Each of us experiences stress every day, but more than once. Ideally, each tension should be followed by relaxation, but, unfortunately, our life is far from perfect. That is why all kinds of relaxation courses and trainings are so popular: on them, people who are tired in a week learn to find harmony with themselves and their bodies and comprehend the basics of what they managed to forget in this crazy world - relaxation.
We are all tired. The same route from home to work and back, relaxing in front of the TV while eating chips - all this does not contribute to relaxation and harmonization of processes in the body. The state of constant stress leads to the fact that we have increased the number of diseases of the body, neurosis, depression and even schizophrenia. At the same time, rest and relaxation can significantly prolong life and improve its quality. What are the methods and techniques?
Physical methods of relaxation
Relaxing the body is the most famous and ancient way to calm down. And this is not accidental, because many centuries ago the common truth about the connection between the soul and the body was known. We get used to existence in the “tense and tangled bundle of nerves” mode - this is how clamps are formed. What should be done to get rid of them?
Yoga is a great way to expel tension from your body. Have you seen the Indian sages? At least in the picture? They give the impression of being very relaxed people, and it's all thanks to yoga and meditation. We will talk about the latter a little further, but for now, read how to achieve harmony with the help of simple yoga exercises - they are also commonly called asanas. After their implementation, you will feel lightness and a healing effect on the entire body.
The most effective posture is the dead posture, or shavasana. To enter it, lie on your back with your arms stretched along your torso and legs together. Relax your whole body so that your toes and heels are apart, and your hands fall with the ribs of your palms down. This is the starting position. Start by feeling your right hand: how she lies on a hard floor and presses on him. Usually this sensation responds with a tingling or throbbing. Then do the same with the left hand.
Next, spread the heaviness to all hands - feel them at the same time. Then relax your left and right leg. It is somewhat more difficult to relax the feet: it is better to do this not individually (on the fingers - as is the case with the hand), but as a whole. First, fill one leg with heaviness and warmth, then the other, then - them together, and then feel both arms and legs.
Next, relax your buttocks, abdomen, back, and chest. You can use images of a hard floor underneath and a hot body pressing down on it from above. As soon as a new relaxed body part is added, check it completely. Then feel the neck, chewing muscles and tongue. The latter, by the way, can even fall helplessly down. Do not forget to relax your face, because it is it that is the focus of all energy. You will certainly need the image of the fullness of the muscles with hot liquid. The forehead is best felt cool.
This is the basic relaxation technique of hatha yoga. We recommend that you perform shavasana in a calm place, characterized by silence and the absence of bright light sources. In general, this pose takes about ten minutes, it is better to practice it every day and more than once. It is important to keep yourself conscious during the exercise, although sleep is not prohibited. Exit shavasana by stretching and slowly moving the limbs.
Yoga is effective if you want to achieve relaxation of the body through regular practice. However, there are situations that can only be called stressful. Relaxation at these moments can be achieved only by throwing out the accumulated aggression and negative energy somewhere from the body. This is facilitated by intense physical activity, such as running or even kickboxing. It will be great if you do something similar under the guidance of an experienced trainer. Or you can just go to the dance - then relaxation, coupled with a dose of positive emotions you are provided! 
Psychological relaxation techniques
Man does not live by movement alone. In addition to the body, there is also the psyche, which also needs to be able to relax. And this is where problems begin for many, because it is one thing to do physical exercise, and it is quite another to relieve the soul of tension. How can you help yourself?
Meditation is the first thing a person who wants to relax the soul and body thinks about. There are two main directions: receptive with an emphasis on perception and concentrative with an emphasis on concentration. You can use the one that suits you best. By the way, the myth that meditation should be given a lot of time is very common. This is not so: for a modern working person, always busy with various things, ten to fifteen minutes are enough to feel the relaxation of the body and learn to live “here and now” and not “there and then”.
There are many different forms of meditation. For example, there is a traditional Buddhist technique called “mindfulness meditation”. Initially, a person is invited to focus on some subtle sensation, for example, the flow of air passing through the nostrils on inhalation and exhalation. Gradually, the objects for meditation change - in general, they can be anything, for example, a candle flame, the sound of breathing or a heartbeat. The pinnacle of mastery is the ability to focus on the absence of thoughts: the feeling of one’s own “I” almost completely disappears, resulting in a state of complete rest. You can also concentrate on a mantra - a sound or word that is mentally or aloud repeated by the meditator. Whichever option you choose, it can be beneficial and effective for you - as long as your meditation sessions are regular.
