Relieve a sensation of upper back stiffness independently by lying on your stomach and practicing deep breathing (inhaling then releasing while exhaling), a technique that works by modulating the nervous system rather than by physically realigning the vertebrae.

noli's read

The idea of using deep breathing to relax the back rests on solid scientific foundations: slow exhalation stimulates the parasympathetic system, which decreases nervous system alertness and increases the threshold for discomfort tolerance, as shown by a clinical trial by Busch et al. (2012). Furthermore, mechanically, inflating and deflating the lungs naturally mobilizes the rib cage and the dorsal vertebrae, a synergy explored by a 2026 pilot study published in PubMed. The creator is entirely correct to specify that this does not "put anything back in place": research shows that manual therapy and movement primarily alter the brain's perception of discomfort, according to a systematic review on slow breathing and pain modulation. On the other hand, relying solely on breathing while lying on the stomach to resolve joint discomfort is a bit optimistic. A meta-analysis published in PLOS One (2026) indicates that while breathing helps with relaxation, active or manual mobilization techniques remain more effective for restoring true freedom of movement.

the sources

1. 1Rubinstein SM, de Zoete A, van Middelkoop M, et al. 2019
2. 2Zaccaro A et al. 2018