Basic Relaxation Technique

A self-help technique to reduce accumulate stress in the body, by progressively concentrating and relaxing the muscle groups that store tension. While it is essential that our muscles maintain a certain amount of tension to support posture and movement, it is when our bodies have to move unnaturally or under stress that the result can be extra, unnecessary tension in certain muscles - for example, in neck and shoulders. This itself causes symptoms of stress-headaches, aches and pains and general tiredness, for example-and so the vicious circle is established.

Method

Put on loose, comfortable clothes, making sure that your feet are warm

Lie down in a quiet, warm, dark room, using the floor, a mat or a firm bed - this is perhaps the best position for a beginner, thought alternative positions are given below. Place a pillow or cushion under the head and knees. Either let your hands and arms rest by your side or gently upon your stomach, whichever feels the most comfortable.

Check that you feel really comfortable. If necessary, use more pillows - perhaps under your feet and forearms. Only start the technique once you are certain of your comfort.

Relax and let your mind go blank. Take a couple of deep breaths and sigh the air away.

Now you are ready to start reducing tension in your muscles. The technique involves letting go of all the muscles in the body, starting at the toes, working gradually up the body and ending with the face. To begin, concentrate on your left foot. Tense all the muscles - curling the toes and scrunching the foot. Hold for a few seconds. Let go, and make them feel floppy, heavy and warm, as if they are sinking in to the pillow. It may take a little practice to perfect this technique, but it will come if you persevere.

Move onto the calf muscles on the left leg. Tense the muscles, hold and let go. Feel the heaviness and warmth of the leg and foot.

Apply the same technique on the left thigh. Concentrate on the left leg - does it feel heavy, warm and relaxed. Is it sinking into the floor or bed? If the answer are 'no', tense the whole leg, hold it in tension until it feels difficult to hold the position any longer, then let go completely.

Repeat the same process with the right leg.

When both legs feel heavy and numb, continue moving up the body. Clench your buttocks tightly and let go; pull in your stomach muscles, hold tight, relax; let them fall back towards the spine into the floor or bed. Feel the warmth spreading up your body.

Breathe deeply and evenly a few times, then sigh the breath away; imagine you are sighing all the tension out of your body.

Move on your left hand, squeeze your hand into a fist, hold tight and let go. Tighten the muscles in the arm, let them flop. Continue with your right arm. Repeat if the arms are not relaxed and heavy. They should feel numb and impossible to move.

Hunch your shoulders up towards your ears, hold let go; let them sink into the floor. It may be necessary to repeat this movement a few times as we hold a lot of tension in our shoulders. Pull the shoulders up towards the ceiling and let them flop back into the ground. Repeat a couple of times.

Rock your head gently from side to side in order to loosen the neck. Feel the total relaxation of the body, breathe deeply a few times, relax, feel and warmth and quiet.

The is the most difficult part of the body to relax; yawn widely with an open mouth, let go; purse the lips out in a pout, then relax; frown fiercely, let go; move the scalp by raising the eyebrows, then relax.

The whole body should now be relaxed. Breathe evenly in and out, saying to yourself with each breathe that you feel more and more relaxed, peaceful and warm.

Rest, relax and warm for around 15 minutes. Do not jump up and start racing around. Let yourself come to slowly and gently, stretch and give yourself a shake before allowing the outside world to impinge in your mind

Relaxation Checklist

Once you have mastered the basic relaxation techniques, you can apply them almost anywhere. It is import, though, to cumulative an awareness of how your body feels throughout the day, so that you can learn to recognise the difference between normal and unnatural amounts of tension. Once you begin to notice when and where you tense up, you can pinpoint your exercise to relax those muscle groups that are effected.

Don't leap out of bed in the morning late, with too much to do before your start the day. Set the alarm just 5 minutes earlier to give yourself time to relax.

Plan to have time to yourself at home - when the children are at school, for example, or playing peacefully. Let the family know that certain times of the day are 'your time' - then lie down or sink into a chair and empty your mind of all household and work problems. Concentrate on how your body feels and note areas of tension, then use the relaxation technique.

Watch out for tension in your shoulders and arms when driving a car. Are you gripping the steering wheel, sitting bolt upright and frowning? At traffic lights or in a traffic jam, take a few seconds to concentrate on yourself; hunch the shoulders up, then let them flop down; slacken your grip on the steering wheel, relax back into your seat and feel the tension leave your body. Breathe slowly and deeply - it is difficult to become angry and frustrated while you are doing this.

© 2008 www.way2goodhealth.com