However, it is far from necessary to allocate some separate time and place for meditation. You can practice relaxation in everyday life: this requires careful attention to what you are doing and what is happening to you. The key here is awareness, that is, concentration and complete openness to the perception of what you are contacting here and now. For example, right now you are looking at a laptop screen, you see black letters on a white background, a light bulb is shining above you, the rumble of cars is heard from somewhere in the street, and a quiet grumbling is heard in your stomach.
This does not mean a ban on thoughts about the future or the past, but they must be connected with the present. If you're thinking about an exam, focus on how that thought makes you feel: fear, anxiety, interest, or something else. It is the impossibility of living “here and now” that causes a feeling of constant anxiety and tension: at work you think about household chores, at home about work, and you have no time to relax. Thus, real life is replaced by something similar to survival and existence.
A more psychologized version of meditation is visualization - focusing on some image, usually pleasant. Take a comfortable position: sit or lie down so that you can comfortably spend at least five minutes in this position. Turn on beautiful relaxing music and start visualizing.
Imagine a golden ball filled with warm and beautiful light. Every time it appears, your tension and anxiety disappear. Harmony and warmth spread throughout the body. This ball rises from the bottom up, starting from the legs and ending with the torso. Then it descends to the fingers along the entire arm, after which it rises to the neck and enters the head. If you feel an increase in anxiety or tension, just send a golden ball there and they will pass.
Your body will be completely relaxed. Stay in this state for a while. When you need to get out of it, just breathe in three times and absorb the energy and fresh life that was inside your body along with the ball. Regular repetition of this exercise can work wonders, because by contacting something pleasant, we gain positive energy and resources, which are so necessary for complete relaxation.
Relaxation and relaxation are not limited to the simple performance of physical and psychological exercises. In order to reduce the degree of tension in your life, you need to make changes in her image. Usually, dissatisfaction and fatigue occur when a person's natural needs are not satisfied for a long time: the body's resources are not restored, and the load is increasing. What to do with it? How to restore natural balance and inner harmony?
- Healthy sleep
“How many times have they told the world…” Unfortunately, many people still ignore the fact that proper sleep is necessary for a strong nervous system. Without it, it is impossible to restore the resources of the body and, accordingly, release from tension and fatigue. Therefore, there can be one piece of advice here - get enough sleep! It should be noted that the daily need for sleep is individual for each person. If your girlfriend needs five hours and you need nine, there is nothing to worry about - it is better to take into account your own characteristics and stop ignoring them, trying to be like everyone else.
- Massage
Oh-oh-oh, someone incredibly brilliant came up with it! Massage is therapeutic and relaxing, and we are now talking about the latter. There are many variations on this theme, but the result is usually the same: after the session, you feel wings growing behind your back, and a feeling of fatigue and tension is replaced by harmony and pleasure in all members of your body. It is worth introducing this procedure into your schedule at least once a week, and preferably two!
- Walks in the open air
The rhythm of our life is such that we have ceased to pay attention to the beauty of the world around us, as described above. One way to relax is to take time to walk quietly and look at the trees, the sky, the houses, and the people around you. Closeness to nature is generally healing, because it is able to draw out of you all the accumulated negativity. It doesn't matter what the weather is like outside - learn to find time to be alone with yourself and the world.
- shopping
This method is worthy of mention in any more or less self-respecting women's magazine. It just so happens that our nature is prone to gathering, and choosing and buying clothes is a way to relieve all the accumulated stress. By the way, shopping is also great. exercise stress which also leads to relaxation. Just do not forget that you need to buy only what you really like and need, otherwise the result of shopping will be feelings of guilt and anxiety.
- cultural enjoyment
Man is a spiritual being, and, unlike animals, he is full of all sorts of complex needs, such as the need for aesthetics or self-development. Have you noticed how good it feels after a good concert or a deep theatrical performance? In the frantic pace of life, we forget to take care of our soul, and it responds to us with fatigue and weariness.
- Tasty food
Favorite female doping after buying clothes (and maybe before). Sometimes, in order to relax, it is enough for us to eat a bar of chocolate or a well-done steak. Unfortunately, eating goodies is often associated with their preparation, which, of course, does not contribute to relaxation. Therefore, if you want to relax, you should visit a restaurant - there you can eat from the belly and not burden yourself with household chores.
- Loneliness
It sounds strange, but it is a fact: a person needs to periodically be alone with himself. Constantly chasing success and achievement, we forget who we really are. Information overload often turns out to be excessive for our brain, so if you want to get rid of constant fatigue, it is worth taking time to meet with yourself.
