Alexander Technique Scientific Research

Is there any Alexander Technique Scientific Research?

Many people are beginning to ask this and yes, there is. These days, more people expect scientific credibility, not word of mouth recommendations and referrals. Published scientific research into the Alexander Technique has increased greatly over recent years. Anecdotal reports that the AT can help a wide range of conditions are at last being supported by scientific evidence. Once this happens, bodies such as the NHS are more willing to acknowledge the Technique as being bona fide and a useful resource. This is really good news for anyone wanting to know about the effectiveness of taking Alexander lessons.

I mention some of the larger Alexander Technique scientific research projects here and will add to this as new research is published.

STAT Research Group

Gradually, a body of Alexander Technique scientific research is being built up, both in the UK and internationally. The Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique, STAT, has a dedicated Research Group which promotes new research and disseminates existing research.

I only mention some larger research projects here but there are many more studies on topics such as balance, ergonomic skills, musical performance, postural tone and wellbeing. These are listed on the STAT website, and Alexander Studies Online.

The First Major Study – ATEAM Research Trial into Back Pain

The first major scientific paper was published in the BMJ by the ATEAM Research Trial which was funded by the Medical Research Council and the NHS Research & Development Fund

This compared three treatments for chronic backpain: Massage, Exercise and the Alexander Technique. Gratifyingly, the greatest improvement was shown in the subjects who had Alexander lessons. This study led the NHS to being prepared to state that ‘lessons in the technique may lead to reduced back pain-associated disability and reduce how often you feel pain for up to a year or more‘. I was pleased to be one of the participating teachers in this research and you can read more about it in my article here.

BMJ 2008;337:a884 2008

Alexander Technique and Idiopathic Parkinson’s Research

Another randomised controlled trial recognised by the NHS, shows that the Alexander Technique is likely to lead to a sustained benefit to people disabled by idiopathic Parkinson’s disease. This study was funded by STAT

Additionally, the trial provided evidence that the Alexander Technique group was comparatively less depressed post-intervention, on the Beck Depression Inventory, and at six-month follow-up had improved on the Attitudes to Self Scale.

Randomized controlled trial of the Alexander Technique for idiopathic Parkinson’s disease.

Volume 16, Issue 7 2002.

The NHS website says ‘there is evidence that…. lessons in the (Alexander) technique may help you carry out everyday tasks more easily and improve how you feel about your condition‘. This is certainly born out in the article written by one of my AT pupils who has Parkinson’s.

The NICE guidelines also suggests that medical professionals ‘Consider the Alexander Technique for people with Parkinson’s disease who are experiencing balance or motor function problems’.

ATLAS Research Trial for People with Chronic Neck Pain

This large clinical trial has been followed by smaller studies and papers evaluating the use of the Alexander Technique for helping people with chronic neck pain. The trial was funded by Arthritis Research UK.

The results of the ATLAS Trial provides evidence that Alexander Technique and acupuncture can be effective long-term treatments for chronic neck pain. Participants who had AT lessons had improvements in pain levels and associated disability, plus developed greater self-care and self-efficacy skills., compared to the usual care alone.

The NHS states that ‘lessons in the technique may lead to reduced neck pain and associated disability for up to a year or more’

European Journal of Integrative Medicine Volume 17, January 2018, Pages 64-71

Alexander Technique Science

This is an important group of UK and US scientists and Alexander teachers who promote ‘Peer-reviewed Research on Mind, Movement, and Posture’.

Their website is devoted to ‘improving scientific understanding of the Alexander Technique, its principles, practices, reported and demonstrated benefits, and terminology.’ The research fields relevant to the Alexander Technique that they develop, focus on the areas of Motor Control, Biomechanics, Neuroscience and Psychology. Their research has been published in various scientific journals.

