Relaxation Techniques

Now we will explore different modes of relaxation.

While discussing the markers of stress, we saw that tightening of muscle or a group of muscle is a sign of pent-up tension. When we face a stressful situation, without our realizing it, a group of muscles become tense and contracted. A message is relayed to our brain that the body is undergoing a stressful period and the mind is switched onto an alert mode. Let us take driving through a busy road as an example. Our back and neck muscles usually become tense, and if this continues, by evening we will have a stiff neck and back! Clenching our fist and gritting our teeth when we are angry are also examples of muscle tensing. Sometimes just the thought of stressful conditions creates this muscle contraction. This sends a confused message to our mind that our body is tensed up. This creates an uneasiness as mentioned before.

While practicing relaxation methods, the corollary of the above phenomenon is put to good use. We progressively relax our muscles from top to bottom. This sends positive signals to our mind that our body is fully relaxed and so, you can also relax! Coupled with deep breathing exercises and imagery relaxation, this then forms the basis of all relaxation methods.

Following are the Main Relaxation Techniques:

      1. Progressive Muscle Relaxation
      2. Deep Muscle Relaxation
      3. Scanning Relaxation
      4. Countdown Relaxation
      5. Autogenic and Imagery Relaxation
      6. Self-Hypnosis, Yoga, Transcendal Meditation, Meditation?.

 

01.Progressive Muscle Relaxation: This requires a certain amount of practice. You can practice with the help of an audiocassette or you can record the instructions yourself (in a monotonous voice) and practise it. Mind you, the relaxation should be practiced daily.

Beginners may find it difficult to relax a group of muscles. The truth is your subconscious mind will take care of it without any conscious effort on your part! But you can also become accustomed to the relaxed state by individually contracting (tensing) the muscles and letting go off the pressure at once, thus relaxing the muscles. For example, to relax the hand and forearm muscles, clench the fist tightly and suddenly release the tension. You can feel the relaxation seeping in?..

02.Deep Muscle Relaxation: Once you have mastered progressive muscle relaxation, the deeper state of relaxation sets in normally. The deep muscles within your systems relax themselves thus putting your whole body into a relaxation mode. To learn more about the physiology of the relaxation mode, CLICK HERE.

03. Scanning Relaxation: When you feel uneasy, close your eyes for a moment, scan your whole body for the tell tale sign-a contracted muscle or muscle group somewhere: relax that group, you will feel your mind also beginning to unwind.

04.Countdown Relaxation: This is a trick that has been taught by our grandmas when we were frightened as kids. Start counting down from 100,99,98,so on. This can also be used to wind down when you feel tensed up, anxious, or angry.

05 Autogenic and Imagery Relaxation: You imagine yourself to be in a place of peace and quiet, experience in your mind's eye the calmness engulfing you. This may be any place you choose, a prayer room,mosque, church,temple,beach,your room,a hill resort etc.

06.Self Hypnosis, Meditation, Transcendal Meditation, and Yoga: The basic principle of all these methods of relaxation is self-hypnosis, breathing exercises and muscle relaxation. Only the methods differ. Click the following for an overview of these methods: Self-Hypnosis, Meditation, and Yoga

07. Breathing Relaxation: As discussed earlier, one of the symptoms of stress is altered breathing. To learn more about relaxed abdominal breathing, CLICK HERE.

The training I impart to patients (AND NORMAL PEOPLE) involve a combination of all the above methods.

 

 

 

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