Here are some simple but effective ways we can bring to your attention. It is far from necessary to try to implement each of them, but listening to them and changing at least something is the first step. Over time, you will have more and more strength, and fatigue will no longer be your constant companion. Well, the most important condition for relaxation is love and self-care.
Yes, it's stressful guys!
It is expressed in the fact that a person focuses excessively on current problems, the perception of the world narrows, everyday issues being resolved occupy the entire “screen”. What to do? Defocus, move away, expand consciousness. How? Rest, switch, sing, dance, do gymnastics (all this is extremely unfocused), free the mind from any “obligations”.
As soon as you see that the consciousness is wedged on one subject - abruptly switch to another subject. A sharp turn of the head to the other side helps. And so 30 times. Another trick is to howl, yes, yes, howl like a wolf, only honestly, putting all the emotion that has accumulated in the soul, as if complaining. Another method is "tail waving". Have you noticed that sometimes a person's knee shakes or he nervously fiddles with a handkerchief, etc.? So, by doing this, he involuntarily channels stress. If a person had a tail, he would twirl it like a lamb and would not have psychological problems. Find your “tail” and shake it to the beat of your hysteria and it will gradually channel. Another technique. Take a long look at yourself in the mirror. Just don't look, but look! Imagine that there is a stranger in the mirror. After a while, consciousness will stop rushing around and you will calm down. Sometimes for relaxation it is advised to listen to slow calm music for relaxation, but I do not think this is correct. Slow music does not correspond to the internal hysterical state of the "patient". He just won't accept it. Moreover, unsuccessful attempts to “slow down” to the beat of the music will only increase hysteria. It is more correct to start with fast arrhythmic music with a gradual slowdown towards the end, and finish with music for relaxation. At the same time, they advise not to do anything other than listening to music. But this is contrary to the principle of defocusing. The more diverse factors act simultaneously, the better. Developing the theme of fast arrhythmic music for realxation, one can improve the traditionally recommended method of breathing with the stomach. His problem is the same, slow, calm breathing does not correspond to the hysterical state of the patient. Therefore, you need to start like this: a sharp breath, holding the breath, a sharp exhalation. At the same time, when inhaling, we collect negative energy, as it were, and when exhaling, we shake it off ourselves. As relaxation sets in, we gradually slow down the inhalation-exhalation and at the end we move on to the traditional technique: a slow inhalation, a slight delay, an even slower exhalation.
Relaxation principles:
1) Hygiene. Proper response to stressors. We solve vital issues in a timely manner and to a sufficient extent. In the case of unsolvable problems, we consciously recognize them as such, resign ourselves and step aside. We avoid routine, repetitions, diversify life, show curiosity for everything new, throw away all life's rubbish in time. We observe the regime of work and rest. Dream. We do physical education. We do not fall for semantic traps, obsessions ...
2) Sewerage. The cause of stress is the lack of a satisfactory response to external stimulation. Those. Consciousness/subconsciousness, in response to irritation, prompts the body to act, and the body is either inactive or does not act enough to obtain a result. Thus, a conflict between motivation and performance accumulates. When such a conflict persists for a long time, it turns into something self-sufficient and continues to exist even when the original causes cease to exist. Something like a loop occurs and the trap slams shut! at the level of consciousness, such a conflict is perceived as a tension of individual muscle groups and / or as a “waving” (internal discomfort, throwing consciousness, involuntary movements (trembling, twitching of the knee, pulling a handkerchief, etc.)) The principle of canalization is to satisfy motivation physical action. And not by any, but in terms and tact of motivation. We have to sort of let the stress out of the cage. This method can be compared to tail wagging. If a person had a tail, he would nervously twirl it like a lamb, as a result of which he would avoid many psychological problems. Find such a “tail” in yourself (it can be an arm, a leg, a voice, facial muscles, etc.) and wave it with the degree of intensity and nervousness that corresponds to the level of your internal state of discomfort. Waving the “tail” can take on bizarre forms, you can toss and turn, make faces, perform wild dances, shake your knee, yell, howl, bite, do intensive house cleaning, etc. It is only important to do all this on emotion, so that the intensity and nervousness of such activities correspond to the internal motivation of discomfort. Sooner or later the motivation-performance conflict will be channeled in this way.
3) Switching/Wiping out. After the stress is channeled (but not before!) we proceed to the switching mechanism. Otherwise, nothing will work out, and the very efforts in this direction will lead to a cumulative increase in nervousness. We find the external cause of stress, it is quite possible that it is related to work or daily activities. We find an alternative activity completely orthogonal to the source of stress and do it in our free time. By doing this, we direct the energy that would otherwise go to maintaining stress into another neutral channel.