Ven diagram

‘Several disciplines are relevant to Alexander Technique, with motor control being the most relevant’ Alexander Technique Science

Alexander Technique Science also runs courses in order to develop understanding, discussion and international collaboration on scientific research into the Alexander Technique.

https://www.alexandertechniquescience.com/

Even Alexander Teachers Can Have Arthritic Hips

Yes, Even Alexander Teachers Can Have Arthritic Hips

The Alexander Technique is sometimes thought of as a ‘cure-all’ but of course it isn’t. However, using the AT can help people manage and alleviate a wide range of conditions, which has been my experience with arthritic hip problems. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease of your joints, which become painful and gradually stiffer. One of the main causes of osteoarthritis is overuse of the joints and another is genetic factors. Of course aging and general wear and tear also contribute. Several members of my family had arthritis and my brother has also had a hip replacement, so genetic factors probably contributed to my developing osteoarthritis.

Forcing a stretch can cause problems

My own story of hip problems started at the age of 5 when ballet lessons came into my life – I didn’t know it then, of course. I enjoyed dancing but always struggled to get a good ‘turnout‘, the outward rotation of my legs and hips, which is an essential part of classical ballet technique. If I sat cross legged, my knees were always up in the air, and could not drop down. Not a big problem aged 5 but by the age of 8, ballet was getting to be a serious part of my life, so more effort was made to make me more supple and ‘stretchy’.

Aged 11, ballet became very serious, when I was accepted to train at the Royal Ballet School (White Lodge), where trying to increase my flexibility became a constant battle. Unfortunately, the term ‘battle’ is appropriate as I was always trying to force myself to stretch. I was an anxious and tense child, who found boarding school hard. I wish I had been learning the Alexander Technique at that point and had learned to calm myself and also to yield to a stretch. Quite often my mother, or a teacher, would push down on my back or my legs to increase my range of movement there. No one mentioned that the shape and angle of the femoral neck as it links to the hip socket, would determine how far, or how little, I could achieve a good turnout. Trying to force my body to stretch probably contributed to my having back ache, a strained Sacroiliac joint and eventually, hip joint problems.

I became able to do the splits, as can be seen in the photo below and I could sit on the floor with straight legs and my head on my knees. I increased the amount I could bend backwards and raise my legs in the air. But my increased flexibility was hard won and my hips and turnout only yielded a little. I was used to my muscles aching but I wasn’t aware of what might happen to my bones. No-one mentioned the fact that some hip joints are shaped in such a way that they will never allow the legs to ease into a good turnout, or lotus position. But I kept trying…

Hilary King Doing the Splits in Welsh National Opera’s Bartered Bride, 1965

Penguin Walk

I developed a balletic gait, with my feet turned out as I walked – a ‘penguin walk’ as we called it. In walking like this, the outward rotation of the leg went right up into the hip joint as well. This habit stayed with me long after I stopped dancing in my late thirties but was greatly modified when I started having Alexander lessons. Thirty odd years of having been trained into an unhelpful habit, does make it far more of a challenge to change! I can still relapse into a modified version of this habit. Dancing and moving in this unnatural way for so many years impacted on my body and probably contributed to arthritis developing in my hip joints. Arthritis is one of the conditions that many ballet dancers develop over the years. (Understanding hip pathology in ballet dancers: Yash Singh et al 2022)

I first noticed some hip joint pain when I was in my late thirties, doing a psychology degree as a mature and very stressed student. I had a 2CV car with a bucket seat which tipped backwards and the seat sloped back and down, so my knees pushed in towards my hip joints, which began to hurt. Fortunately I had been having some Alexander lessons by then, so I was able to help myself in several ways.

Letting go tension habits required practical and attitudinal changes

I realised I had a habit of tensing my legs and contracting them in towards my body when I felt stressed. This was more marked as I used the car pedals. To change the angle of my legs as I drove, I sat on a cushion. I also had another at my back, so I sat in a more upright and balanced position. In my AT lessons, I learned how to drive the car more freely and to avoid contracting my legs tensely in the car. I gradually developed an easier manner and was able to be less fraught and tense when sitting for hours writing essays and looking after two young children.

My walking gait changed, so I could walk in a more balanced way with more parallel feet. My old sacroiliac problems eased and my hip pain went away for many years. Other huge bonuses were that my college work improved and I started getting higher marks – plus I could manage my stress better and I was calmer with my children, which they appreciated!

