There are many reasons why we tense, among them acute and chronic pain, a sudden startle response, acute fear as well as chronic anxiety, acute and chronic stress, connective tissue disorders that lead to hyper-mobile joints and being cold!

The underlying reason in all these situations is the protective function of our autonomic nervous system. It initiates a response to real or perceived stress or threat and is meant to de-escalate, when the threat is over.

There are times when tightening our muscles is necessary and intentional. Muscular strength is required in many sports and professions, as well as when opening a jar of pickles that doesn’t want to budge. This use of the muscular-skeletal system tends to be conscious, coordinated, adapted and restricted to the intended activity.

I want to shed some light on the involuntary tensing, that can happen almost “reflexively” below our conscious awareness.

The autonomic nervous system regulates bodily functions that contribute to our survival by driving instinctual behavior. If it perceives a stimulus as life threatening, it mobilizes actions that are aimed to protect us from harm. In that sense, tensing muscles is part of the fight-flight-freeze response; stress hormones cause certain organs to shut down, while others get oxygenated. One of those energized organs is the muscular system that prepares to run, punch or ‘play possum’.

For some added fun and if you are brave, watch this one minute YouTube video of the Hognose Snake playing dead.

So, why do we tense outside of life threatening situations in daily activities like driving a car or washing dishes? As humans we all have experienced physical and emotional stress. We rely in life on familiar acquired operating instructions that form our individual melange of pushing, narrowing, hiding, overriding, etc.

These reactions are old, not as old and reliable as the autonomic nervous system, but sometimes as old as we are. Since they are largely unconscious, what can we do? Well, we need to become conscious! We can slowly unlearn our old reaction patterns and change the way we respond to stimuli. Let’s start with the stirring wheel, the gas pedal and the kitchen appliances.

It’s actually fun to discover more about yourself!