Back Health Routine

Back health is very important to me because tension is one of my physical migraine triggers. Monthly massages are a staple in keeping my back, shoulders, and neck loose to relieve tightness. Due to the pandemic, it’s been quite a while since I’ve had a treatment so here are 3 ways I’m maintaining my back health at home.

Yoga/Stretching

Yin or restorative yoga helps with flexibility, relieving tension, and targeting connective tissue and fascia. I love poses that focus on my upper body, but also incorporate lower body poses so my entire body can feel relaxed. I focus on holding each pose for about 2 minutes. This really makes me feel rejuvenated and my body feels lengthened.

I do a 20-30 minute Yin session every morning and sprinkle in a strength/cardio flow a few times a week. I stretch pretty frequently throughout the day, especially if I’m watching TV. What better time to work on the body while binge watching shows? #multitasking

Back Wheels

Yes, I talk about these Chirp Back Wheels a lot. It’s almost borderline annoying how much I talk about them on my socials. The reason why I’m so obsessed with them is because they have friggen changed my life. You can read all about them here. I know you guys like them too, because you tag me in your posts and I love that you love them!

The width of the wheel fits perfectly in between my shoulder blades, which is the area where I carry most of my tension. I have all 3 sizes of wheels and use them every single day (without exaggeration). After a rolling session I feel immediate relief.

back health

Tennis balls are very handy if I have a stubborn knot or hard to reach area of tension. This works wonders for me and is definitely a deeeeeep tissue treatment. I try not to use this method for more than 5 minutes because it can be a lot of pressure. A little goes a long way (for me!).

Essential Oils

My favorite thing is applying an essential oil blend to my shoulders and neck right before bedtime. It helps me feel relaxed and helps my muscles relax (especially if I just finished stretching them).

My go-to blends are:

  1. Past Tense by Doterra -Wintergreen Leaf, Lavender Flower, Peppermint Plant, Frankincense Resin, Cilantro Herb, Marjoram Leaf, Roman Chamomile Flower, Basil Leaf, and Rosemary Leaf
  2. Deep Blue by Doterra– Wintergreen, Camphor, Peppermint, Ylang Ylang, Helichrysum, Blue Tansy, Blue Chamomile, and Osmanthus
  3. Peppermint Halo by Saje– Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Cajeput, Rosemary, Lavender, Vetiver

All 3 of these blends have a cooling effect and help soothe muscles. They are key in my back health routine and help prevent headaches, tension headaches, and full blown migraines. In addition, I always have peppermint oil as a back-up. Pure peppermint oil should always be diluted with a carrier oil before application. You can find examples of carrier oils here.

The easiest thing I can do for my health is drink plenty of fluids throughout the day and get a good nights rest!

What are some self-care routines you’ve been doing for yourself?