Osteoarthritis Diagnosis

It was another thirty odd years before I noticed my hips causing pain again, so I am grateful to have been able to use the Alexander Technique over the years, which helped me slow down the degenerative changes. Eventually, however, my left hip felt as if it was getting rusted in! It ached after walking any distance and during the night, so it constantly disturbed my sleep. It was time to be referred to a consultant. The Xray revealed moderate to severe osteoarthritis and a date for a total hip replacement was put forward.

Once again, all the awareness and skills I have gained from using the Alexander Technique was invaluable to me during the period up to the operation and afterwards through my recovery. But more about that later….

A useful book for anyone wanting to help themselves with hip issues, has been published by an Alexander teacher in the US. Rodiger: Mind and Mend your Hips. Better Hip Health by Ann Rodiger

Alexander Lessons have re-started in Harringay

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I am pleased to say that Alexander lessons have re-started in Harringay, as from Tuesday 18th June.

I was silent for a while, as I was recovering from having a hip replacement operation. My many years of training and being a ballet dancer seriously impacted on my hip joints and made them more vulnerable to wear and tear over the years. More about this later…

My recovery went really well, thanks in large part to my being able to use the Alexander Technique to help me. I was able to apply AT awareness to using crutches, to learning how to climb stairs with a leg that didn’t really work and then, to regain a wide range of movements in a balanced and, gradually, a freer manner. Of course, I also applied my understanding of AT to practicing my physio exercises as well as I could.

What a joy it was to return the crutches to the hospital and another pleasure, and relief, was when I could again climb up onto my Alexander table, to lie on it and work on myself. I could begin to look after my hard-working back and legs again. Such a wonderful resource to be able to use!

Alexander Lying Down Procedure – Brilliant for Aiding Recovery!

It was gratifying to hear physios and medics commenting on my good posture and the speed with which I could walk well. I hope they heard me when I told them that using the Alexander Technique has really helped me.

The experience has been a steep learning curve. Over the years, I have helped many people who have have had accidents or were healing after surgery. This latest personal experience, will enhance my ability to help others in their recovery process. It is with great pleasure that I can say ‘Alexander lessons have re-started in Harringay’.

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Love your hands! Love them

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Beloved by Toni Morrison

Beloved is a Pulitzer Prize winning book and the latest we are reading in my book group. I will not attempt to discuss this remarkable and brilliant book about enslavement but there is a section that I wish to quote.

Love yourself and your flesh

Baby Suggs has been praying, surrounded by a group of escaped slaves who had been dancing in a secluded woodland glade. She talks of the cruelty of the slave traders towards her people ‘Yonder they do not love your flesh’ ( I have not included those parts here) and she passionately tells her community the way in which they can begin to heal themselves.

‘In the silence that followed, Baby Suggs, holy, offered up to them her great big heart… She told them that the only grace they could have was the grace they could imagine….

In this place , we flesh; flesh that weeps, laughs; flesh that dances on bare feet in grass. Love it. Love it hard… Love your hands! Love them. Raise them up and kiss them. Touch others with them, pat them together, stroke them on your face…. You got to love it, you.. This is flesh I’m talking about here. Flesh that needs to be loved. Feet that need to rest and to dance. Backs that need support; shoulders that need arms, strong arms I’m telling you…. So love your neck; put a hand on it, grace it, stroke it and hold it up… and all your inside parts…. hear me now, love your heart. For this is the prize’

Self Care

The Alexander Technique is described as a form of self care but too often it is just seen as a way of ‘fixing a problem’. For instance, research has shown that the AT helps back and neck pain. It’s also known for reducing tension and improving our posture. Lesser understood is that it is also a way to help us accept ourselves as we are, to love and care for ourselves in a way that allows us to blossom and grow. These qualities are harder to research scientifically, so it hasn’t been proved. However, Morrison’s words resonate deeply with the essence of AT work. This deep love and respect for ourselves is also incorporated into the Psychosynthesis Therapy training that I did.

Love your hands!

