Have you ever reacted to something by shrugging your shoulders in or clenching your fists or tightening your jaw? Then maybe several minutes later you realize you are still ‘all tensed up’ and remember to relax. It feels so much better. Sometimes you might be tense and tight for most of the day which can lead to headaches, stomach problems and emotional issues. It is important to allow yourself to relax and de-stress through-out the day.
It reminds of being in a yoga class and the instructor says to the group, “relax your jaw.” I actually don’t realize that I’m making some sort of grimace until they say that so I relax my jaw and suddenly the pose is easier!
When you practice this purposefully it’s called Progressive Muscle Relaxation. It involves tensing muscles and then relaxing them, one muscle group at a time.
TRY IT RIGHT NOW!
It takes less than one minute!
Start at your head and move down. Close your eyes, clench your jaw, scrunch your face into the tightest frown you can make, hold that tension for a moment, and then, let it relax.
Move down to your shoulders. Raise your shoulders up to your ears, make a fist with each hand, close your eyes again, and tighten all the muscles in your abdomen and upper back. Hold it for a moment and then let it relax.
Next move down to your legs. Press your feet into the floor or hold your legs out straight. Close your eyes, tighten all the muscles in your legs, feet and buttocks, hold it for a moment, and then, let them relax.
Notice for a moment the feeling of warmth and relaxation that is coming on all over your body. Take THREE DEEP BREATHES.
This is exactly what progressive relaxation can do for you any time you use it. You can relax your whole body in just a couple of minutes or, you can focus on specific parts of the body, one muscle group at a time, and take all the time you want.
Stress Relief is an important part of Being Healthy & Happy and this technique is something that you can easily do to take control of your day.