4) Defocusing/expansion of consciousness. As a rule, stress is associated with excessive focus on current problems. In this case, the effect of narrowing consciousness is observed. Problems, as it were, expand to the “full screen”, they seem not to be lifted. Compare your perception of life in the morning after sleep and in the evening at the end of work. In the evening, I do not want to take on cases that in the morning seemed trifling.
5) Suspension. Excessive digging in sensations is a direct path to looping and stress. The Buddhist principle of “not me” is especially useful for introverts. Stop frantically clinging to your self, dig into yourself and your feelings. You won’t find anything there anyway (remember the last time you found something useful there). Look at the world detached as if you weren't there. At the same time, many motivations for internal anxiety will disappear. One of the tricks. Take a moment to look at yourself in the mirror. Just do not look, namely look! Imagine that there is a stranger in the mirror.
Answer
- anger, hatred, jealousy, envy, doubts, fear - visit us at almost every step: when we go to the grocery store and argue with the seller there, sort things out at work with the boss or colleagues, quarrel and swear with relatives at home.
Many underestimate Negative influence stress, believing that it only affects nervous system and psyche. Meanwhile, stress is a determining factor in the occurrence and development of many other diseases. First of all, the heart, stomach and immunity suffer. But especially dangerous for physical health are long-term and passive emotional states, such as chronic anxiety or depression.
An effective and proven way is to go to work. However, immersion in work is not always possible and not everywhere. This is not a universal remedy. Given the degree of influence of stress, it is better to have at least a few tools in your arsenal. In this article, one of the most effective stress medications will be considered - relaxation, or the "muscle relaxation" technique.
The fact is that the less tense our muscles are, the calmer we are. This theory is confirmed by the fact that at night, when a person sleeps, his muscles are completely disabled. Thus, the role of relaxation is to relieve neuropsychic tension by relaxing the muscles. In addition, it allows you to quickly remove fatigue and fatigue, restore strength and energy in the shortest possible time.
Another very interesting effect of relaxation, discovered by the American ophthalmologist William Bates, was noted - this is an improvement in vision. Properly performed muscle relaxation allows you to cope with myopia, farsightedness and even astigmatism! This amazing discovery has not yet been scientifically confirmed, but there is no doubt that this fact is reliable. Special relaxation exercises invented by Dr. Bates really help to make the eyes clear, vigilant and cheerful!
And one more important plus of relaxation is that, in general, there are no contraindications to doing it! Thus, each of us is capable of training and mastering relaxation techniques.
Getting down to business
Relaxation classes can be carried out anywhere - both at work and at home. One session takes only 5-10 free minutes. You can also practice before going to bed, lying in bed. The only condition is the absence of sharp extraneous noise. The fact is that in a state of complete relaxation, a person's perception of external sounds and images is enhanced. That is why relaxation is preliminary stage hypnosis, autogenic training and meditation.
But all this is of no use to us. Therefore, extraneous sounds can be eliminated by downloading special music for relaxation on the Internet. These are usually soothing, soothing melodies, such as the sound of a waterfall or rain, which give the practice a suitable, natural background.
Preparation
Achieving a state of relaxation, that is, deep muscle relaxation, is possible in one of two ways: neuromuscular relaxation, developed in 1929 by the American psychologist Edmond Jacobson, or the method autogenic relaxation, the creator of which is the doctor Johann Schulz (1932). Only you can determine which one is best for you. The first option is better mastered by people who have more developed figurative thinking, the second - by those who have higher abilities to perceive words.
During training, it is necessary to take the position of an outside observer, that is, to observe the gradual relaxation of your body, as if from the side. You must remember the sensations that you will experience in the process of training - then next time you can relax faster. Ultimately, the process of relaxing the body comes down to being done in a matter of seconds. Especially important muscles are the muscles of the hands and face. In moments of intense disputes, conflicts, they are most tense.
Neuromuscular relaxation of the body
Eliminate loud noises in the room - turn off the TV and music, close the door with a key. Nothing should distract you. Take a comfortable position - sit on a chair, sofa or armchair. If you are practicing at home, the best position is lying on the floor (dead pose), legs and arms slightly apart. Close your eyes. Start mentally relaxing your body. Relaxation comes from the bottom up.
First, imagine your feet warm, heavy, and unbearable. Then do the same with your hands. Focus on the torso, imagine it limp, passive. Finally, relax your face in the same way. End your workout with a pleasant sip, as if you just woke up from a deep, restful sleep. If everything was done correctly, you will certainly feel the effect of amazing lightness and calmness. Relaxation helps better than any pills!
