Why being upside down is GOOD for you!

I’m not much of an acrobat, gymnast or monkey girl. Before I started practicing on the aerial hammock, I hadn’t spent much time being upside down. But recently I’ve spent a lot of time working on inverted hammock moves and I’ve learnt a few things from research that are pretty interesting. Apparently it’s really good for you to be upside down! If you’re looking for a full list of medical benefits, there are thousands of articles on Inversion Therapy, but below are two of my personal favorite benefits of being upside down:

Goodbye achy back & hello better posture:
I’m going to be honest, most of the time when I’m working I don’t pay attention to how I’m sitting or how my body is positioned. I know it’s important to practice good posture, but it often doesn’t cross my mind until I start feeling the effects of sitting poorly. I usually feel it in my upper back and in my neck, but sometimes if I’ve been sitting to the side or on one foot, I can feel it in my lower back too. There are many causes of back pain, including poor posture, weak back and stomach muscles and misalignments. Gravity works against us here. What is awesome is that inverting puts gravity to work in a good way to elongate the spine by increasing the space between the vertebrae, relieving the pressure on the discs, ligaments and nerve roots. It also aids in reducing muscle tension. All of this is awesome for me, and I can honestly say that even after only 30 seconds of being upside, I feel relief in my back and neck which is great. 

Managing stressful days:
I think that if people really knew how packed my schedule is and how much I have on my plate, they would think I’m crazy to take on as much as I do. BUT I love my life and I love feeling energized and passionate about being involved in so many things. That doesn’t mean I don’t feel stress though. Some days stress can take over and it’s important for my mental sanity to slow-down a bit haha. What I have found is that being upside down in my hammock is a great way to take a break and relax. I usually turn on some “spa” type music, do some upper back and neck stretching and then go into a basic inverted pose in my hammock and just let all the tension seep away. It’s amazing! Through research I’ve also discovered that inverting also makes it easier for our heart to get fresh oxygenated blood to the brain, it improves circulation and all of this can relate to an improved mood. Yay for managing stress in a healthy way!

Medical Source: Energy Center; http://www.energycenter.com/grav_f/benefits.html