Learning Relaxation Skills
My husband and I have attended many relaxation seminars and
classes over the years and have obtained many relaxation skills. The
following is a guide that we have adapted to fit our needs for teaching people
how to learn relaxation skills.
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Learn how to become deeply relaxed. This applies to the
muscles directly involved with your symptomatic areas as well as the muscles
throughout all of your body. In some muscles, such as the hands and
arms, you can feel small differences in the muscle's tension. In other
muscles such as those found in your neck, head, and back, you are less able to
feel small differences in muscle tension. How deeply you need to relax
varies from person to person. You cannot predict how deeply you need to
relax to prevent, reduce, or stop your symptoms. It is generally better
to reach deeper levels of relaxation.
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Learn to become deeply relaxed rapidly. This will lower
your tension level much quicker. To stress the importance of this, think
of yourself carrying a small suitcase that is very heavy. You begin to
sense that it would be better to relax your arms. It makes sense to put
everything down at once rather than put it down little bits at a time.
Muscles in the head, face, and neck need relaxation the same as any other
muscles. This is harder to do with the neck and head muscles. Many
of the muscles in the head and face are thinner, smaller, and not as strong.
They are used frequently but cannot tolerate as much tension as other muscles
throughout the body. Your goal should be to become more aware of the
tension in these muscles and to be able to release the tension quickly.
This will allow the other muscles in your body to relax as well.
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Relax for long periods. This goal depends on how rapidly
and deeply relaxed you have been getting. So, if you are lowering your
bodies tension to slow and not relaxing deep enough, then you will likely have
to spend more time to achieve the same results. As your relaxation
skills improve it will take less time to get into a deeper relaxation.
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Relax frequently. When you are carrying a heavy load, it
would not make sense to put it down only a few times and carry it for longer
periods. In other words, relaxation should be done more frequently
instead of carrying around tension for long amount of periods. More of a
balance between tension and relaxation is needed. Many periods with a
variety of length are vital to help you become aware of tension and
relaxation.
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Relax at the needed times for the appropriate situations.
Frequent relaxation periods are not enough. You have to use your
relaxation skills when and where you need them. Use your relaxation
skills before, during, and immediately after situations of increased tension.
You should use relaxation in all kinds of situations, even if you do not feel
tense or aroused. Many times tension or stimulation of the nervous
system occur without your awareness.
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Increase your awareness of undo and unneeded tension. As
you become more aware of tension you will gain better skills to help avoid
excess and unneeded tension. Avoid excess, prolonged, and unnecessary
tension.
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Increase your confidence in your abilities to relax, and your
success at accomplishing the before mentioned steps. Practicing, both
alone and with others around, helps to prepare you for the situations when
your relaxations skills will be most helpful. Confidence in your skills,
not only enhances the relaxation, but can actually help to prevent some
tension. As you experience relaxation effects when you are alone or with
others you will gain confidence in yourself. You will have developed
ways to control your body in ways that you didn't think you could before.
Seven Steps to Relaxation
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You will be able to recognize tension in each large voluntary
muscle.
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You will be able to recognize the sensation of relaxation in
each large voluntary muscle.
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You will be able to control your relaxation by "letting go" of
that muscles tension.
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You will experience deep muscle relaxation.
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You will be able to recognize sensations of tension and
relaxation in the tiny eye and throat muscles.
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You will be able to control both eye and throat relaxation by
"letting go" of the tension.
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You will be able to relax your whole body without having to
first tense each individual muscle.
Source:
Terry, M.D., John. "Learning the skills and steps to relaxation.." . Springhaven Medical
Center, Bluefield. 2001.