Autogenic relaxation
Autogenic relaxation is based on following the formulas of self-hypnosis. All you need to do is say them to yourself.
1. Legs: Toes are relaxed, feet are relaxed, calves are relaxed, thighs are relaxed. Legs are relaxed, warm, heavy.
You can check: hips, knees, calves, feet, fingers are relaxed.
2. Torso: waist, back, chest are relaxed.
3. The heart beats calmly and evenly. The liver is relaxed bladder relaxed, spleen relaxed. Check all organs.
4. Arms: fingers relaxed, hands relaxed, forearms relaxed, shoulders relaxed. Hands are relaxed, warm, heavy.
5. The neck is relaxed.
6. The face is relaxed, the jaw dropped, the eyes are relaxed.
The output and effect of the lesson are the same as in the previous case.
If relaxation turns out badly, and you can’t remember the sensations, you can try the technique of alternating tension and muscle relaxation. That is, first, maximally strain the muscles of the arms, legs or torso for a while, and then relax as much as possible. To improve results, you can work with a partner.
Workout with a partner
Training with a partner allows you to visually assess the degree of muscle relaxation. Stand up straight, close your eyes. Try to quickly relax your hands - then they will hang like whips. Have your partner begin to slowly raise your arms to chest level, and then perform a series of "weighing" movements, as if trying to determine the weight of your hands by eye, and bring them down sharply. Well relaxed hands should immediately return to the starting position. The partner will confirm that during the lift he felt the heaviness of your hands. If the hands were not relaxed well enough, then they will not go down so quickly, or even freeze in a raised position. The partner will note: the hands were not very heavy and rose easily.
Systematic training is the key to nerves of steel!
It is enough to engage in relaxation at least once a day. The main thing here is regularity. Of course, perseverance and the desire to achieve your goals matters. If you follow these rules, then sooner or later you will become the owner of an impenetrable psyche, high stress resistance and nerves of steel.
You will have amazing fearlessness! And no life's hardships and failures already.
We are spinning like squirrels in a wheel - so many things accumulate every day that we do not have time to redo them all. No time to take a breather.
But you still need to take a break, carve out 10 minutes for relaxation - and this will help you recover quickly! To continue to do things with tripled energy!
Surely you are thinking like this: I could relax wonderfully if I had more free time! But think about what exactly you do when you really have it. You start cleaning the house, washing, ironing, remembering what old things you didn’t have time to redo ... and then you fall into an armchair in front of the TV and start watching everything, even what you are not interested in? Do you recognize yourself?
But you need to rebuild yourself and your attitude to rest - and then you will be able to do much more! Haven't you been surprised that many people can do so many things in a day that another can't do it in a week? And all because they know how to properly allocate their time and know how to relax properly.
Therefore, it is necessary to allocate 5-10 minutes a day for yourself. To do this, find a place in the house that you do not associate with important matters - and relax there.
Also, you need to learn how to relax. Since a person quickly gets used to repetitive moments, you will even notice how your body begins to relax as soon as you enter your rest area, which you have chosen for yourself.
Be sure to ventilate your apartment - Fresh air cleans not only the room, but also your thoughts. Besides, everything breathing exercises that you will do will bring much more benefit.
And, what is very important, arrange with your loved ones in advance so that they do not come to you and do not disturb you when you relax.
So. Just have some tea. In the evening, about one to two hours before bedtime, have a relaxing tea. It is not difficult to prepare it: for this you need to fill a thermos with 1 teaspoon of dried flowers and leaves of St. John's wort, lemon balm or mint, lime blossom. Pour boiling water over all this and let it brew for half an hour. Drink tea slowly, in small sips, but no more than 150 ml at a time.
Second. Do a meditation. To do this, sit back, close your eyes and imagine that you are rising above the house, above the city, and then above the Earth. You can fly so high that our planet turns into a small ball ... And think about how small your problems are from this distance. Imagine the whole universe - and feel how tiny you are in comparison.
Third. Take the pressure off. When you're nervous, you probably clench your teeth involuntarily. To relieve this tension, you need the tips index fingers feel for small depressions on the jaw at the level of the earlobes. Press these points for 5 seconds and slowly release. After that, touch the sky with the tip of your tongue and stay in this position until you feel that the muscles of the jaw have completely relaxed.
Fourth. If you are very tired and after work you feel completely exhausted and overwhelmed, then you urgently need to help yourself recover: after all, in the evening, any woman still has a lot of things to do. You can recover using Express Help. To do this, soak a terry towel in hot water, wring it out, lie down on the bed and cover your head with this towel. You will not believe, but after 10 minutes the fatigue will go away! No wonder this method was often used by our mothers when they had a headache.
