The Top 5 Natural Muscle Relaxers: Everyday Activities, Common Nutrients,

& Easy Lifestyle Changes

From SaltWrap Biolabs

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Muscle Tension: Your Body’s Warning Signal

Muscle tension is a condition in which muscles are semi-contracted for extended periods of time. It’s often caused by the physiological effects of stress, and has some nasty down-stream effects.

Beyond simply feeling uncomfortable and having trouble sleeping, muscle tension is the symptom of a much deeper, more dangerous problem: chronic stress.

Chronic stress can change the body's nervous system by constricting blood vessels and reducing blood flow to the soft tissues—including muscles, tendons, and nerves in the back.

This process causes a decrease in oxygen and a buildup of biochemical waste products in the muscles, resulting in muscle tension and spasms. [1]

When the stress-response cycle occurs too frequently (or dramatically), the body can remain in a state of “emergency readiness”— called Stress-Response Hyperstimulation.

And as we’ll cover in this report, even a low-grade version of this type of hyperstimulation can have cascading negative side effects…

The Nasty Side Effects of Too Much Stress

“Stress” is not just a mental construct—it has real, physiological consequences. In response to stress, the body responds in numerous problematic ways:

PAIN: Stress can change the body’s nervous system function by constricting blood vessels and decreasing oxygenation to nerves—which can cause acute pain in the neck and back.

DANGEROUS HORMONE FLUCTUATIONS: Chronic stress can lead to overproduction of the hormone cortisol. When elevated over long periods of time, cortisol suppresses immune system function, digestive function, and normal growth and repair processes. [2]

HEADACHES: Both migraines and tension-related headaches are associated with chronic muscle tension in the head, neck, and shoulders. [3]

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ANXIETY: The symptoms of stress (including muscle tension) can lead to feelings of anxiety and increases in adrenaline (your “Fight or Flight” hormone).

This leads to the vicious cycle of Stress-Response Hyperstimulation:

The key is to intercept muscle tension by addressing its root cause: lifestyle stressors.

While you’ve no doubt been lectured about managing stress since you were a kid, you may not realize that your everyday routines are likely increasing stress levels and muscle tension.

By following the list below, you can effectively neutralize stress without the use of prescription drugs or making extreme lifestyle changes.

While some of these recommendations involve nutrition and supplementation, you’ll be surprised by how many daily activities are directly related to your levels of tension.

Activating the Two Key Systems

The Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) stimulates our stress response (also known as “fight or flight” response).

The Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) stimulates our relaxation response. It sets in after eating or when you are aroused.

Stress Tension Pain/Anxiety

More Stress More Tension More Pain/Anxiety

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Most people with muscle tension and stress problems (including Stress-Response Hyperstimulation) have an over-productive SNS, and an underproductive PNS.

These two systems are designed to balance each other out: SNS is activated when it is needed for energy (e.g. running from a predator), and the PNS is activated when the body needs to temporarily shut down and recover.

But instead of relaxing around a campfire before dozing off each night (which would allow our PNS to kick in naturally), our routines prevent the PNS from doing its job.

The fundamental aim of this report is to “hack” the PNS—and ensure your body balances out its stress response with equal amounts of relaxation response.

The Top 5 Natural Muscle Relaxers: An

Unconventional—But Smart—Approach

The most easily implemented approaches are listed here first. The degree of

effectiveness (of each) is really dependent on individual factors.

Start with #1 and work your way down the list:

1. Hacking Your Parasympathetic Nervous System

As you now know, activating the PNS should be your primary aim when

combatting muscle tension and stress.

The good news is that you can activate it almost instantly, thanks to the

vagus nerve…

The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve, and carries sensory

information from your brain to many organs, including the heart and lungs.

It is responsible for signaling the heart to slow down and the lungs to

breathe more deeply, which promotes calmness and relaxation.

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When the Sympathetic Nervous System is over-productive, this nerve is

inhibited.

And sustained inhibition of the vagus nerve has been associated with stress,

anxiety and even depression. [19]

The good news is that you can manipulate your vagus nerve’s function.

All it takes is focus on your breath.

By breathing deeply, rhythmically—and focusing on a long exhale—you can

instantly improve “vagal tone”.

This is a key reason why yoga and meditation have so much scientific

evidence for relaxation and stress relief.

Multiple studies have shown that slow exhalation triggers your PNS—

decreases blood pressure, reduces feelings of anxiety, improves emotional

control, and even boosts your pain tolerance. [18,19]

And most importantly, it lowers cortisol and induces relaxation.

Here’s how to put it into action:

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Sit in a comfortable, upright position.