What a difference it makes to someone struggling with the pain of RSI for instance, if they include the idea of loving their hands. We can get annoyed with ourselves and our hands if we have RSI! But annoyance merely increases the tension and then the pain. Loving our hands allows a different way of dealing with the problem and will enhance our Alexander lessons. Healing is likely to take place more quickly if we are kind to ourselves.

Toni Morrison said that in her book Beloved “The conceptual connection is the search for the beloved – the part of the self that is you, and loves you, and is always there for you. Her words are well worth absorbing into our awareness so that we can begin to embody them. This will surely help us to heal and live our lives more richly.

Alexander Technique Helps Me Manage Parkinson’s

Research into Parkinson’s and the Alexander Technique

Scientific Research Trials into Parkinson’s and the Alexander Technique found that AT lessons are likely to lead to sustained benefit for people with Parkinson’s disease. These findings support the experience reported by my pupil in the article below. Also, the NHS states: ‘lessons in the technique may help you carry out everyday tasks more easily and improve how you feel about your condition’.

Alexander Technique Helps Me Manage Parkinson’s

Parkinson’s Diagnosis

I heard about the Alexander Technique some years ago from my piano teacher who suggested that it could help me to improve my posture and to relax more when playing.

When I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 4 years ago, after developing a tremor in my left arm and hand, I decided to follow up on my piano teacher’s recommendation.

Group Lessons Followed by One-to-One Lessons

I began with group lessons led by Hilary which demonstrated the potential of Alexander to help me manage my condition. I moved to having individual Alexander lessons with Hilary in which I have benefited enormously from her sympathetic, practical and clear support. She is always responsive to my particular needs.

Benefits of Having Alexander Lessons

As a result of my lessons with Hilary on the Alexander Technique:

I have learnt how to relax my mind and body quickly, any time any place – for example standing on the tube; sitting in the theatre; playing the piano.
This not only helps to reduce my Parkinson’s tremor – it also has a more profound calming effect on my whole nervous system, improving my confidence and general ability to cope.
My posture in walking, standing and sitting, and my general self-presentation have all improved.
I am more aware of, and, through the Alexander Technique, have the ability to correct bad habits – such as hunching over the computer and stiffening the neck and shoulders in response to stress.

Alexander Technique is Integrated into Everyday Life

A great advantage of the Alexander Technique is that it does not require any special equipment or time at the gym. It is integrated into everyday life, shaping how we sit, stand, walk and rest.

I have no doubt that the Alexander Technique is playing a significant part in helping me manage my condition successfully. While it was my diagnosis of Parkinson’s that led me to Alexander, my experience suggests that the Technique can contribute to the mental and physical well-being of anyone, of any age with any health issues – or none.

Helen Forrester CB November 2022

The Alexander Technique is a Skill for Life

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Teaching for over 35 Years

Back in 2022 I reached a milestone, having been teaching the Alexander Technique for 35 years. I am grateful that I’ve been able to help hundreds of people over this time. Also, the Alexander Technique has been such an invaluable asset for me and it really is a skill for life. Not only is my work something that I love doing (and pays my bills) but it also helps me personally whilst I teach it. How does it do that? In order to convey the idea of Alexander work through my hands as I touch clients, I need to simultaneously think about my own body use. If you like, I also give myself an Alexander lesson. The AT is a great example of self-care and lifelong learning.

Hilary teaching at the UEL Wellness Day on 18th Nov. 2014

Alexander teachers think about our own body use whilst teaching others

Self-Help Skills

Over the years, the Alexander Technique has been a wonderful tool I have used to help myself. When I started learning, as a mature student and single parent doing a degree, the AT helped me manage my stress levels and a back injury I had gained as a teen during ballet training.

Some years after I qualified as an Alexander teacher, I had a major operation followed by a long period of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, CFS. Being able to use the technique aided my recovery. It helped me pace myself and to avoid getting into lots of unhelpful habits of body Use whilst being so depleted.

Do You Experience Shoulder Tension?