Fifth. By the way, if you have a headache. Sit down, close your eyes, and massage your scalp with your fingers for five minutes. Massage the temples in a circular motion, then the back of the head, gradually make the massage easier, barely touching the scalp with your fingers.
Sixth way. As clichéd as it sounds, music is a great way to relax. It is especially good at such moments to listen to classical music or the one that you like best. It is better if she is not very energetic. CDs of nature sounds, sea waves, birdsong, etc. are great. Make your own relaxing collection of music in advance and listen to it when you need to quickly relax.
seventh. Proper breathing helps to relax. To do this, you need to master the method of abdominal breathing. Inhale the air, filling the stomach “for 5 counts”, then slowly exhale “for 10 counts”. When you exhale the air, think that you are getting rid of the bad negative energy that overwhelmed you. This technique will help you stay calm in any situation.
Eighth. Essential oils are the best helpers in relaxation. No wonder they are so often used by Eastern practices. Pour a few drops of vanilla, lavender, bergamot oil into the aroma lamp and light it for 15 minutes. During this time, your “rest area” will be filled with the aroma that you like. Breathe it in and take your mind off the day's problems.
ninth. You need to master acupressure - this is a wonderful assistant in the art of relaxation. Shiatsu massage, or acupuncture points - as it is sometimes called - is a real ambulance for pain, fatigue and stress. If you massage the points correctly for 10 minutes, you can very quickly get rid of discomfort.
- When overtired, you need to massage the superciliary arches.
- If your eyes are tired, for example, from a computer, then you need to carefully move your index finger several times from the inner corners of the eyes to the outer ones.
- With stress and migraines, you need to massage the point located between the eyebrows.
AND tenth. For relaxation, buy yourself a rubber ball with "thorns" - this is an excellent home massager for hands and feet. It can also be rolled during some kind of work - if, for example, you write or read something. You just need to choose a ball that is suitable in size and rigidity.
Eleventh. For relaxation, it is important to learn how to breathe correctly. If suddenly you received some kind of unpleasant news, then just inhale several times as deeply as your lungs will allow. Hold your breath and exhale the air in jerks - repeat this exercise several times. In general, intense breathing is indicated for stress. So we take the example of Hollywood heroes who begin to breathe a little into a paper bag or do breathing exercises as soon as something happens to them.
Relaxation is a process that is mistakenly perceived as a way to relax. It is a powerful technique for eliminating psychological clamps, phobias and complexes. Its use allows not only to restore mental strength, but also to get rid of the manifestations of gastritis, headache and hypertension. This technique has a wide range of applications. Its adherents are flexible in thinking and cope with stress more easily.
Why is relaxation needed?
Relaxation is the process of consciously relaxing the body to reduce muscle tone. For this, special techniques, exercises and preparations are used. As a result, the patient's level of mental and physical stress decreases, and working capacity increases.
For the proper functioning of all body systems, after tension, nervous or physical, relaxation must follow. Everyday life filled with stress and the modern rhythm of life deprives people of this opportunity. The psyche is in constant tension, and watching TV shows, movies or reading news on social networks only further overloads the mind. Therefore, relaxation methods are necessary measure to maintain health.
Any stress inhibits relaxation, resulting in muscle clamps. Over time, the consequences of its destructive influence accumulate, and there are more and more muscle clamps. They interfere with proper blood circulation, reduce concentration and overall body tone.
Mind and body are interconnected. Therefore, while engaging in physical relaxation, a person simultaneously works on his mental health, and vice versa. When healing the body and spirit, it is important to observe the fundamental principle of relaxation - generalization is needed to achieve the result.
Generalization is the process of distribution and consolidation of the produced effect. Without it, the methods of relaxing the body will not have the expected effect.
Unsystematic studies will never give a lasting result. To achieve therapeutic effectiveness and get rid of nervousness, classes require organization. Relaxation is not a miracle pill.
The essence of the technique and its application in everyday life
Relaxation is not necessarily meditation and yoga. Methods of physical and mental relaxation are present in the life of every person, even if he does not consciously deal with them. For example, the classic case of an office worker. Everyday is filled with fuss and a huge amount of information, but when a person goes out into the street and is about to go home, his attention switches. A change of activity provokes a change in the direction of thought, he understands that work difficulties are left behind, and a pleasant evening and rest await him ahead. At this point, there is a slight mental and physical relaxation.
Proper use of relaxation techniques can prevent depression, restore vigor and tone of the body.