Start your breath by inhaling through your nose for a count of five seconds.

Pause shortly after completing your inhale, then exhale slowly through your

mouth—continuing to push air out gently for a count of ten seconds.

Focus on pushing the air out with your stomach (as opposed to using only

the throat muscles).

Repeat this for 5-10 breath cycles.

You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can “feel” the relaxation response kick

in. With practice, you’ll be able to call on this whenever you need it—

whether before bed to induce sleep, or during a stressful situation to keep a

cool head.

(A word of caution: Stop if you feel light headed or dizzy. And never do

this when driving, operating machinery, or in a swimming pool or bath. If

you listen to your body and stop when you feel uncomfortable, you

shouldn’t have any problems. But deep breathing can lead to fainting, so

please use caution when doing this.)

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2. Stand Up

We lose two hours of life for every hour we sit…

These words came from Dr. James Levine, author of “Get Up!”—a book

about how chairs (and the modern desk job) are slowly killing us.

Dr. Levine argues that sitting for extended periods of time goes against our

biology, causing a whole host of health problems, including:

Reduced caloric expenditure and weight gain

Increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and premature death

Impaired mobility and flexibility

Back pain and posture imbalances (that lead to injury and additional

pain)

But sitting also has more immediate negative side effects:

The muscles in your lower back (particularly the erector spinae

muscles that run parallel to your spine) are strained when sitting for

extended periods of time.

These small, supportive muscles are not designed to carry your upper

body’s entire load.

When sitting—especially if you are hunched forward slightly (as most

people do)—these small muscles are stretched and strained beyond

their limits.

The abdominal muscles and hip flexors become shortened and weak

from sitting.

Most people sit with a slight forward head protrusion, placing undue

stress on the neck which causes neck pain and tension.

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And sitting in general creates an unnatural weight distribution that

leads to pain and nerve problems.

"If you are sitting down with bad posture and you're slouching, you can

only handle 20 minutes of that before it deforms your ligaments," says New

York City chiropractor, Dr. Jan Lefkowitz.

The good news? You already know what the solution is: get up and

move.

If you experience muscle tension frequently—even if it’s only in the

evening—then start with this simple practice:

If your job or lifestyle requires you to sit for several hours during the day,

take a five-minute break once every hour. Use this time to move around,

and actively stretch the front of your shoulders and hip flexors.

Use the yoga pose Warrior One to simultaneously lengthen all the muscles

that are shortened by prolonged periods of sitting.

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Beyond just muscle tension, research indicates a strong correlation between

sitting (i.e. sedentary lifestyle) and high levels of anxiety.

And it gets worse if you combine sitting with electronic devices…

3. Power Down

Have you ever been sitting in front of a computer late at night (or worse—

looking at your cellphone in bed), when suddenly you realize your entire

body is tense?

Total body tension and restlessness is a common complaint of late night

tablet and Kindle readers.

There are a couple reasons for this:

(1) Reading e-books or looking at digital screens before bed reduces the

production of melatonin—an important sleep hormone—and disrupts your

circadian rhythm, according to a recent Harvard University study. [4,5]

(2) Use of mobile phones, laptops, and other digital screens at night has

been linked to increased stress, depression, and fatigue.

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One theory is that digital device usage cultivates a shorter attention span

and causes our attention to bounce around sporadically, thus raising stress

levels.

But research also shows that too much screen time damages the brain. In

extreme cases of internet addiction, heavy screen time is linked to

structural changes in regions of the brain that control emotional

processing, decision making, and cognitive control. [6]

And the most frightening potential side effects are linked to EMF

(Electromagnetic Fields) created by digital devices.

Joe Hall is the founder of Clarus Systems in San Clemente California. For

the past 20 years, he has explored the effects electromagnetic field (EMF)

radiation on human.

Joe’s research team at Clarus Systems has found links between increased

EMF exposure and stress—and specific effects on the pineal gland, which

controls melatonin production. [20]

Because all products that use electricity emit some level of EMF, it’s

impossible to avoid. But reducing your exposure before bedtime could

improve your stress levels and allow your body to produce the hormone

melatonin naturally.

Could too much screen time be rewiring our brains (for the worse)?

Possibly.

Whatever the case, it’s clear that powering down devices early in the

evening is your best bet.

Though it feels like stress-relief when you plop down in front of a computer

or TV… even a few minutes of screen time before bed can negatively impact

your sleep and disrupt your natural hormone levels—

so aim to set alarms, plug in chargers, and power down devices at least

two hours prior to bed.

