Continuing on the theme of the last few blogs, where we’ve covered therapeutic journaling, breathing exercises and sitting stretches, this week’s focus is on progressive muscle relaxation as a stress busting technique.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
This is really easy to do. All you need is a chair or somewhere to lie on the ground – whatever you feel most comfortable doing. Now follow these instructions:
• if you can, loosen your clothing and take off your shoes
• close your eyes and take a few deep breaths
• when you feel ready, move your attention to your right foot and take a moment to note how it feels
• now tense your foot, as tight as you can, and hold for a count of 10
• release and, as you do so, feel the tension ebbing away as you let your foot relax
• focus your attention on the relaxed feeling and hold it for moment, breathing slowly and deeply
• now move your attention to your left foot and repeat the process
• move up your body towards your head, a logical way to progress is to follow this pattern:
– right foot
– left foot
– right calf
– left calf
– right thigh
– left thigh
– hips and buttocks
– stomach
– chest
– back
– right arm and hand
– left arm and hand
– neck and shoulders
– face
When you reach the end of the process, simply sit and breathe quietly for a minute or two, then slowly open your eyes.
As you practise this simple process, it’ll become easier for you to identify tension in your body. This will allow you to recognise it early and do something about it, before it starts to affect your performance.
Next week, in the final instalment, we’ll take a look at how smell and colour can be super stress-busters.