Ways to relieve stress:
- 1. A deep breath, despite its simplicity, can significantly change the state of consciousness. IN stressful situation, which seems hopeless, it is useful to use the exercise: a deep breath is taken, the breath is held for 10 seconds, followed by a slow exhalation. A short period of time will allow you to assess the situation, understand your main advantages, saturate the cells with oxygen and calm down a bit. During such a respite, it is important to try to think positively, a critical perception of reality will spoil the result.
- 2. Hugs - another one effective method fight stress. They awaken in a person a sense of security and the release of endorphins. An important condition: you need to hug only those who are pleasant. It is pointless to expect a result by touching a person who causes only negative emotions. largest positive effect makes contact with children. Their spontaneity and sincerity will help not only to feel better, but also to cheer you up.
- 3. Massage is a popular way to deal with stress. To achieve a therapeutic effect, regular procedures are recommended. But if you need to relax right now, then a short session of light massage will do. To do this, just rub your ears, stretch your neck, shoulders, forearms, hands, palms and fingers. Special attention should be given cervical region. This will improve blood flow, cause a surge of vigor and increase concentration.
- 4. Aromatherapy is recommended in combination with massage. But it can be used in Everyday life. For this, aromatic baths with mint in the evenings and bergamot in the mornings are suitable. A few drops of mint are recommended to drip on the pillow. Orange oil is used to lift the mood and increase efficiency. An aroma lamp with it should be lit in the office or use perfumes with notes of orange. Alternative option- a basket with these citrus fruits on the desktop.
- 5. Music helps relieve stress, switch attention and improve mood. Listening to your favorite songs will help you stay in high spirits. Classical music is useful for creative work, and drum rhythms increase concentration. It is recommended to spend 10-15 minutes every morning dancing to drum beats. Vibrations of percussion instruments invigorate, have a beneficial effect on attention and performance.
- 6. Herbal teas. Correct selection herbs and the rejection of caffeinated drinks increases concentration, general tone of the body and removes toxins. Chamomile is suitable for morning tea drinking, a cup of mint or lemon balm infusion is useful at night or in the evening. During the day, ginseng, chamomile and oregano are recommended.
Types of relaxation
Modern psychology identifies a number of the most effective methods. Their implementation does not require complex skills or financial investments.
Popular relaxation methods:
| Method | Performance |
|---|---|
| Breathing exercises | Breathing techniques are the basis of yoga, Pilates and any kind of professional sports. For therapeutic purposes, you need to practice indoors with a minimum amount of lighting and without strangers. Music for meditation, the sounds of nature, are suitable as a sound accompaniment, you can completely refuse it. TV, radio and music with words will distract attention. Before starting the exercise, you need to take a comfortable position, the stomach should be relaxed and not pinched by anything. Close your eyes and concentrate on your breath. It should be measured and unhurried. It is necessary to control the flow of air into the lungs and fill not only the chest, but also the stomach. Belly breathing provides good ventilation of the lungs. Then visualization and sensations are connected to the work. You need to imagine how the air gradually penetrates through the pores and fills first one hand, then the other, then both. And so you need to work out every part of the body. Switching from one part of the body to another occurs only after complete relaxation of the limb. At the end of the exercise, it is useful to lie on your back with one hand on your stomach to control your breathing and breathe with your stomach. |
| Creating an image | It is a visualization method and requires a lot of practice. Not everyone gets it right the first time. You need to sit comfortably and to the right music without words to start working. During the exercise, you need to imagine the most pleasant environment, for each person such an image is individual. It should be a place where he feels a state of bliss. For example, a sandy beach, forest edge, beautiful garden. An important condition: immersion in visualization must be complete. That is, a person must present everything the smallest details. If it is a sandy beach, you should try to hear the sound of the surf, feel the warm rays of the sun and splashes of water on your skin, remember the feeling of touching the sand. Before you can find a good image, you need to use several options. Regular exercise will help your body develop muscle memory. This will allow in any situation and place, at will, to recreate the desired image without the slightest effort. It is important in the process of work to make the image as realistic as possible. |
| Autogenic training | This method of self-hypnosis is suitable for those who are used to independently controlling every area of their lives. Before starting classes, you need to record verbal instructions to yourself for relaxation on the recorder. They should sound like this: "My right hand relaxes, I feel its warmth, each finger is filled with heaviness, the hand and wrist become heavier, my whole right hand is completely relaxed." The instruction is spoken slowly, so that there is enough time to concentrate on the sensations. The voice should sound soft and not loud. With the help of sound instructions, you need to relax the whole body. Regular training will help induce relaxation in the future with one phrase: “my body is relaxed” |