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4. Eat and Drink for Relaxation

After shoring up your habits around breathing, moving, and using

technology… you should start looking at what goes in your mouth.

In fact, the very first thing you should think of when you suddenly realize

you’re tense… stressed… and generally feel like crap… is water.

According to renowned fitness expert and celebrity fitness trainer Joel

Harper, 85% of headaches are caused by dehydration. And, muscle tension

results when there is not enough water inside the cells of the muscles. [7]

There are two main mechanisms that cause this:

(1) Inadequate blood supply: Dehydration impairs your body’s ability to

deliver blood to your extremities, which can produce cramp-like pain and

tension. [8,9]

(2) Mineral depletion: Dehydration results in the elimination of electrolytes

including potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium. Severe muscle

tension and cramps could be a warning sign that your body is dangerously

low on one or more of these electrolytes, which can lead to impaired

metabolic function and even death.

You may have heard the saying… ‘by the time you’re thirsty, you’re already

dehydrated.’

This is true, to some degree, but often dehydration symptoms are more

subtle.

The two most common are tension headaches, and dry skin (especially in

the hands). If you experience either of these, immediately drink 8-12

ounces of cold water.

While there is some debate over how much water you should drink on a

daily basis, the exact amount is highly individual. You’re better off listening

to your own body and ensuring you drink adequate water (enough to

quench your thirst) throughout the day.

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Then, supplement with extra water as needed when you experience muscle

tension, tension headaches, fatigue or dry skin.

Avoid these trigger foods:

(1) Caffeine: While caffeine has numerous health benefits when consumed

in moderation, it can cause excessive electrolyte loss in some people. If you

are experiencing tension (or a surge in stress levels), check your caffeine

intake and back off until your symptoms subside (limit of one 8 oz. cup of

coffee, tea, or other caffeinated beverage per day until symptoms subside).

(2) Alcohol: Also related to fluid and electrolyte balance, consumption of

alcohol can lead to the same side effects as caffeine. And alcohol

consumption has negative effects on the limbic system, which regulates

emotions and mood. [17]

Like late night TV, having a few drinks might feel like it relieves tension,

but it actually sets you up for more tension and stress later.

Dial back alcohol intake (to one drink or less per night) if you are

experiencing muscle tension.

(3) Gluten-Containing Foods: A recent study at the University of

Maryland’s Center for Celiac Research showed that people with a sensitivity

to gluten had an inflammatory reaction to gluten-containing foods, leading

to headaches and systemic pain level increases (among other symptoms). [10]

If you’re wondering if gluten-sensitivity in non-celiac people exists, here is

a quote from Alessio Fasano, medical director of the University of

Maryland's Center for Celiac Research:

"For the first time, we have scientific evidence that indeed, gluten

sensitivity not only exists, but is very different from celiac disease.”

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If you aren’t sure if you are sensitive to gluten, try removing all gluten

containing foods from your diet for two weeks. Then, slowly add them

back in one at a time, paying careful attention to your levels of tension,

stomach discomfort and overall pain levels.

Consume plenty of these tension-relieving foods and drinks:

(1) Coconut Water: Popular for good reason—coconut water packs a

nutritious punch of vitamins and minerals, with less sugar and calories

than sports drinks. When you are active, losing water through sweat, or are

experiencing muscle tension—reach for a serving of natural coconut water

to quench your thirst.

If you don’t have raw coconuts handy, Vita Coco Brand offers a natural

version with minimal additives.

(2) Pickle Juice: If you are really locked up (and can stomach the taste),

reach for pickle juice. Drinking just one or two ounces of pickle juice can

stop cramping in less than two minutes (we like Pickle Power).

(3) Blueberries, tart cherries, and other dark-colored fruit: Blueberries

and cherries have shown recuperative effects and reductions in delayed

onset muscle soreness (DOMS). These fruits have nutrients that help speed

the elimination of waste products produced in the body.

(3) Alkaline Foods: Though your body is incredibly adept at maintaining

pH levels (despite popular opinion), eating more alkalizing foods can help

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your body manage inflammation efficiently. Your best bet is to balance out

all acid-containing meals with alkaline foods.

Each time you eat meat or dairy, be sure to include at least two servings of

dark, green vegetables which have high alkaline levels. Use dark lettuce,

broccoli, sea vegetables, brussel sprouts, spinach and kale.

Also, reduce your intake of side dishes that contain added sugar, white flour

and grains—and substitute legumes, vegetables, and low-glycemic fruits

instead.

These foods are high in a vital mineral that you are likely deficient in right

now.

