The Surprising Brain–Body Connection to Chronic Pain (Part 2)
Simple Brain-Based Drills to Calm the Nervous System and Rebuild Trust in Your Body
Let’s pick up where we left off: your brain is the CEO of everything you do — including how you move, feel, and even how much tension or pain you carry. And when it feels stressed or unsafe, it can send out some pretty dramatic memos: tight shoulders, stiff hips, shallow breathing, dizziness, foggy thinking.
Sound familiar?
The good news is: you don’t need to force your body into long stretches or painful exercises. What you actually need is to train your nervous system to feel safer. And that starts with two overlooked systems:
Your visual system (eyes)
Your vestibular system (inner ear and balance)
These two systems work like early-warning radar. If they’re glitchy, your brain goes on alert — and suddenly that yoga pose or grocery bag feels harder than it should.
Why Your Brain Might Be Saying “No Thanks” to Movement
.Here’s the thing: movement is only as free and easy as your brain believes it’s safe.
Have you had:
A few falls or close calls on ice
A past concussion (even 20 years ago)
Vertigo or motion sickness
Countless hours of screen time
Glasses or contacts that never feel quite right
Neck, jaw, or inner ear surgery — even something “routine” like a tooth removal or a tonsillectomy
These experiences can create subtle dysfunction in your visual or vestibular systems. Your brain remembers and adapts, but not always in a good way. It can limit your movement, tighten up muscles, or subtly shift your posture to avoid feeling off balance.
Translation: your body isn’t weak, it’s on high alert.
Reset your Brain with Simple, Gentle Drills
Now that you know your brain is trying to help (even if it’s being overprotective), let’s teach it that it’s safe again.
These exercises may look ridiculously simple — and they are. But the impact can be big.
1. pursuits (eye tracking)
Think of this as physical therapy for your eyes:
Hold a pen or finger at eye level.
Slowly move it side to side.
Keep your head still and follow it only with your eyes.
Repeat for 10–15 seconds.
This helps train your visual system to track objects smoothly, which tells your brain, “I’m oriented, I’m safe.”
2. VOR Drill (Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex)
This one’s for syncing your head movement with visual stability.
What to do:
Hold a small target (like a sticky note with a letter on it) in front of your face.
Keep your eyes locked on the target.
Move your head gently side to side (like saying no) or up and down.
Go slowly for 15–20 seconds.
This reboots your inner ear and eye coordination — crucial for balance and reducing tension in your neck and shoulders.
3. Nasal Breathing with Exhale Hold
Your breath is one of the fastest ways to down-regulate your nervous system.
What to do:
Inhale through your nose for 4 counts.
Exhale through your nose for 6 counts.
After the exhale, hold your breath briefly (2–3 seconds) before the next inhale.
Repeat for a few rounds.
This tells your nervous system, “We’re not being chased — everything’s okay.”
Why These Work (Even If They Seem Too Easy)
These drills aren’t meant to “work your muscles.” They’re meant to improve the quality of your brain’s input, which means you move with more coordination, less resistance, and less pain.
Think of it like upgrading the Wi-Fi in your brain—clearer and smoother signals.
You may even notice:
Your posture improves without trying
You feel less anxious or reactive
Your balance gets better
You’re more confident trying new movements
And yes, these are the same things high-performance athletes and concussion rehab specialists use. You’re just applying them to real life — like keeping your balance while unloading groceries, or turning your head without neck pain.
The Takeaway: Start Where Your Brain Is
If you’re middle-aged and noticing more tension, weird aches, or wobbly balance, you don’t need to “push through.” Start by giving your nervous system a better foundation.
In Part 3, we’ll talk about how to rebuild trust in your body after injury, pain, or just years of feeling disconnected — and how to integrate these tools into your everyday life without overhauling your routine.
Because the truth is: you can age with more ease, resilience, and connection to your body — and it starts with a few minutes a day.