Another example of how the AT can help me personally is during the act of teaching. Most people experience shoulder tension at some time and many pupils come to me hoping to reduce theirs’. I am far more likely to help them if I can let go of my own tension first, by working on myself. So I need to be aware of my own habits of misuse and constriction, then let these go, so that my hands do not communicate my tension to the pupil.

As I teach I think about my own body use. I remind myself to let my movements be free and easy, so I avoid creating tension as I work. Consequently, I look after myself at the same time as I help someone else. As a result, the quality of my teaching is improved and I protect myself from developing strains. It really is a win-win situation!

Learning the Alexander Technique Gives You a Skill for Life

Learning the Alexander Technique helps us become aware of our unhelpful habits and then we aim to avoid getting into them them during our activities. By using our thinking and applying the AT in our lives, we reduce strain and move more easily. Gradually this becomes a way of life.

I recently went to a concert and was pleased to meet a musician who had been my client about twenty years ago. He had come to me with shoulder problems associated with playing the violin and had found the AT very helpful. It was really affirming to hear him say ‘Alexander work has stayed with me all this time. I still think about it and use it on a regular basis’. When people like him take responsibility for their learning and apply what they learn, they can gain a skill they can use throughout their life. It is important to remember that the Alexander Technique is a form of learning, not a treatment.

Alexander Technique Introductory Books

There are an increasing number of excellent books on the Alexander Technique and its application to many aspects of our lives. A good number may be found in my bookshop. One introductory book happens to be called ‘The Alexander Technique: A Skill For Life’. Author Pedro Alcantara obviously agrees with me!

A Skill for life

This testimonial shows that when people take AT on board, it really can give them a skill that can last for decades.

“I learned AT from you for a year and a half around 1991. I have recently resumed Alexander lessons with a former student of yours… and it has been wonderful to rediscover all the things I learned from you… I have never entirely forgotten what you taught me and the muscle memory and other memories keep coming back…. after 30 years”

Hypermobility Syndromes

Joint Hypermobility Syndromes

The term Joint Hypermobility Syndromes, JHS, refers to the condition where a person’s joints are unstable because their ligaments are weak and loose (‘hyperlaxity’) and they may have poor muscle tone. This means that joints tend to bend beyond the typical movement range. The Alexander Technique can help people with this and many of the other problems associated with joint hypermobility syndromes.

There are a number of diagnostic terms used to describe the various manifestations of the condition. For these terms and further information on joint hypermobility syndromes visit the Hypermobility Syndromes Association, HMSA

Joint hypermobility can be a heritable disorder. It can also develop through repetitive stretching as can be seen in dance, yoga and athletics training.

Asymptomatic Hypermobility

Roughly 1 in 10 people have some level of hypermobility but only some would call themselves ‘double-jointed’. Like many conditions, hypermobility syndromes come over a wide spectrum, from minimal to severe enough to be disabling. However, most people experience very few problems and they have ‘asymptomatic hypermobility’.

This child’s arm shows classic signs of hypermobility in her elbow joint

Several members of her family are also hypermobile.

Symptomatic Hypermobility

A smaller number of people have ‘symptomatic hypermobility’. Symptoms include:

Joint instability and hyper extension. This can lead to subluxations and even dislocations
Constant pain, with a tendency towards sprains and strains
Poor proprioception, balance and coordination. People often have flat feet and feel rather clumsy
Thin, stretchy skin that bruises easily and takes a while to heal
Bowel and bladder problems
Autonomic disfunction with dizziness and fainting, particularly when standing up quickly. (PoTS) . they may also have poor temperature regulation
Chronic fatigue

Some Signs of Joint Hypermobility

This photo shows some mild joint hypermobility in the shoulders, elbows and thumbs

Hypermobility Syndromes and the Alexander Technique

Alexander lessons can help many people with hypermobility issues, particularly those to do with proprioception. Gaining more sense of where our body is in space can help improve our coordination, balance and confidence. Learning how to reduce tension can also reduce our pain and help improve energy levels.

