find himself tired, lacking focus and unable to help his wife around the house. Jeff had long legs and a short torso. He owned a custom framing business and spent the entire day on his feet, both helping customers and framing pictures. I suggested that he get a stool to sit on throughout the day, allowing his physical body to be more comfortable and therefore, allowing for greater focusing, as well. Making that small change for Jeff allowed him to come home from work at the end of the day with more energy and the ability to help his wife with some of the household chores.

Those of you who have "squirmy' kids - check out their leg lengths and torso lengths. You probably already have an idea who needs to move to stay focused and who needs to have more time sitting. Help them stay true to their nature.
If you feel that your torso is neither long nor short, you have the advantage of a more balanced body. There will be times when you need to get up and move to relieve stress and other times sitting down, putting your feet up and relaxing will revive you.

For all torso lengths:
Tune into your body this week and become aware of your comfort level with all of the activities that you are involved with. Get to know what you need to do to prevent overwhelming your body.

* What time of day is most stressful?
* Can you think on your feet or do you need to sit?
* Do you need to move at certain time intervals?
* Do you force yourself to go beyond your comfort level?
* Are you willing to accept and respect your needs?

Sometimes it is the simple things that we do for ourselves that makes a big difference in how the day goes. Determine your torso/leg length structure and give yourself the gift of being true to your comfort zone. You will feel more connected and focused and have more energy to spare at the end of the day.