"My shoulders are constantly stiff."
Kaito rotated his neck. It cracked.
Hiyori looked concerned. "Since when?"
"Lately all the time. Doesn't go away even after sleep."
Leo closed his book. "It might be chronic tension."
"Chronic?" Kaito asked.
"Not temporary tension, but your body is always in a state of alert."
Hiyori supplemented, "The sympathetic nervous system is too dominant."
Kaito looked puzzled. "Sympathetic nervous system?"
Leo explained, "The autonomic nervous system has two types. Sympathetic and parasympathetic."
"Sympathetic is fight-or-flight mode. Heart rate rises, muscles tense, breathing becomes shallow."
"Parasympathetic?"
"Rest and digest mode. Relaxation, helping the body recover."
Hiyori added, "Normally, these two balance each other. But with continued stress, only the sympathetic works."
Kaito understood. "Always in battle mode?"
"Yes. Your body can't rest," Leo nodded.
"Why can't I rest?" Kaito wondered.
Hiyori asked, "Any worries lately?"
Kaito hesitated slightly. "Exams, part-time job, relationships... various things."
"They're accumulating," Leo pointed out. "Each one is small, but combined the load is large."
Hiyori said gently, "Your body is honest. Mental tension appears as physical tension."
Kaito sighed. "How can I release the tension?"
Leo opened his notebook. "There are several methods. First, breathing."
"Breathing?"
"Deep breathing. Especially making the exhale longer."
"Why?"
"Because exhaling activates the parasympathetic nervous system. Exhaling slowly switches the body to relaxation mode."
Hiyori demonstrated. "Inhale through nose for 4 seconds, exhale through mouth for 8 seconds."
Kaito imitated. "...Might feel a bit better."
"That's physiological relaxation," Leo explained.
Hiyori offered another method. "Progressive muscle relaxation is also effective."
"What's that?"
"Tense muscles once, then release all at once. Teaching your body 'this is relaxation.'"
Leo supplemented, "Grip fist for 10 seconds, then open suddenly. Raise shoulders to ears, then drop."
Kaito tried. "Oh, I can tell the difference."
"A method to experience the contrast of tension and relaxation," Hiyori explained.
Leo continued, "There's also mindfulness."
"Mindfulness again," Kaito laughed.
"Focus on here and now. Separate from worries about past or future."
Hiyori added, "Anxiety arises from trying to predict the future. But this very moment is actually safe."
Kaito looked out the window. "This moment."
"What do you see now? What do you hear?" Leo guided.
"Tree leaves swaying. Birds singing."
"That's mindfulness. Focus on sensation, not thought."
Hiyori asked, "Kaito, are you sleeping well at night?"
"Hard to fall asleep. Can't stop thinking."
"That's also a symptom of tension," Leo said. "Your brain isn't resting."
Hiyori suggested, "Creating a bedtime routine helps."
"Routine?"
"Do the same things every night. Teaching your body 'it's time to sleep now.'"
Leo gave examples. "Drink warm tea, stretch, write in a diary."
"Better to avoid smartphones," Hiyori added. "Blue light promotes wakefulness."
Kaito asked, "Is perfectionism related?"
"Very much so," Leo answered. "The belief 'I must not fail' constantly creates tension."
Hiyori said gently, "You don't have to be perfect."
"But I'm also scared to slack off," Kaito said honestly.
"Not slacking off, but applying appropriate effort," Leo corrected. "100% tension is unsustainable. 80% is enough."
Kaito thought. "Maybe I've forgotten how to apply effort."
"After being tense for so long, that happens," Hiyori empathized. "Your body forgets how to relax."
Leo said, "That's why you need to practice consciously."
"Releasing tension is also a skill," Kaito understood.
"Yes. Some people can do it naturally, but it's a learnable skill."
Hiyori suggested, "Why not create just 5 minutes a day to do nothing?"
"Do nothing?"
"Just sit and breathe. Time when you don't need to accomplish anything."
Kaito laughed. "That sounds hardest."
"It's hard at first," Leo admitted. "But it changes if you continue."
Kaito rotated his shoulders. "I feel a bit lighter."
"That's the first step," Hiyori smiled.
Leo said, "Tension isn't necessarily an enemy. Moderate tension improves performance."
"The problem is when it becomes chronic," Hiyori supplemented.
Kaito nodded. "It's about balance."
"Tension and relaxation. Both are needed," Leo acknowledged.
The three sat quietly. The air in the room felt a bit softer.
Tension doesn't release immediately. But knowing how to release it changes things little by little. A hardened heart and body slowly unravel.