BENEFITS OF RELAXATION
- Feeling calm
- Reduced muscle tension and chronic pain
- Lowered blood pressure
- Lowered heart rate
- Improving concentration
- Decreased hormones that increase with stress
- Reduced perspiration
- Breathing more slowly and deeply
- Sleeping better
RELAXATION
- Relaxation is a state that must be learned
- Relaxation is an active process
- Concentration and practice required
- Relaxation is NOT sleep
RELAXATION TECHNIQUES
- Deep Breathing
- Progressive muscle relaxation
- Imagery / visualisation
- Others include listening to relaxing music, massage, meditation, hypnosis, Tai Chi
- Tapes/CD’s, breathing exercises
- Quick relaxation techniques
QUICK RELAXATION TECHNIQUES
Whole Body Tension
- Tense everything in your whole body, stay with that tension as long as you can without feeling pain
- Slowly release the tension and very gradually feel it leave your body.
Affirmations: pick one that works or make up your own
- breath deeply and slowly….
- let the tension flow away….
- I am calm and relaxed, ready for anything….
- I have the power to handle this….
- relax the jaw, lower the shoulders….