I personally have taught many pupils with general hypermobility syndrome. One pupil could stand with his body facing me but have his toes pointing behind him! An interesting example of unstable joints and hyperlaxity. I have also taught clients with Ehlers Danlers Syndrome, EDS, and Marfan Syndrome, MFS, which are two of the more severe forms of JHS conditions.

The NHS Consultant Rheumatologist Dr Philip Bull FRCP, who is on the HMSA Medical Advisory Board, is a great advocate of using Alexander Technique lessons for hypermobility patients, often alongside Physiotherapy. He has seen how hypermobility syndrome patients are helped by learning the Alexander Technique and has written articles on the topic. Dr Bull states that ‘patients with hypermobility found it particularly helpful; some even life changing’ .

You may read and download Dr Bull’s article about Hypermobility Syndromes and the Alexander Technique here.

Have You Noticed Your Reactions When Taking a Covid-19Test?

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What is your reaction when you think of having to take a Covid-19 Test?

I was surprised to notice my reactions when taking a Covid-19 Test today. I have taken dozens of Lateral Flow Tests, yet still have a low level of anxiety at the thought of taking a test!

What is your reaction when you see a Covid -19 Test?

My anxiety reactions were more obvious recently, after I discovered I had been in contact with someone who’d tested positive. I had a sinking feeling deep in my belly and my back and neck muscles tightened up. Despite my being multiple vaccinated, still being very careful and wearing masks occasionally, I do still worry that I may catch Covid.

I thought I was relaxed about Lateral Flow Tests but noticed I tensed up merely at the thought of needing a test. My reactions were stronger when I recently had to have a PCR test as well. Thankfully it was negative again.

I have taken regular tests for my teaching and I can get a bit blasé and fall into end gaining. When I do this, much of my awareness can vanish. ‘Let’s get this out of the way’ sort of reaction kicks in. I often tighten my neck and jaw as I wipe the swab around my nostrils. Do you notice doing that and if so, can you choose not to? At least with the newer test kits, we don’t have to wipe our tonsils as well. I had to be very thoughtful doing that, to avoid tightening my neck as I looked at my throat in the mirror.

Waiting for the Test Results

If I go into automatic or anxious mode, I tend to curl down to peer at the test cassette. Firstly, in order to drop the liquid into it, then to read the results. That is not looking after my neck or back! Why do I contract down, rather than using an easy folding movement? Also, why do I rush to set the timer, to tell me when to check the results? Rushing does not help in any way. Have you noticed how you react when you perform Covid-19 tests?

It is interesting to be reminded of how old unhelpful habits tend to return under stress

Preparing for My Next Test

So next time, I will pause briefly before getting out a Lateral Flow Test and will aim to avoid that unnecessary tension and end gaining. Being more aware should help make the testing process easier, more comfortable and less stressful. After all, I’m going to have to take many more in the future, so let’s make it a more positive experience!

Alexander Technique Offer for Junior NHS Staff

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Alexander Technique lessons offer for NHS nurses and junior doctors.

Alexander Technique lessons offer for nurses and junior doctors: 10% reduction. Just contact me using an NHS email address. More senior Doctors and Consultants are of course welcome to have Alexander Technique lessons but are now charged the usual rates for these.

During lockdown, I offered all NHS staff six free online Alexander lessons as a thank you for their dedication and hard work during the COVID-19 pandemic. I am pleased to say that several doctors and midwives took up that offer.

I am registered with both STAT and the CNHC and have an enhanced DBS certificate

Online lessons usually take place on Zoom

The Constructive Rest Lying Down Procedure

Learning the constructive rest (or lying down) procedure, for instance, gives us a tool we can use to relax, reduce tension and pain, plus recharge our batteries. Using this procedure daily can help us avoid burnout through stress and overwork, whilst reducing problems such as back pain. Is is such a refuge!

In lessons, we also begin to recognise our habits of body use that cause us problems. When we learn to let go of unhelpful habits and reactions, we can move and act more mindfully in the world, enhancing our wellbeing.

