Dr LeCrone
12-20-2005, 10:44 AM
The art of relaxation is one of those things in life that is easier said than done. Many people think that relaxation is a state of mind that is opposite of being busy. Reading a newspaper, watching television or talking with a friend on the phone may be enjoyable or recreational, but is not necessarily the kind of relaxation needed to neutralize stress and tension. True relaxation involves a somewhat altered state of consciousness where concentration is focused on deeply relaxing the whole body in a physiological way.
John is a very successful, hard-driving and competitive salesman who relates to life in a very intense and, oftentimes, aggressive manner. He attacks each new situation with the fierceness of a soldier in combat or a professional athlete in competition. The result of this is an elevated production of adrenalin and a nervous system that is charged up like an uninsulated electric wire.
John is not even relaxed when he sleeps. His wife can attest to this, as she listens to him grinding his teeth nightly.
What John doesn’t know is that his level of production and efficiency could be increased significantly if he could learn to approach life in a more relaxed manner. Being truly relaxed is something that everyone can and should learn.
There are many ways to achieve a healthy state of relaxation, including meditation, Yoga, self-hypnosis and biofeedback. All of these techniques take practice, but one learned can be continued and become a way of life. The key is regular practice along with the desire to alter one’s lifestyle.
Most people require several weeks of practice in order to master the ability to completely relax. Practice one or twice a day for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. As you continue to practice the exercise, you will find that the feeling of relaxation will stay with you longer and longer between practice sessions. The final goal is to remain in a more relaxed state all the time.
Following a brief relaxation exercise.
• Start by assuming a comfortable position in a chair or lying down. Take a deep breath and exhale slowly, allowing all of your muscles to completely relax.
• Now begin to establish the4 feeling of deep muscle relaxation by alternately tensing and relaxing various muscle groups. Start with the forehead. Raise the eyebrows and tense the muscles in the forehead and hold this for about 30 seconds.
• Now, release the tension and notice the distinct feeling of relaxation that takes place. Clench the muscles in the jaws, hold for 30 seconds and release. Again, notice the feeling of relaxation.
• Now move on down to te4h shoulders, arms, hands and legs. Alternatively tense and relax each muscle group while breathing slowly and deeply.
• After completing this sequence of tensing and relaxing, picture yourself in a very relaxing scene, such as lying on the beach while listening to the waves on the shore. Or, imagine yourself sitting beside a mountain stream on a beautiful springlike day listening to eh water running over the rocks, smelling the mountain air and becoming a part of the whole relaxed and tranquil scene.
This relaxation technique is useful for helping people with insomnia learn to relax in order to fall asleep. It also may be used to combat anxiety in conditions such as agoraphobia or stage fright. Teachers can modify the technique to help a restless child relax in school. Some children diagnosed as “hyperactive” have benefited from relaxation therapy.
Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 1984
John is a very successful, hard-driving and competitive salesman who relates to life in a very intense and, oftentimes, aggressive manner. He attacks each new situation with the fierceness of a soldier in combat or a professional athlete in competition. The result of this is an elevated production of adrenalin and a nervous system that is charged up like an uninsulated electric wire.
John is not even relaxed when he sleeps. His wife can attest to this, as she listens to him grinding his teeth nightly.
What John doesn’t know is that his level of production and efficiency could be increased significantly if he could learn to approach life in a more relaxed manner. Being truly relaxed is something that everyone can and should learn.
There are many ways to achieve a healthy state of relaxation, including meditation, Yoga, self-hypnosis and biofeedback. All of these techniques take practice, but one learned can be continued and become a way of life. The key is regular practice along with the desire to alter one’s lifestyle.
Most people require several weeks of practice in order to master the ability to completely relax. Practice one or twice a day for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. As you continue to practice the exercise, you will find that the feeling of relaxation will stay with you longer and longer between practice sessions. The final goal is to remain in a more relaxed state all the time.
Following a brief relaxation exercise.
• Start by assuming a comfortable position in a chair or lying down. Take a deep breath and exhale slowly, allowing all of your muscles to completely relax.
• Now begin to establish the4 feeling of deep muscle relaxation by alternately tensing and relaxing various muscle groups. Start with the forehead. Raise the eyebrows and tense the muscles in the forehead and hold this for about 30 seconds.
• Now, release the tension and notice the distinct feeling of relaxation that takes place. Clench the muscles in the jaws, hold for 30 seconds and release. Again, notice the feeling of relaxation.
• Now move on down to te4h shoulders, arms, hands and legs. Alternatively tense and relax each muscle group while breathing slowly and deeply.
• After completing this sequence of tensing and relaxing, picture yourself in a very relaxing scene, such as lying on the beach while listening to the waves on the shore. Or, imagine yourself sitting beside a mountain stream on a beautiful springlike day listening to eh water running over the rocks, smelling the mountain air and becoming a part of the whole relaxed and tranquil scene.
This relaxation technique is useful for helping people with insomnia learn to relax in order to fall asleep. It also may be used to combat anxiety in conditions such as agoraphobia or stage fright. Teachers can modify the technique to help a restless child relax in school. Some children diagnosed as “hyperactive” have benefited from relaxation therapy.
Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 1984