I get the stress connection, but honestly, for me it wasn't as predictable. Some days I'd be totally relaxed and still have that tightness creep in randomly. Weirdly enough, distraction helped more than stretching—like binge-watching a show or getting lost in a good book. Might be worth trying if stretches don't cut it. Either way, hang in there...the liquid diet phase passes quicker than you'd think.
"Weirdly enough, distraction helped more than stretching—like binge-watching a show or getting lost in a good book."
Haha, totally get this! Sometimes your jaw muscles just have a mind of their own, stress or no stress. Distraction actually makes sense—your brain shifts focus, muscles relax without you even realizing it. I've had patients swear by puzzles or video games too. Whatever keeps your mind off the tightness seems to do the trick better than obsessively stretching every five minutes...trust me, been there. Hang tight, you're doing great.
