Learn These Three Skills to Relax
1. Relaxation Reflex: Get rid of muscle tension.
2. Mental Imagery: Think of calm, restful places.
3. Deep Natural Breathing: Feel relaxed by breathing in more oxygen.
Plan Relaxation Time
If possible, use the hour before you sleep to wind down and prepare your body and mind for sleep. You can also do relaxation exercises as needed throughout the day. Relaxation techniques can help reduce stress-related health problems, such as high blood pressure, headaches, and pain. These tools also help you to exercise greater mental and physical control and reduce negative emotions.
How the mind can control the body:
* It can slow brain wave patterns.
* It can reduce heart and breathing rates.
* It can increase blood flow to your limbs.
* It can relax muscles.
Prepare for Relaxation
Remove external factors that could be causing your body and mind to be overly alert. Watching TV is ok, but avoid loud, violent, or exciting programs. Mindless programs are better. Dim the lights. Play a quiet game (though not on your phone or computer), read a book, or organize your sock drawer or the clothes in your closet.
A bath taken two hours before bedtime allows your body temperature to drop to a sleep-inducing level.
Relaxation Reflex
This skill relaxes four basic muscle groups. Tightening and relaxing these muscles produces a soothing effect which helps you relax. Take slow deep breaths, drop your head, and place your shoulders forward to add to the effect.
Practice this every day for about five to 10 minutes. Divide the body into four muscle groups. Tense each group for five seconds, then release.
1. Arms and Hands – Lift your arms, bend them at your wrists and elbows, make fists, and tighten your upper arms.
2. Face and Neck – Squinch your eyes, nose, cheeks and brow. Stretch your mouth and grit your teeth. Point your chin down toward your chest.
3. Middle Torso – Push your shoulders back, tighten your stomach and the middle of your back.
4. Legs and Feet – Lift your legs off the floor and hold them straight out. Point your toes towards your face. Tighten your thighs.
Mental Imagery
Choose a peaceful scene like a beach, forest, or sunrise. You can even choose a place of fantasy. Then take an imaginary visit there and relax in the process. Imagine this place using the following 10 steps:
1. Find a comfortable sitting or reclining position.
2. Gently close your eyes.
3. Notice nothing but your own gentle breathing pattern.
4. Begin to think about your peaceful scene. Picture where you are and what you do when your mind and body are very, very relaxed. Pause to create and capture the image of your soothing place.
5. Pretend that you are really there in your special relaxing environment. Picture all the colors… Hear the sounds… Smell the aromas… Taste… Touch your surroundings as if you are really there… Enjoy… Relax…
6. Find the calm and peace. Allow yourself to feel good… Let your whole body relax and enjoy the moment.
7. Pause for five to 10 minutes and become filled with relaxation.
8. Allow the relaxation to re-energize your body and mind.
9. As you feel comfortable, slowly open your eyes, feeling totally refreshed.
10. Escape to your special place anytime you wish to relax, if even for a moment.
Deep Natural Breathing
An increased amount of oxygen allows your heart rate to slow down. This produces a calming effect.
1. Sit in a chair, arms at your sides, with your legs uncrossed.
2. Note any tension in your muscles.
3. Put one hand on your chest and the other hand on your abdomen.
4. Take in a breath slowly and deeply through your nose allowing your abdomen to expand and push up your hand. After your abdomen is full of air, allow your chest to expand, pushing up your other hand. This is one long steady breath.
5. Hold the air in for three seconds.
6. Purse your lips and exhale through your mouth making a relaxing, whooshing sound.
7. Continue to take long, slow, deep inhales through your nose and let out long, slow exhales through your mouth.
8. Focus on the sound and feeling of deep breathing. Continue for three to five minutes.
9. Your chest should feel less constricted. You should feel less stress and tension physically and mentally.
