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A commonly used technique to relax is Progressive relaxation. Developed by Edmond Jacobson, it is based on the premise that the body responds to anxiety and stress with muscle tension. This bodily tension increases the subjective experience of anxiety. It is only when the muscles relax that anxiety reduces. Progressive relaxation has proved to be very effective in the treatment of muscular tension, anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, irritable bowels, muscle spasms, neck and back pain, high blood pressure, mild phobias and stuttering.
1. Method of Progressive Muscular Relaxation
In progressive relaxation, you first tense and then relax each group of muscles. This helps focus attention on the feeling of tension in the body. The higher your awareness of the tension, the easier it is to control it. Basically, this exercise involves squeezing a particular muscle group firmly and maintaining tension for five to seven seconds. When you release the tension do it quickly so that the muscles relax immediately and you are easily able to differentiate between the feeling of relaxation and tension.
It is important to remember that only one specific muscle group at a time should be tensed - the rest of the body should remain in a relaxed position. Begin with relaxing your hands, then relax your arms and then your shoulders, and so on, until your entire body is relaxed. This exercise should be practiced twice a day while sitting in a comfortable armchair with a high back, or lying down on a flat surface on a thin mattress. Wear loose clothing. 2. Steps to do Progressive Muscular Relaxation Step 1: Take a comfortable position and relax. Now, clench your right fist tighter and tighter, studying the tension as you do so. Keep it clenched and notice the tension in your fist, hand and forearm. Now relax. Feel the looseness in your right hand and note the contrast with its earlier tension. < > Repeat this procedure with your right fist, remaining constantly aware of the state of tension and its easing. Repeat with your left fist, then both fists together. Step 2: Now bend your elbows and tense your biceps. Tense them as hard as you can and observe the feeling of tautness. Relax, and straighten out your arms. Let the relaxation develop and feel the difference. Step 3: Next, wrinkle your forehead as much as you can. Then let it relax. Imagine your entire forehead and scalp becoming smooth and at rest. Now frown and notice the strain spreading all over your forehead. Let go. Allow your brow to become smooth again. Close your eyes now. Close them tighter and feel the tension. Step 4: Now tighten your jaw by pressing the teeth together. Feel the tension and then slowly relax your jaw. When the jaw is relaxed, your lips will be slightly parted. Observe the contrast between tension and relaxation. Now press your tongue against the roof of your mouth. Feel the ache in the back of your mouth. Relax. Step 5: Press your lips now. Notice that your forehead, scalp, eyes, jaw, tongue and lips are now relaxed. Press your head back as far as it can comfortably go and observe the tension in your neck. Roll it to the right, then to the left and feel the changing locus of stress. Straighten your head and bring it forward. Press your chin against your chest. Feel the tension in your throat, and in the back of your neck. Relax, allowing your head to return to a comfortable position. Allow the feeling of relaxation to deepen. Step 6: Now shrug your shoulders. Keep the tension as you hunch your head down between your shoulders. Relax your shoulders. Step 7: Let your entire body relax. Feel the comfort and the heaviness. Breathe in and fill your lungs completely. Hold your breath. Observe the tension. Now exhale, let your chest loosen, and the air hiss out. Continue relaxing, letting your breath come freely and gently. Repeat this several times and feel the tension draining from your body as you exhale. Next, tighten your stomach. Breathe deeply into your stomach. Hold, and relax. Observe the contrast to the earlier tension as the air rushes out. Now arch your back without straining. Keep the rest of your body as relaxed as possible. Focus on the tension in your lower back. Now relax, deeper and deeper. Step 8: Tighten your buttocks and thighs. Flex your thighs by pressing down your heels as hard as you can. Relax and feel the difference. Now curl your toes downwards, tensing your calves. Study the tension; then relax. Now bend your toes toward your face, creating tension in your shins. Relax again. Step 9: Feel the heaviness in your lower body as the sense of relaxation deepens. Relax your feet, ankles, calves, shins, knees, thighs and buttocks. Now let the relaxation spread to your stomach, lower back and chest. Let go more and more. Experience the relaxation deepening in your shoulders, arms and hands. Notice the feeling of looseness and relaxation in your neck, jaws and facial muscles. Step 10: You are completely relaxed now. Keep lying down. Do not move. Keep your eyes closed and enjoy this peaceful experience. After a few minutes tell yourself. 'When I get up I'll be fresh and alert.' Then count slowly from one to three and then from three to one. Now slowly open your eyes and turn over on your side. Keep lying down for a few more minutes, then slowly sit up with the support of your arm. It is advisable to get up very slowly after a tension-relaxation exercise, so that the body can gradually readjust to the pressure of work. If you get up too suddenly, you may feel slightly dizzy, light-headed or even nauseated, due to the sudden load on the bodily system, which has slowed down in the process of relaxation. 3. A quicker way of achieving deep muscle relaxation
It usually requires four to five sessions to master relaxation techniques and initially you may need some professional guidance too. However, it is a take-home therapy, and once learnt, can be easily self-administered. All you need is adequate motivation and commitment to benefit from this therapy. Here whole muscle groups are simultaneously tensed and then relaxed. As before, repeat each procedure at least once, tensing each muscle group from five to seven seconds and then relaxing them for twenty to thirty seconds. Remember to observe the contrast between the sensations of tension and relaxation. Step 1: Fold both your hands into tight fists. Tighten the biceps and forearms. Hold on for a few seconds. Relax. Step 2: Wrinkle your forehead. At the same time, push your head as far back as possible. Roll it towards the right and then towards the left, then bring it back. Now tense up all your facial muscles - press your eyes hard, wrinkle your forehead, tighten your jaws, tongue pressing the roof of the mouth. Stay in this position for a few seconds, then relax. Step 3: Arch your back as you take a deep breath. Hold. Relax. Take a deep breath, pressing out stomach. Hold. Relax. Step 4: Pull your feet and toes up towards the face. Hold. Relax. Now push your feet and toes down, tightening the calves, thighs and buttocks. Hold for a few seconds, then relax. Relaxation is a skill which all of you can master with sufficient practice and persistence. It is not only useful for symptom reduction, but goes a long way in improving the overall quality of your lives -- provided it becomes a part of your everyday routine.
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