‘Body literacy’ might just be the answer to feeling more in tune with yourself

Forget mindfulness and ‘listening to your body’ – body literacy is all about having deep knowledge about the why and how of what your body is telling you.

We’ve been told that mindfulness is the aim for improving mental and physical health. For years, experts and influencers have told us that listening to your body’s signals – be it tiredness, pain or hunger – is important for fostering a good relationship with it.

While that’s true, it’s impossible to simply turn off the confusing messaging from the outside world and tune into your own signals. Surely, there has to be a step between those two points? That bridge could be body literacy.

“Body literacy is an understanding of how our body feels, and how we respond to those feelings,” explains Dr Rebecca Robinson, consult physician in sport and exercise medicine at health optimisation and human performance clinic CHHP. “Breaking it down, it is about observing the changes in our bodies’, learning how those link to your health, and putting it all together to understand how to harness our bodies rhythms for our own health.” 

You may also like

True health: what listening to your body really means and how to do it, according to wellness coaches

The benefits of body literacy over mindfulness

Body literacy is focused on three key stages: observing, learning and understanding. Unlike the intuitive or mindful practices that are sold to us on social media, which only encourage the first stage, having deep-rooted knowledge in not just what your body feels like, but why and how to help it is important.

“In a busy world dominated by external demands, it can be hard to focus internally. Recognising how our bodies feel – and taking steps to look after it – empowers us,” adds Dr Robinson.

But it’s not easy – our bodies really do speak their own language that takes time to learn. The reason it can feel so complex is because its messages stem from complicated processes – specifically, the nervous system and menstrual cycles. 

“Linking yourself to your sympathetic nervous system that regulates our fight or flight response can help you spot things like stress, the patterns associated with it (like craving certain foods, for example) and how we can act on these things,” says Dr Robinson. 

In fact, our sympathetic nervous system allows us, hormonally and physically, to respond to stressors – be that the need to run away from danger or cope with high-stress events or illness. “Long-term stress in all aspects of life – be that training at high volumes without adequate rest, or psychological stress – can all contribute to us becoming chronically stressed. That can actually be harmful to our overall health, so it’s important to try to recognise what the best balance is for you, what helps to relax and take the pressure off.”

You may also like

Weight lifting and the nervous system: how strength training improves our brain pathways

As for the menstrual cycle? “Every woman’s cycle is individual and can change over time, but we know that in general, reducing stress and optimising how we eat and sleep around certain parts of the cycle can improve cyclical symptoms. The awareness that body literacy gives us can be part of this,” she says.

For example, knowing when your body really needs a rest – usually in the luteal phase – and when it can push through. That can aid mental health, physical health and exercise performance. “It’s possible (and healthy!) to exercise at all points of the menstrual cycle, but knowing that your strength peaks at some points (often just after the period), or that you might feel a little tired and heavier premenstrual can help you plan your training, knowing when to rest, as well as getting the best out when you feel good,” Dr Robinson adds.

How to improve body literacy

“There’s no one fixed way of improving body literacy,” says Dr Robinson. In fact, how we relate to or tune into our bodies is deeply personal. But if you want to start, she’s shared some ways that make understanding your body’s language easier.

Menstrual cycle tracking

Dr Robinson says that one of the best ways to start learning about your body is by tracking your menstrual cycle. She suggests an app like FITRWoman, which identifies where you are in your cycle based on your reports and provides personalised training and nutritional suggestions that align.

Tracking can help you understand why your motivation or energy is low, or why you are in discomfort or pain. It means that you can take appropriate rest days or fight through tired days depending on what will actually support your hormones, rather than work against them.

Tune in to your breath

The nervous system is closely linked with your breath – and while we can’t put our nervous system under a microscope, we can very easily tune into our breathwork. Both short, shallow breaths as well as holding your breath can be a sign that you are stressed or anxious.

Spend some time thinking about your breathing patterns throughout the day – not only to correct them, but to notice your triggers. What are you doing when you catch yourself breathing into your chest rather than your stomach? Does it change depending on the time of the day, your workload, whether you’re in a meeting or staring at a screen? These things can tell you a lot about what puts you in a positive or negative mental space. 

You may also like

Breathwork benefits: 3 exercises for strengthening your breathing muscles and why they need exercising

Identify cause and effect

Much like with breathwork, finding what causes certain reactions in your body or mind can open up a whole new way of living in sync with your body. That might be a certain food, workout or bedtime routine. It sounds like a lot to make note of, so don’t think that you need to identify every single reaction at once. Rather, make a note of the habits that occur before big waves of negative or positive feelings until you can identify patterns. Alternatively, you could start noting by category – start with your nutrition or your workout schedule, then dive deeper into the nitty-gritty.

Give your body what it needs, not what it wants

A big part of literacy is being able to read between the lines. Feeling tired might automatically induce a desire to curl up under a duvet, but that might not be the energising practice you really need. Going for a run may be part of your feel-good morning routine, but that habit might not serve you when you’ve had a stressful work week. 

“Reducing stress is a huge part of body literacy, but that doesn’t mean doing nothing at all. For some it might be meditation, for others it might be a distraction. Doing these activities daily (or certainly a few times a week) is a good place to start,” says Dr Robinson. It might be groundbreaking, but it’s time to ask how much you really know about your body. 

For tips on moving well and recipes to support your fitness regime, check out the Strong Women Training Club.

Images: Pexels

Source: Read Full Article