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86 ASCP Skin Deep Winter 2026 3. Exhale and round. As you exhale, roll your pelvis forward to assume a slight tail tuck that will naturally round your spine to form a "C" shape. You may notice your head naturally sink down as it follows the spinal movement from your pelvic rock. 4. Repeat the movement, allowing your breath to lead the rolling motion. The movement should feel easy and relaxed, without strain or force. We're not going for a dramatic "Cat Cow" flexion and extension of the spine but rather a gentle undulation to free the low back and hips. The "Yes" Breath is a pattern interruption to the rigid and stiff positioning of sitting or standing for a long period of time. By combining this natural breathing pattern with the accompanying gentle movement, we generate greater synovial fluid production in our low back and sacroiliac joints, calm our nervous system, and encourage our cerebrospinal fluid to flow—all contributing to our greater inner and outer well-being. HAND WAKERS EXERCISE Not a session goes by that we don't use our hands. The flexibility and strength in our hands greatly affect our ability to connect with ease. And that flexibility and strength also affect our longevity. In fact, grip strength is a more accurate indication of lifespan than our blood pressure. 5 The following practice provides both length and strength for our hands, fingers, and wrists. Hand movements occupy 25 percent of the real estate in the motor cortex, the part of your brain that controls motion. Our hands do not account for 25 percent of our body, but this fact demonstrates that attending to our hands generates greater body-mind awareness, flexibility, and strength. These wake-up exercises for the hands increase mobility, improve hand-eye coordination, and release inflammatory symptoms, such as stiffness and pain in the hands, fingers, and wrists. 1. With your palms facing up or away from you, individually touch each fingertip to the palm of the hand. See if you can coordinate both hands' pinkies, ring, middle, index, and thumbs to do this several times. Don't be surprised if this is trickier than it sounds. 2. Close or fold in each finger one at a time, and with the other hand, gently compress your finger pads into the base of each finger. Repeat 2–3 times for each hand, or alternate step 1 with this step. 3. Finish by shaking your hands vigorously. Shake in front of you, to your sides, to the sky, and to the ground. Creating new space with stretching and wringing out inflammatory molecules with movement and compression are some of the hallmark benefits of practicing hand wakers. GET T Y IMAGES