EXERCISE 13
Full-body relaxation.
You may find it useful to audio record the following exercise 13 first and play it back, or have it read out to you by a partner. You may recall EXERCISE 3 ( Breathing to support your back, click here) how breathing via the nose helps induce the body's relaxation response, but when you want to let go of any worries or anxieties it is helpful, initially, to let go of them via the breath through the open mouth. The secret here is not to try to relax. Your muscles know how to do it. Simply let go of the tension in your muscles each time you exhale.
The EXERCISE 13 takes some space to explain, but it is simply about relaxing every joint and muscle in your body, beginning at one end of your body and working your way to the other end.
• Choose a clean, firm and even surface with a comfortable support for your head and neck, such as a small pillow or cushion.
• Lie down on your back and check that your head and neck are comfortable. Allow your legs to part slightly and move your hands away from the sides of your body.
• Carry out the deep full-breath breathing of EXERCISE 2 (CLICK HERE TO REVISE and scroll to Exercise 2) three times. Let any problems or anxieties go with your out-breath, breathing them out through an open mouth.
• When you feel you have let go of any anxious feelings, close your mouth and breath slowly, gently and normally through your nose.
• Bring your focus to your hands. As you breathe in, clench them tightly to make a fist. As you breathe out, let them unclench. Repeat this. Breathe in, and clench your fists. Let them unclench as you breathe out. Remember this feeling of unclenching and letting go as you exhale. This is how you relax.
• Do not clench anything again throughout the rest of this exercise 13. As you breathe in, know that you are breathing in peace and relaxation. As you breathe out, know that you are relaxing and letting go.
• Bring your focus to the toes of your left foot. Feel them relax, one by one. Use the out-breath to let them release and relax. Move your attention slowly over your foot, relaxing, the muscles. Let the ankle go.
• Move your attention up your left leg, relaxing the muscles in time with your breathing. Let the knee joint go. Relax the thigh muscles and the muscles of the buttocks.
• Relax your pelvis. Continue to breathe slowly and gently.
• Now focus on your right foot. Feel your toes relax, one by one. Move your attention slowly over your right foot, relaxing the muscles, letting go. Relax your ankle joint.
• Move you attention up your right leg and let the knee joint go. Relax the thigh muscles and the muscles of the buttocks. Relax your pelvis again.
• Now move your attention up the front of your body, relaxing the belly and stomach. Let go of the muscles of the chest. Let go of your shoulders.
• Return your attention to your lower back and slowly relax your back muscles. Use the out-breath to let go of any muscular tension. If you suffer from back pain, make sure you take the time to relax all of the back muscles. Pay attention to the muscles across the top of your back and shoulders where tension tends to gather. Relax and let go.
• Relax your left shoulder and move down the left arm. Relax your elbow joint. Move down the forearm, relaxing and letting go, in time with your breathing. Let your wrist relax.
• Relax the palm of your left hand, thumb and fingers, one by one.
• Return your attention to your right shoulder. Relax it and move down the right arm. Let your elbow joint relax. Move down your forearm. relaxing and letting go. Let your wrist relax.
• Relax your right hand, letting go of your thumb and fingers one by one. Relax your entire shoulder girdle.
• Now move up the back of your neck, very slowly, relaxing and letting go. Let your attention come up the back of your head and over the top of the scalp, relaxing and letting go of all the tiny muscles.
• Imagine a caring hand smoothing your forehead. As you exhale, relax your eyes, the cheeks, and your mouth. Relax your jaw.
• Continue to breathe slowly, gently and normally. Now mentally scan your body to see if any part has tensed up again. If it has, relax it, enjoying the feeling of total relaxation and letting go. At this point you can remain mentally alert or allow yourself to drift off into sleep.
When you feel ready, open your eyes and wiggle your toes. Allow yourself to be totally conscious of your body before you stand up.
When you repeat this exercise 13, try starting the relaxation at the top of your body, making your way down to the toes, using the same techniques. See which order is most comfortable for you. You may find that you need to use a different order to suit different times or circumstances. Practise this relaxation exercise 13 , or some form of it, until it becomes second nature and you can do it anywhere, in any circumstance, in any position. Conscious relaxation, like conscious breathing, re-establishes a positive relationship with every aspect of your body.
Benefits of the relaxation response
Regular practice of the above relaxation EXERCISE 13 -- once a week or whenever you feel tense -- will also bring you mental relaxation. Every time you practise the relaxation exercise, it will become progressively easier to allow the flow of thoughts through your mind without your needing to grasp any of them. With practise, your mind begins to empty itself. This is perfectly normal and is an important outcome of combining relaxation with your breathing. Conscious breathing and relaxation are one of the most effective ways to cope with any stressful situation. Begin by practising EXERCISE 2: Full-breath breathing and than EXERCISE 13: Full-body relaxation ( above). These two exercises initiate the relaxation response, the antidote to the stress response.
In deep relaxation, when you breathing becomes slower and deeper, your brain gets the message that it can put a brake on the fight-or flight state of hormone alert. Very quickly, your heart relax, and all the body systems resume their normal functioning. Because stress overload depletes the human body's reserves, your body can now begin the restoration process. Where excessive hormone secretion has produced chemical imbalance, your body immediately works to recover balance. Many of these physical reactions also have a positive effect on your emotional and mental attitudes and equilibrium.