While balancing mineral intake and electrolytes is crucial to maintaining

health, you can almost instantly relax your muscles by consuming this

“missing mineral”…

5. The Missing Mineral

A 2012 study from The International Life Sciences Institute revealed that

nearly 48% of the U.S. population consumes less than the required

amount of this mineral from food—that is, the minimum amount to

prevent disease! [11]

If you are deficient in this mineral, you may experience:

Anxiety and depression

Behavioral disturbances

High blood pressure

Type II diabetes

Respiratory issues

And even reductions in memory and cognitive performance…

There are numerous life-threatening diseases associated with this

deficiency, but it can also show up in subtler ways:

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Fatigue and muscle weakness

Muscle tension

Impaired muscle recovery and protein synthesis

Muscle cramps

Chronic back pain

Insomnia

Food cravings

Tremors

Nausea and dizziness

Bottom line: if you are tense and tight, you’re likely deficient in the mineral

magnesium.

There are three key reasons almost everyone in the U.S. has been affected at

some time by magnesium deficiency:

First—the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) is low in magnesium. That is,

processed and packaged foods have lower amounts of magnesium than

whole food sources.

Second—we’re eating more sugar than ever, which requires magnesium

metabolism in order to be processed.

And third—we’re increasingly stressed out. The hormone production that

accompanies stress requires high levels of magnesium, and stressful events

can deplete magnesium stores.

You can (to some degree) prevent this by eating magnesium rich foods

grown in organic soil that has not been depleted of magnesium yet.

This is tough, but not impossible.

(See list of foods with high level so magnesium below.)

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However—the more realistic scenario is that you find yourself occasionally

deficient in magnesium.

Because magnesium is used in over 300 biochemical processes—it’s

constantly being ingested, absorbed, stored and used up.

After a grueling workout, a day in the heat, or a stressful week (or night of

partying), you’ll likely be deficient in this important mineral.

That’s when headaches and tension show up, energy levels drop, and your

body just doesn’t operate on all cylinders.

This is why magnesium supplementation has skyrocketed in popularity in

the last few years. But not all magnesium supplements are created equal.

Studies show that a specific type of magnesium—magnesium glycinate—

is more bioavailable. [13]

Because it’s better absorbed into the intestinal walls, it’s less likely to cause

diarrhea like other common forms (such as magnesium oxide). [14,15]

In several studies, magnesium glycinate has proven to be an effective

therapeutic intervention for chronic pain (back pain), muscle tension,

anxiety, and even depression. [15,16]

Foods with High Magnesium Levels

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Studies show that around 300 mg of magnesium glycinate is necessary to

receive the therapeutic effects demonstrated in studies. You can take it in

capsule, liquid, or topical gel form daily—or as needed to relieve pain and

muscle tension.

Conclusion

Use the power of controlled breathing…

stand up (and move frequently)…

power down your devices at least two hours before bed…

stay hydrated and avoid foods that trigger inflammation and

stress…

and make sure you get enough of the vital mineral, magnesium.

When you focus on these everyday activities first, you’ll be able to identify

and solve your muscle tension problems—without resorting to prescription

meds—and without letting your stress levels get away from you.

There’s no way to avoid stress completely.

But arming yourself with these everyday muscle relaxers is a battle-tested

approach to staying relaxed, stress-free and healthy.

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Citations

1. http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress-body.aspx

2. http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-

20046037

3. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tension-headache/symptoms-causes/dxc-

20211470

4. http://www.medicaldaily.com/e-books-are-damaging-your-health-why-we-should-all-start-

reading-paper-books-again-317212

5. http://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/light-from-laptops-tvs-electronics-and-

energy-efficient-lightbulbs-may-harm-health

6. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/mental-wealth/201402/gray-matters-too-much-

screen-time-damages-the-brain

7. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/03/lesser-known-symptoms-of-

_n_4537663.html

8. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/muscle-cramp/symptoms-causes/dxc-

20186052

9. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2231307/

10. http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704893604576200393522456636

11. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22364157

12. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22364157

13. http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Markets/Magnesium-sales-to-surpass-calcium-

sales-by-2020

14. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16548135

15. http://www.omicsgroup.org/journals/rapid-resolution-of-chronic-back-pain-with-

magnesium-glycinate-in-a-pediatric-patient-2167-0846.1000101.php?aid=3932#8

16. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16542786

17. https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/alcohols-effects-body

18. http://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/relaxation-techniques-breath-control-

helps-quell-errant-stress-response

19. Cuddy, Amy. Presence. http://amycuddy.com/presence/

20. http://www.consumerhealth.org/articles/display.cfm?ID=19990303201129

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