| Muscle tension method | The technique is based on the physiological laws of the body. Relaxation is carried out in the process of passing through four stages. The first is concentration on internal processes in body. The second is progressive relaxation, which is achieved through conscious muscle tension and relaxation. The third stage is autogenic training, or self-order. Fourth, final - creating an image |
| Jacobson relaxation | The technique is based on alternating relaxation with tension of different muscle groups and is performed in several approaches. The exercise begins lying on your back, your arms need to be bent and strongly strained. On muscle tension, you need to concentrate all your attention. The second approach is to achieve complete relaxation by concentrating on extending and relaxing the arms. Both steps are repeated several times. The third affects the work of the biceps. It is necessary to strain the muscles as much as possible, and then relax them very slowly. After several repetitions, you need to completely relax them for 15 minutes. Relaxation must be absolute. The exercise is considered correctly performed if the weakest contractions of the biceps cease to be felt. Manipulations are repeated with each muscle group separately, the muscles of the face and larynx relax last. The next stage of the exercise is "differentiated relaxation". You need to take a sitting position and work out muscle groups that are not involved in the vertical maintenance of the body. They need to be relaxed as much as possible. That is, those muscles that are not involved at the time of the exercise are being worked out. The final step is to observe your life. You need to track which muscles tense up in stressful, anxious and frightening situations. The technique allows you to identify and prevent muscle clamps and get rid of negative emotions |
| combination method | You need to sit on a chair, moving as far as possible to the edge, and cross your legs. The main support should be on the toes. The spine must be carefully straightened, not leading to overstrain. The chin is pulled towards you, hands are placed on the hips with palms up and several conscious breaths and exhalations are performed, mentally pronouncing the drawn-out “ah-o-um”. After that, you need to hold your breath for a couple of seconds and instantly imagine yourself completely healthy and vigorous. The exercise is repeated 8-10 times, and you need to complete it by vigorously rising. Then jog for a minute. For people suffering from low blood pressure, it is useful to add push-ups, squats and walking to your workout. After completion, it is recommended to lie down for a few minutes. |
Jacobson relaxation
Postisometric technique
Postisometric relaxation is a technique designed to prepare the muscles for subsequent manual practices. It relieves pain, spasms and stretches the muscle. Classes are based on a combination of isometric work (holding the body in a certain position) of minimal intensity with inert muscle stretching. The duration of one approach is from 5 to 10 seconds, and the number of approaches should be at least 6. The painful syndrome is eliminated due to the formation of a persistent hypotonic effect during the exercise.
Proper post-isometric work is characterized by a number of features, without which it is impossible to achieve a therapeutic effect:
- 1. Exercise should be of minimal intensity and short duration. Changing the parameters contributes to the opposite relaxation effect. Increasing the intervals causes fatigue in the muscles, too short - does not entail any changes.
- 2. Isometric work can be replaced by volitional muscle tension. It will be stronger in severity, but the effect after the procedure remains the same.
- 3. The combination of volitional muscle tension with the direction of gaze allows you to better work out the muscles. Human body It is designed so that the gaze causes the activation of a certain muscle group. For example, if you look up, your neck and back tense up, and if you look down, your torso and neck. Looking to the side activates the work of the rotator muscles.
Before starting the exercise, you need to fix the most comfortable position. Excessive effort and performance through pain prevents you from achieving the desired relaxation effect. Before tensing the muscle, you need to hold your breath, followed by a deep breath and a decrease in contraction. After a few seconds, after complete relaxation of the muscle, you can begin to stretch it for 10-15 seconds. The cycle is repeated several times.
If, after performing the technique, a relaxing effect has not been achieved, the time increases to 30 seconds. Subject to all the rules, relaxation is achieved by the third phase of the repetition cycle.
The initial stage of the training involves the supervision of an instructor, he helps to get comfortable with the technique and learn to feel your body. Not all muscle groups can be worked out with the help of a specialist. In some cases, contraction and relaxation have to be monitored independently.
Postisometric relaxation is shown:
- to warm up the muscles;
- to reduce local hypertonicity;
- to eliminate musculoskeletal pain;
- with local postural imbalance.
- for the treatment of pathologies of the spine caused by neurological manifestations.
It is recommended to refrain from exercising without first consulting a doctor. Exercise is contraindicated for people with skin diseases, headaches, elevated temperature body, transient ischemic attack, thrombosis, arrhythmia, pulmonary insufficiency and skin lesions in the affected area. Exercise is not recommended if the patient has severe pain during muscle contraction.