How much of our time is spent in keeping our lives in balance? We are constantly striving to balance our diets, our finances, our time, especially in relation to creating a healthy work-life ratio. On a physical level, balance is crucial to freedom of movement, independence, mastery over the body and the prevention of injury, especially as we age.
Balance is controlled by the brain via three systems: visual, vestibular (inner ear) and proprioceptive (sense of body in space), and all of these systems start to erode after age 40.
The eyes provide visual feedback to help us orient ourselves with other objects. They cue off the vertical and horizontal lines surrounding us to help give our brain a sense of our position in the world when we’re static and when we’re moving. Focusing on a fixed point can greatly help visual balance.
The vestibular organs are located deep within our inner ears. They send information to the brain regarding gravity, linear movement & rotation and can be disturbed by dehydration, poor diet, fatigue & stress. Practising balance postures with the eyes closed will strengthen vestibular information relayed to our brains.
We have sensory receptors or proprioceptors in our skin, muscles and joints that are sensitive to stretch and pressure. When stimulated by movement, they send impulses to the brain, which helps the brain determine where we are and how we’re moving in space. Closing our eyes whilst balancing will improve our sensory receptors.
Great balance is directly related to your motor cortex plasticity, meaning how quickly you can respond to new stimuli. Studies of endurance athletes such as long-distance runners and cross-country skiers showed poorer balance than ballerinas, ice-skaters or gymnasts. The reason is that the second group of athletes included more variety in their movements.
The three key elements of balance are alignment, strength, and attention. Proper alignment of the body with gravity is critical in making balance physically possible. Strength enables us to hold and adjust alignment and paying attention helps us to correct and refine it.
Regular effort to improve our balance benefits our physical body and realigns our nerve impulses, thoughts and emotions, thereby maintaining a sense of calm and equilibrium in the whole body.
Tips for Balance:
- Practise simple balance poses with eyes closed
- Stand on 1 leg to brush teeth or make tea
- Practise throwing a ball in the air whilst standing on 1 leg, tippy toes, or on a block
- Practise walking in a straight line or on a line
- Use a wall for support and gradually move further away
- Focus on a fixed point when balancing
- Practise balancing when you are fresh as opposed to fatigued
- Bend both knees before lifting one leg
- Keep the knee of your standing leg bent
- Put extra weight on the outer edge of your standing foot
- Hold your hands out to your sides like a tightrope walker
- Lower your centre of gravity by practising the pose with the knee of the standing leg slightly bent and the arms in a lower position
- Maintaining good posture is vital for core strength & overall good balance
