Exercise in the Dentist's Chair

Once on a teeth-cleaning day, I did an experiment that turned out to be a wonderful addition to my dentist visit. It all started when I got out of the chair mid-cleaning and was so stiff I could barely walk. I realized it's worth the effort to keep our bodies active even if our face is pinioned in place. I made a game of moving every time her hand and attention were out of my mouth: cross right foot over left, cross left foot over right, shrugging shoulders, shift to right hip, shift to left hip, stretching my arms in any available direction, wiggling my back, bending both knees with feet on the chair, trying cross-legged. (To keep your dentist calm, it's probably a good idea to tell her what's happening.) Then when she was back in my mouth, I could focus on the challenge of taking even breaths and keeping my whole face relaxed. The movement helped my body, and being proactive helped my brain, and having my teeth clean helped my smile! 

Suggestion from Mariah Kaye, Senior Fitness Specialist, offering more fitness choices through MoveAnyWayFitness.com.