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Relaxing Muscles Can Be the Key to Reducing Stress:
Perhaps you’re
an airline pilot who’s just spent hours in the cockpit. It seems
like every muscle in your body is tense and you need relief. Or perhaps
you’re a stay-at-home mom who’s spent the better part
of your day cleaning your house. You feel as if your nerves are shot
and you desperately want to feel better.
In both instances, the key to relieving stress may be progressive
muscle relaxation. It’s a technique that began in the 1930s,
but still has relevance today. With this technique, muscle groups
are flexed and then relaxed in short order. The foundation of this
technique is the concept that physical relaxation leads to mental
repose. While the method does involve activating the muscles, you
don’t have to be a weightlifter to try it. That’s because
it requires no special training. In fact, virtually anyone can master
the technique.
In general, you’ll want to practice the method ten to 20 minutes
a day. But don’t blame yourself if you don’t master it
on the first try. It’s best to take a gradual approach, improving
your muscle flexing capabilities over time. You’ll need to rehearse
the technique again and again in order to obtain maximum benefit.
You’ll also need to be patient because you might not be able
to pick it up in a single afternoon. But, in the long run, it will
be well worth the effort.
Progressive muscle relaxation is referred to as a deep relaxation
technique. This means that it can not only reduce stress, but also
help alleviate chronic pain and sleeplessness. Doctors often use the
technique in an effort to treat migraines and cancer. Usually, the
relaxation technique begins with the feet and the legs, then gradually
moves up the body to the chest, neck, and face. However, some physicians
may try to relax muscle groups in a different order.
After some time, the amount of muscle tension attempted is increased
in order to maximize the work of the muscles. You can engage in this
exercise while seated, or you can do it lying in bed. Make sure, however,
that you attempt it only in a place that is quiet and tranquil. Otherwise,
you might find it difficult to complete the exercise. To begin with,
tighten the muscles for about eight seconds and then release. Relax
for about 30 seconds, then move onto another set of muscles. You might
use progressive muscle relaxation in conjunction with imagery. In
other words, you might imagine that you are like a wave of the ocean
unleashing your power by flexing your muscles.
Through progressive muscle relaxation, you can learn to interpret
your body’s cues. In this way, you can identify signs of tension
within your body and determine ways to correct it. As a result, you
should feel much less stress and may even feel as if you have more
energy. Because progressive muscle relaxation has been around for
decades, it is proven effective. Therefore, it is not a fad, but a
legitimate relaxation technique.
Your initial relaxation session should last about an hour. You will
engage in such activities as making a fist, bending your arms, raising
your eyebrows, clenching your teeth, pulling up your shoulders, tightening
your abdominal muscles, and lifting your heels. In time, such exercises
will become second-nature to you. However, you should not try to speed
up your exercises—the point is to remain relaxed, not to quicken
your pace. The exercises may be a perfect activity on a Saturday morning
or Sunday afternoon—whenever you’re ready to relax.
Progressive muscle relaxation is for anyone. Whether you work at a
construction site or a classroom, in a music hall or in a meat market,
you can benefit from the relaxation exercises. Granted, it may be
hard for you to relax at first, especially if you are a Type A personality.
But, chances are, you’ll quickly master the technique and learn
to enjoy your exercises. In time, such relaxation exercises should
become a natural part of life. You’ll feel healthier, more energetic,
and less stressed. Chances are your attitude will brighten, since
the weight of the world has been taken from your shoulders. You’ll
find that time relaxing is truly time well-spent.
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