Stress Management Tip – Progressive Relaxation

Navigation: Main page » Stress Management

 Print this page Submit articleComment article

Author: David Tomaselli

Article source: http://www.natural-holistic-health.com/. Used with author's permission.

Negative thoughts and feelings can significantly contribute to the tension we experience in our bodies. Most of the time we are unaware of the tension in our bodies until it manifests as a physical condition such as muscle tightness in the body, headaches and even stomach ulcers. Progressive relaxation serves as a great way relax the body at the first sign of tension.

Progressive relaxation involves systematically tensing and relaxing various groups of muscles in an orderly sequence. By regularly practicing this technique, you can train yourself to recognize the feelings associated with tensed and relaxed muscles. Recognizing the tension or stress in your body at an early stage gives you the opportunity to stop it before it becomes a major physical problem.

When performing the progressive relaxation technique it important to follow the following guide lines

• Do this technique in a quiet room where no one can interrupt you
• Sit on a comfortable chair, couch, recliner or lie on a bed
• Allocate around 10-15 minutes every day as your scheduled time for this technique
• Note the sensations you experience tensing and relaxing the various muscle groups

Start off by closing your eyes and taking a few deep breaths for one minute. Then start progressive tensing and relaxing the various muscle groups. The sequence of muscles varies slightly depending on how much time you have however the general order is as follows:

• Toes
• Knees
• Entire right leg
• Entire left leg
• Right hand
• Right forearm and hand
• Entire right arm
• Left hand
• Left forearm and hand
• Entire left arm
• Abdomen
• Chest
• Neck and shoulders
• Face

At the end you should be feeling quite relaxed. Keep your eyes closed and breathe in deeply. Slowly start moving your fingers and wriggling your toes. Breathe in deeply again and stretch gently. Then breathe in deeply one more time and open your eyes.

NOTE: because this technique involves deliberate tensing of muscles, it is important to check with your physician if you have any medical history of muscle problems.

Improve Your Small Business Through the #4 Universal Funnel Law
With a stroke of the keyboard, your satisfied customers can disappear as quickly as they arrived. Developing loyal customers is strategy that will truly double ...

How To Get That Promotion
If you're looking for that promotion or pay rise then you'll need to be noticed by your employer, so here's a few tips to stand out from the crowd:

The Real Truth About Supplements
Not All Supplements are Created Equal. There are more supplements available than I would care to count and keep track of. So what is the biggest difference bet...

Get On with Your LIfe
Losing a job or finding a better one can be one of the most trying times in life. We often get so tied up with our own job and problems that we forget they are ...

Train Your Brain, Or Cook Your Goose!
One day while in deep meditation and self analysis, a paralyzed man discovered the most important person he would ever meet in his life. He saw very clearly tha...

How The Power of Attraction Can Help You Get What You Want?
Every great achiever knows that certain mental laws exist by which you can turn all your dreams into reality. The law of attraction is one of the most important...

Permanent Cosmetics
Are you tired of applying, and re-applying makeup every day? If so, you may be a candidate for Permanent Cosmetics!

Hiring A Virtual Assistant Can Help Your Business Grow
Are you a home or small business owner and you're Webmaster, receptionist, and assistant all in one, but you've found that there isn't enough time in the day to...

How To Get To The Point In Your Sales Copy
Yesterday I was going through a 7-Step Sales Copy Overhaul with a client of mine - www.KingOfCopy.com/salescopyreview - and he was having a bit of a problem "de...

Pagan Crafts
Learn Pagan crafts with everything from making an athame,candles,wands,runes,rune bags,tarot bags,medicine bags,walking sticks and much more. Make your own tool...

A Priceless Birthday Gift
Kelly was a very wealthy Hollywood actress, who was used to a posh lifestyle. She lived in a multimillion dollar home in Beverly Hills. She had all sorts of p...

Sales Success – The 5 Steps
It's a common question we come across everyday: why is business getting more difficult now? Well, it all starts with your company's sales competencies. The st...

Mortgage Loan Information - Know The Basics When You Refinance or Purchase a Home
When looking for a mortgage loan, its important to know a little bit about the basic types of mortgage loans.

Realism vs. Optimism in the Business Plan
The most important function of a business plan is to create interest among investors so that they write a check. In achieving this goal, business plan writers a...

Insurance in Northern Ireland: Historic Difficulties
The legacy of the "troubles" in Northern Ireland has had a major impact in the choice of Insurance providers in Ulster as well as the significant premiums they ...

Nurture Your Heart
All of life flows your heart. Your heart is the womb of your dreams and the source of your success or failure in every area of life. Learn how to nurture your h...

Secrets of Getting Free Advertising
The opportunities for getting free advertising for your product or services are limited only by your own imagination and energies. There are so many proven ways...

How to Choose a Baby Gate
Once your baby is out of their crib and playpen, you're going to need some way of ensuring their safety. That's why learning how to choose a baby gate can be o...

Hair Loss - The Reasons
General: Hair is constantly going through cycles of growth, resting, shedding. When hairs that are lost are not replaced, or when more hair follicles go into ...

Eight Glyconutrients
Glyconutrients- the latest development in the health industry.

Google Sued Over Click Fraud in Adwords
On June 24, 2005, a lawsuit was filed against Google for alleged click fraud on the Adwords pay-per-click program. The Plaintiff, Click Defense, claims Google f...

Stay - Say - Pay
Would you like to have customers that stay with you and don't buy from your competitors? Customers that say nice things about your business to other people; pa...

Credit Counseling: Could it Work for Me?
In the face of financial hardship, many seeking a responsible solution turn to credit counseling. Credit counseling is, all too often, the last stop before ban...

Stock Analysis
I receive emails from Morningstar. This company provides statistics and analysis of just about every publicly traded stock company you can think of as well as v...