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following press release is provided free for reprint to our media
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contact Lindsay Dutro at
805-466-5917 or email at publicity@impactpublishers.com.
How
Do You Spell “Relaxation”?
Tips for
Letting Go of Stress
People
respond differently when asked how they relax:
“Let
me watch a good football game and I’ll relax.”
“I
take an aspirin and go to bed.”
“For
me, it’s a scotch-on-the-rocks while watching the evening news.”
“A
favorite rock album through headphones while studying is relaxation for
me.”
Unfortunately, not one of
these individuals is relaxing well enough to significantly reduce
tension and stress! At best, they are engaged in a favorite pastime that
is fun and satisfying.
The relaxation response is a physical and mental technique that
counteracts the stress response, creating a return to normal. Balance is
achieved within the system. Complete relaxation involves learning to
recognize and feel tension in every muscle of the body, and how to
release it. Four basic elements are required to learn the relaxation
response:
1. A quiet place to practice. Pick a time and a place where you are
unlikely to be interrupted for twenty to thirty minutes. It helps to use
the same location, at the same time, and to tell the children, spouse,
friends what you will be doing. This special place should be as quiet
and comfortable as possible. Dim the lights and loosen any tight
clothing before practicing. You should also avoid practicing immediately
before going to bed (you will probably fall asleep and won’t learn the
techniques) or after a meal (your body is too busy with digestion to
concentrate on muscle relaxation).
2. A comfortable position. Use a favorite chair or sofa which supports
your body evenly. Avoid lying down on the floor or a bed, or taking
another position in which you are likely to fall asleep. Your head
should be supported, however, so you can relax your neck.
3. A phrase or word to help you concentrate may be helpful as you learn
the technique of relaxing. Some suggestions include:
I am relaxing
I feel peaceful
My mind is quiet
I am calm
I feel healing and
energy
I am being renewed
After you have mastered the
skill of relaxing, your word or phrase will be your key to activating
the relaxation response. Anytime, anywhere, you can mentally say this
word or phrase and your mind will work with your body to produce a
relaxed state in five to ten minutes. That’s your goal.
4. A passive attitude is the last element needed to learn the
relaxation response. Follow the “relaxation instructions” and allow
the relaxation to develop. Allow the tension to flow out of your body,
effortlessly. Do not try to force yourself or work too hard. Just let it
happen.
Now how do you
spell relaxation?
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Adapted from
The Stress Owner’s Manual:
Meaning, Balance & Health in Your Life (2nd Ed.),
by Ed Boenisch, Ph.D., and C. Michele Haney, Ph.D. Available at
online and local bookstores or directly from Impact Publishers, PO Box
6016, Atascadero, CA 93423-6016, by phone at 1-800-246-7228, or
www.bibliotherapy.com.
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