Testimonial from a GP

You may like to read a testimonial from a student of mine, a GP and amateur musician:

“A very committed and experienced teacher

“As an amateur musician with problems of tension getting in the way of performance, I was delighted to discover that (Hilary) had experience with helping musicians, but I can thoroughly recommend her to musicians and non-musicians alike. She is a very committed and experienced teacher. I have found it fascinating to explore with Hilary the more general applications of the Alexander technique. This has led me to some important insights about the relationship between my mind and my body… An excellent listener, she is able to focus on whatever problem I bring with kindness, encouragement and gentle hands-on expertise. She always strives to find the root of issues of bad use of the body, with suggestions on how to work on them… When it is time to leave, I always feel revitalised both in mind and body. Dec 2018. “

Martha ~ Doctor and Musician

Contact me If you are an NHS staff member, please use your NHS email address

What Goes on Under the Mask?

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So We’re Back to Compulsory Mask Wearing!

What is your reaction when you think of having to wear a mask again when you go into shops? For myself, there is little change, as I often wear a mask in crowded places. However, many people have stopped doing so for a while, so things will be different for them.

Some form of mask wearing is likely to be with us for a while, so it will be useful for us to notice which of our mask-related habits are unhelpful – then we can avoid them.

The Mask!

What is your reaction when you think of having to wear a mask again? Do you accept masks, as a protection for yourself and others? Or do they trigger anxiety and maybe seem claustrophobic? Or perhaps you feel angry that you have to wear one? Whatever your thoughts, there will be a corresponding physical reaction, often expressed as some sort of tension. We are all, as individuals and as societies, developing new behaviour patterns and habits as a result of Covid-19. It’s an interesting social phenomenon that we are all adapting to.

Initially, in 2020, I was quite anxious every time I needed to wear a mask, as it highlighted the fact that Covid-19 was dominating our lives. I probably frowned and I definitely tightened my jaw. My breathing was restricted and I often breathed through my mouth. Some early masks sucked in over the nose each time I inhaled, which didn’t help. I felt I couldn’t get enough air. I often tensed my neck and shoulders because it felt risky going out to do shopping. It was all part of my reacting with a ‘Covid crunch’ as I call it.

Added to all the Covid problems, I’d moved house just before lockdown and this intensified the sense of isolation and strangeness. Old ways of doing things felt unsafe and needed to be done differently. Too many changes happened all at once and that can be very stressful!

How do You Smile in a Mask?

I realised that if I smiled at someone, it couldn’t really be seen, so new strategies of communication were required. Exaggerating my eye movements and expressions were one way but sometimes this felt awkward and tense. Nodding my head to say hello was another strategy.

Talking can be problematic too as I needed to project my quiet voice more strongly, so that I could be heard clearly. Voices become muffled through masks, so hearing people can also be difficult.

How often do you see people straining to talk, pushing their head and neck forwards in order to hear and be heard? This doesn’t help much , especially if you having to wear masks for long periods whilst working. Some people end up with sore throats, croaky voice and a blocked nose.

Some of these problems can be avoided if we let go of our unhelpful habits of tension. These days I am more aware and less reactive to masks. But do you know what your reactions are?

Experiment

Why don’t you try an experiment? This is the sort of this we explore in Alexander lessons. Masks are always worn for face to face lessons but one of the nice things about online lessons is that we don’t need to wear masks! However we have to do so for many occasions, so let’s explore your relationship with masks.

1 Go and collect a face mask and as you pick it up, notice any reactions you have as you see it. Put it on, walk around and notice your reactions, both physical and emotional. After a while take the mask off and think about what you noticed.

2 Later, do the same thing with awareness. Prepare yourself in advance of putting on a mask and see if you can accept it as something to protect you. Pick it up, avoid any tension and put it on gently. Experience it as a way of caring for yourself. Walk around, then after a while take it off again, gently. Notice your reactions – are they the same, or have they changed?

Changing our thoughts and letting go of our habitual reactions of tension alters things. Many people find they reduce jaw and facial tension plus feel less claustrophobic, if they welcome mask-wearing rather than rebel against it. In this cold weather, they can also add a welcome bit of extra warmth!

What did you notice? Such a simple change as altering our attitude and body-use can make a big difference to our everyday experience of using masks!