Full-body relaxation.
You may find it useful to audio record the following exercise 13 first and play it back, or have it read out to you by a partner. You may recall EXERCISE 3 ( Breathing to support your back, click here) how breathing via the nose helps induce the body's relaxation response, but when you want to let go of any worries or anxieties it is helpful, initially, to let go of them via the breath through the open mouth. The secret here is not to try to relax. Your muscles know how to do it. Simply let go of the tension in your muscles each time you exhale.
The EXERCISE 13 takes some space to explain, but it is simply about relaxing every joint and muscle in your body, beginning at one end of your body and working your way to the other end.
• Choose a clean, firm and even surface with a comfortable support for your head and neck, such as a small pillow or cushion.
• Lie down on your back and check that your head and neck are comfortable. Allow your legs to part slightly and move your hands away from the sides of your body.
• Carry out the deep full-breath breathing of EXERCISE 2 (CLICK HERE TO REVISE and scroll to Exercise 2) three times. Let any problems or anxieties go with your out-breath, breathing them out through an open mouth.
• When you feel you have let go of any anxious feelings, close your mouth and breath slowly, gently and normally through your nose.
• Bring your focus to your hands. As you breathe in, clench them tightly to make a fist. As you breathe out, let them unclench. Repeat this. Breathe in, and clench your fists. Let them unclench as you breathe out. Remember this feeling of unclenching and letting go as you exhale. This is how you relax.
• Do not clench anything again throughout the rest of this exercise 13. As you breathe in, know that you are breathing in peace and relaxation. As you breathe out, know that you are relaxing and letting go.
• Bring your focus to the toes of your left foot. Feel them relax, one by one. Use the out-breath to let them release and relax. Move your attention slowly over your foot, relaxing, the muscles. Let the ankle go.
• Move your attention up your left leg, relaxing the muscles in time with your breathing. Let the knee joint go. Relax the thigh muscles and the muscles of the buttocks.
• Relax your pelvis. Continue to breathe slowly and gently.
• Now focus on your right foot. Feel your toes relax, one by one. Move your attention slowly over your right foot, relaxing the muscles, letting go. Relax your ankle joint.
• Move you attention up your right leg and let the knee joint go. Relax the thigh muscles and the muscles of the buttocks. Relax your pelvis again.
• Now move your attention up the front of your body, relaxing the belly and stomach. Let go of the muscles of the chest. Let go of your shoulders.
• Return your attention to your lower back and slowly relax your back muscles. Use the out-breath to let go of any muscular tension. If you suffer from back pain, make sure you take the time to relax all of the back muscles. Pay attention to the muscles across the top of your back and shoulders where tension tends to gather. Relax and let go.
• Relax your left shoulder and move down the left arm. Relax your elbow joint. Move down the forearm, relaxing and letting go, in time with your breathing. Let your wrist relax.
• Relax the palm of your left hand, thumb and fingers, one by one.
• Return your attention to your right shoulder. Relax it and move down the right arm. Let your elbow joint relax. Move down your forearm. relaxing and letting go. Let your wrist relax.
• Relax your right hand, letting go of your thumb and fingers one by one. Relax your entire shoulder girdle.
• Now move up the back of your neck, very slowly, relaxing and letting go. Let your attention come up the back of your head and over the top of the scalp, relaxing and letting go of all the tiny muscles.
• Imagine a caring hand smoothing your forehead. As you exhale, relax your eyes, the cheeks, and your mouth. Relax your jaw.
• Continue to breathe slowly, gently and normally. Now mentally scan your body to see if any part has tensed up again. If it has, relax it, enjoying the feeling of total relaxation and letting go. At this point you can remain mentally alert or allow yourself to drift off into sleep.
When you feel ready, open your eyes and wiggle your toes. Allow yourself to be totally conscious of your body before you stand up.
When you repeat this exercise 13, try starting the relaxation at the top of your body, making your way down to the toes, using the same techniques. See which order is most comfortable for you. You may find that you need to use a different order to suit different times or circumstances. Practise this relaxation exercise 13 , or some form of it, until it becomes second nature and you can do it anywhere, in any circumstance, in any position. Conscious relaxation, like conscious breathing, re-establishes a positive relationship with every aspect of your body.
Benefits of the relaxation response
Regular practice of the above relaxation EXERCISE 13 -- once a week or whenever you feel tense -- will also bring you mental relaxation. Every time you practise the relaxation exercise, it will become progressively easier to allow the flow of thoughts through your mind without your needing to grasp any of them. With practise, your mind begins to empty itself. This is perfectly normal and is an important outcome of combining relaxation with your breathing. Conscious breathing and relaxation are one of the most effective ways to cope with any stressful situation. Begin by practising EXERCISE 2: Full-breath breathing and than EXERCISE 13: Full-body relaxation ( above). These two exercises initiate the relaxation response, the antidote to the stress response.
In deep relaxation, when you breathing becomes slower and deeper, your brain gets the message that it can put a brake on the fight-or flight state of hormone alert. Very quickly, your heart relax, and all the body systems resume their normal functioning. Because stress overload depletes the human body's reserves, your body can now begin the restoration process. Where excessive hormone secretion has produced chemical imbalance, your body immediately works to recover balance. Many of these physical reactions also have a positive effect on your emotional and mental attitudes and equilibrium.
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