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4. Total Body Relaxation
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Along with a nutritious diet, an exercise program and a positive attitude, relaxation will help you keep your balance and perspective even at those times when being under pressure is unavoidable.
It can be beneficial to do the following exercise in the early evening, when you come home from your job or have finished your chores for the day.
You can also use this technique to give yourself a midday oasis of serenity, if you can find a quiet place to stretch out for ten minutes.
Deep, steady breathing will oxygenate your bloodstream, relieving stress on all the organs, including the brain, thus helping the thinking process.
Whole body relaxation:
1. Lie down on your back, facing the ceiling, with your body in a straight line, with shoulders relaxed and aligned.
2. The arms should be straight – but not rigid – with elbows alongside the waist, palms turned upwards toward the ceiling.
3. Relax your head and close your eyes.
4. Breathe in deeply down to your diaphragm (lower abdomen), so that your belly rises with each breath, and allow your body to sink into the floor.
5. Breathe out slowly and relax.
6. Focus attention on your breathing: listen as you inhale and exhale each breath and notice how quiet and how deep your breathing can become.
7. Repeat for as long as possible, preferably up to ten minutes of peace and relaxation. When completed, gently stretch your body to get your blood circulating a little faster, and slowly stand up.
Head and face relaxation:
Headaches may be due to many causes – anxiety, sinus congestion or computer overuse – and can be a real deterrent to sleep. Simple massage strokes alleviate tension and promote
1. You may wish to use a little almond or grapeseed oil, rubbed into the hands, to smooth the movements. Using small, circular movements with all four fingers together, work steadily down from the forehead, around the temples and other the cheeks. Work slowly to ease tensions out of all the facial muscles.
2. Press gently around the eye sockets, beginning near the nose. Smooth firmly around the arc of each socket beneath the brow bone, then glide firmly down to the nostrils and out towards the cheekbones. Next, move out to the jawline. Slide both hands under the cheekbones, softening the pressure at the sides of the face.
3. Draw the hands smoothly up the cheeks to the temples. Relax the hands and sweep the palms soothingly up over the side of the temples and scalp, then draw them away from the head.
Tense neck easer:
When you are fatigued, aching, tense muscles in the neck and shoulders make it difficult to get comfortable in bed. Use these self-massage techniques to target problem areas for fast relief.
1. Start by shrugging your shoulders, then letting them relax completely a few times.
2. Firmly grip your opposite shoulder with your hand and use a squeezing motion to loosen tension. Repeat on the other shoulder. This kneading action removes waste matter from tired muscles and moves fresh, oxygenated blood into them.
3. With the fingers of both hands, grip the back of the neck and squeeze in a circular motion to relax the muscles leading up either side of the neck. Work up to the base of the skull and down a gain to the shoulders.
4. Move the thumbs in a circular movement across the neck and right up to the base of the skull. You should feel the bone as you apply moderate pressure. Rest for a few moments before standing and moving.
Daily exercise:
Some kind of physical exercise during the day is essential for a good night’s sleep. Humans are designed to move – it is no use expecting to sleep easily and deeply is your body isn’t tired.
Making time for exercise is of the utmost importance for a healthy lifestyle.
Many people in sedentary occupations feel that they have no time for exercise, or are too tired at the end of the day. Exercise not only boosts physical stamina, but it also enhances your mental outlook and self esteem, through the release of endorphins, hormones that foster a positive mood. It also builds muscle tissue, and as you grow in physical strength, you will also feel stronger mentally and emotionally.
Spend as much time as possible outdoors, as sunlight helps to regulate the body clock. This is specially important during the short days of winter, when natural lift will help to keep depression and SAD (seasonal affective disorder) at bay.
Walking can be done almost anywhere, and it helps to keep the heart and other organs healthy.
Activities such as swimming, tennis, squash, weight-lifting and dancing require more thought and planning, but the offer tremendous rewards and are very enjoyable. Whichever activity you choose, aim to exercise for at least 45 minutes three times a week – but for optimum fitness and to ensure restful sleep, try to make time for some exercise every day.
Reflexology for restful sleep:
To relieve tension and enhance restfulness before retiring to bed, massage the web between your thumb and index finger on both hands.
Yoga stress buster:
Follow a simple yoga relaxation routine to unwind completely after a busy day. Used to calm the body and channel the mind, yoga is an excellent way to de-stress. The following technique focuses the mind in relaxing every part of the body.
Lie on your back with a bolster of blankets arranged under your upper body so that your shoulders are slightly elevated; this “opens” your upper chest and your lungs to allow free breathing (this is called the Savasana position).
1. Spend a few minutes relaxing the body.
2. Release tension from the feet and hands, the abdomen and face.
3. Calm your thoughts as you focus your mind on each part of your upper body in turn.
4. Keep the eyes still and let the eyeballs relax down into the eye sockets.
5. Relax the temples and forehead. Relax the bridge of the nose.
6. Relax the cheeks by releasing them away from the eyes, then the jaws, moving the lower jaw a little way from the upper without tensing it.
7. Feel the connection between the ear passages and the jaws, and relax them.
8. Keep the tongue still, letting it rest on the lower palate; allow the root of the tongue to recede into the throat, keeping the teeth lightly parted.
9. Next, relax your neck and throat by pressing the shoulders down and moving the shoulder blades into the back ribs.
10. At the same time, bring the chin slightly down towards the throat.
11. Quiet the vibrations of your vocal cords. End your relaxation here.
12. Before getting up, turn on to your right side, with knees close to the chest and remain resting there for a moment or two.
Sensual massage:
A massage from your partner will help to ensure a good night’s sleep
By learning basic massage strokes, you and your partner can touch each other with tenderness, sensuality and playfulness - relaxing each other’s body and mind, enhancing the ability to sleep.
1. Begin by making sure the place you are going to massage your partner is warm and comfortable. See that the room is well ventilated, and the lighting soft and soothing, perhaps using candles for light and scent.
2. With your partner lying on their front, sit at the head end of their body.
3. Put some oil in your hands, then place your hands on either side of their spine, and glide your hands down their back. Move out to their ides and slide up the back again to their shoulders and neck; repeat several times.
4. With your partner still lying on their front, sit at the foot end of their body.
5. With a gentle motion, stroke your hand down the centre of their back, with one hand following the other smoothly, as if you were stroking a cat. As one hand lifts off the lower end of their back, start gain with the other hand at their neck. Continue this repeated stroking movement with alternating hands for several minutes.
6. Place both hands on the upper back and stroke outwards to the sides of the body, in a fan shape. Work down the back and buttocks using the fanning stroke action.
“Massage for Health” audio article
Many people get massages because they feel nice, but did you know that a massage session could also benefit your health?
Massage techniques, when done properly, can not only decrease stress and relax your muscles, but they can also improve your immune system, relieve pain, cure headaches, help injuries heal faster, and retain your muscle and joint mobility
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