Tension is one of the sources of pain and disease in human.
The opposite of tension is relaxation, which is often the
cure of pain and disease. Physical relaxation contributes
to your longevity health. It is effective stress management.
The common signs of bodily tension are pain in the neck and
back. If you are stressed out, your shoulders also get the
tension. Expressions such as "shoulder your responsibility"
and "on your shoulders" speak volumes of how your shoulders
may sustain the stress from everyday life. Given that
tension saps your physical and mental energy, always tell
yourself to "drop your shoulders" for relaxation. But it is
easier said than done.
Why?
It is because physical relaxation is a skill - something
that does not come naturally. You must first of all
recognize the problem, that is, you have bodily tension,
and then you must learn how to acquire that skill for your
physical relaxation.
For relaxation, you require the work of both your body and
your mind.
Learning to relax is not easy. It takes time, patience and
persistence. But the longevity health benefits are
substantial and lasting.
Make time to practice physical relaxation. Above all, make
it a routine - not something you do only on the spur of the
moment.
Do not do it before bedtime. Why not? Because it is a skill
to learn, and thus requiring mental effort - surely not
something appropriate when you are tired and ready to go to
bed.
Do not fall asleep while practicing physical relaxation.
However, you can may it to help you sleep better, but not
during the practice session.
Do not rush. Learn to relax at your own pace.
Do deep muscle relaxation using the pendulum method, in
which you tighten up your muscles before letting them
relax. Tense your muscle groups, beginning with the hands,
the shoulders, the feet, and then the face and the neck, in
that order.
During the practice, breathe in and out slowly and
naturally. If your stomach moves gently up and down, you
are breathing right. If your chest moves up and down, you
are not breathing right. Always breathe diaphragmatically,
like a baby does.
To practice physical relaxation, find a comfortable place
to lie down. (When you mastered the skill, you can do it
anywhere and anytime.) Follow the following steps:
Tense and then relax each of your muscle groups.
For your hands, clench your fists tight and hard, and then
slowly let go.
For your arms, tighten your biceps and your lower arms,
without tightening your fists.
For your shoulders, elevate your shoulders as high as
possible.
For your feet, screw up your toes. Stretch the front of
your legs by pointing them away from you as much as
possible such that they are parallel with your legs. Flex
your feet upwards while stretching your feet down. Tighten
your thighs and press your knees against the floor.
For your buttocks, clench them together hard.
For your stomach, crunch and tighten your abdominal muscles.
For your lower back, press it against the floor
For your chest, take a deep breath, hold it, and tighten
your chest muscles.
Going back to your shoulders, breath in, hold your breath,
and raise your shoulders as high as possible.
For your neck, stretch your head up, stretching and
tightening your chin. Press your head down in the opposite
direction until your chin touches your chest.
For your face, press and tighten your lips, clenching your
teeth. Close your eyes tight. Raise your eyebrows (forget
about the wrinkles) as high as you can go. Screw up all
your facial muscles.
Physical relaxation will increase your energy, decrease
your anxiety and irritability, and reduce physical pain due
to tense muscles.
Physical relaxation is a skill that can be acquired with
practice, patience, persistence, and the right attitude.
After you have mastered the skill through daily practice,
you can apply it to any daily situation, such as while you
are driving, waiting for the bus, or any time while working
in the office.
Make physical relaxation a part of your daily life.
Relaxation not only restores your health, but also makes
you sleep much better at night, without the use of
medications.
Mental relaxation, to complement physical relaxation, is a
more difficult issue, and will be discussed later.
----------------------------------------------------
Stephen Lau is a researcher, writing synopses of medical
research for scientists. His publications include "NO
MIRACLE CURES" a book on healing and wellness. He has also
created several websites on health and healing.
http://www.longevityforyou.com
http://www.zenhealthylifestyle.com
http://www.chinesenaturalhealing.com
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