relaxation, imagery and time-management skills to cope with stress.
Controlled breathing
Controlled breathing is a stress-management technique that concentrates on slowing and optimising your breathing. Rapid breathing quickly produces a number of negative physiological responses, such as an elevated heart rate and disrupted cardiac autonomic activity.
A warm, darkened, carpeted room is recommended when learning how to control your breathing and muscle tension. You should lie on your back with your arms by your side; you can lie on the floor or a firm bed. Make sure your clothing is not tight or uncomfortable. Finally, make sure you do not have any injuries that cause discomfort when lying in this position. Now follow the steps listed below.
Focus your thoughts on your breathing.
Slow your breathing and take deep, even breaths. Focus all your thoughts on the air as it enters your nasal passage and progresses deep into your lungs. If extraneous thoughts enter your mind, push them aside and refocus all your attention on your breathing.
Now concentrate on your breathing cue word: RELAX. As you say the word in your mind, breathe in on the RE and out on the LAX . One cycle should take about 5 seconds – 2.5 seconds breathing in, and 2.5 seconds breathing out – which equates to 12 breathing cycles per minute. Practise using this cue for 3 breathing cycles. Remember, slowly breathe in on the RE and slowly breathe out on the LAX .
If thoughts enter your mind or noises come to your attention, push them aside and refocus all your concentration on your breathing.
As you prastice the muscle relaxation technique in the next section, try to monitor and control your breathing throughout the session using your cue word, RELAX.
Muscle relaxation
Muscle relaxation is a technique that systematically releases all the tension in your skeletal muscles. As with the controlled breathing technique, you should lie on your back with arms by your side in a warm, darkened room. Try to wear comfortable, non-restrictive clothing. Follow the instructions below to learn how muscle relaxation is performed for the whole body.
Lie on your back on a carpeted floor or on a firm bed. Support your head with a small cushion. Allow your legs and arms to stretch out. If you suffer from lower-back problems, place a rolled-up blanket under the backs of your knees.
To begin, complete a body tension check by monitoring all your muscle groups for excessive muscle tension. Close your eyes and scan the muscles in your body from your head to your feet. Try to assess which of your muscles are tense. Don’t forget about your breathing; it should be slow and even.
Now start muscle relaxation: tense your fist by curling your fingers as tight as you can for 15 seconds. Hold the tension and focus on it, then release by relaxing your hands and letting your fingers slowly uncurl. Notice the warm, tingling feeling of relaxed muscles, compared to the earlier feeling of tension.
Next, focus on your biceps. Create tension in these muscles for 15 seconds by lifting both hands to the shoulders and tightening the biceps. Try to keep your hands relaxed. Now release the tension in your biceps by relaxing them and letting your arms slowly return to your side.
Now tense your neck muscles by contracting and pushing the back of your neck into the pillow for 15 seconds. Hold the tension, focus on it, then release it by relaxing your neck.
Tense your facial muscles by frowning and gritting your teeth for 15 seconds. Hold the tension, focus on it, then release it by relaxing.
Now contract you abdominal muscles by tensing and pulling your stomach towards your spine for 15 seconds. Hold the tension, focus on it, then release it by relaxing.
Next continue with your thighs and buttocks. Tense these muscles tightly for 15 seconds, then release the tension.
Don’t forget your breathing. Focus on your breathing by using your cue word, RELAX. Take a deep breath on the RE , hold your breath, then
Controlled breathing
Controlled breathing is a stress-management technique that concentrates on slowing and optimising your breathing. Rapid breathing quickly produces a number of negative physiological responses, such as an elevated heart rate and disrupted cardiac autonomic activity.
A warm, darkened, carpeted room is recommended when learning how to control your breathing and muscle tension. You should lie on your back with your arms by your side; you can lie on the floor or a firm bed. Make sure your clothing is not tight or uncomfortable. Finally, make sure you do not have any injuries that cause discomfort when lying in this position. Now follow the steps listed below.
Focus your thoughts on your breathing.
Slow your breathing and take deep, even breaths. Focus all your thoughts on the air as it enters your nasal passage and progresses deep into your lungs. If extraneous thoughts enter your mind, push them aside and refocus all your attention on your breathing.
Now concentrate on your breathing cue word: RELAX. As you say the word in your mind, breathe in on the RE and out on the LAX . One cycle should take about 5 seconds – 2.5 seconds breathing in, and 2.5 seconds breathing out – which equates to 12 breathing cycles per minute. Practise using this cue for 3 breathing cycles. Remember, slowly breathe in on the RE and slowly breathe out on the LAX .
If thoughts enter your mind or noises come to your attention, push them aside and refocus all your concentration on your breathing.
As you prastice the muscle relaxation technique in the next section, try to monitor and control your breathing throughout the session using your cue word, RELAX.
Muscle relaxation
Muscle relaxation is a technique that systematically releases all the tension in your skeletal muscles. As with the controlled breathing technique, you should lie on your back with arms by your side in a warm, darkened room. Try to wear comfortable, non-restrictive clothing. Follow the instructions below to learn how muscle relaxation is performed for the whole body.
Lie on your back on a carpeted floor or on a firm bed. Support your head with a small cushion. Allow your legs and arms to stretch out. If you suffer from lower-back problems, place a rolled-up blanket under the backs of your knees.
To begin, complete a body tension check by monitoring all your muscle groups for excessive muscle tension. Close your eyes and scan the muscles in your body from your head to your feet. Try to assess which of your muscles are tense. Don’t forget about your breathing; it should be slow and even.
Now start muscle relaxation: tense your fist by curling your fingers as tight as you can for 15 seconds. Hold the tension and focus on it, then release by relaxing your hands and letting your fingers slowly uncurl. Notice the warm, tingling feeling of relaxed muscles, compared to the earlier feeling of tension.
Next, focus on your biceps. Create tension in these muscles for 15 seconds by lifting both hands to the shoulders and tightening the biceps. Try to keep your hands relaxed. Now release the tension in your biceps by relaxing them and letting your arms slowly return to your side.
Now tense your neck muscles by contracting and pushing the back of your neck into the pillow for 15 seconds. Hold the tension, focus on it, then release it by relaxing your neck.
Tense your facial muscles by frowning and gritting your teeth for 15 seconds. Hold the tension, focus on it, then release it by relaxing.
Now contract you abdominal muscles by tensing and pulling your stomach towards your spine for 15 seconds. Hold the tension, focus on it, then release it by relaxing.
Next continue with your thighs and buttocks. Tense these muscles tightly for 15 seconds, then release the tension.
Don’t forget your breathing. Focus on your breathing by using your cue word, RELAX. Take a deep breath on the RE , hold your breath, then
Similar Books
