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A Great Way to Deal with Stress
By Ray Zimmerman
Everyone has to deal with stress at various times during their lifetime. Some, more than others. Stress is generally caused by emotional occurrences. How you deal with that stress can definitely help you to live a longer and more productive life. It is a known fact that stress can cause headaches, back pain, nervousness, mental fatigue, depression, high blood pressure, strokes, heart attacks and a multitude of mental disorders. If this is so, why shouldn’t we learn to deal with stress early on to eliminate the possibility of one day facing these particular health problems. Some say that procrastination is the primary reason that most of the human race does not take the time for trivial matters like dealing with stress. Regardless of your age and regardless of how much stress that you have had to deal with in your lifetime, you can learn how to deal with stress and reap a more tranquil life during your remaining years. Most stress can be dealt with by learning how to achieve total muscle relaxation. This particular exercise will help you to relax all of the muscles in your body. You will learn exactly which parts of your body are more susceptible to the tension that stress causes. You will start at the top of your body and slowly work down to your feet. When you are finished, your body should feel totally relaxed. This is also a great exercise to help you fall asleep. The purpose of this exercise is twofold. You will first place tension on various muscle groups by tightening those muscles. Within a few seconds you will begin to experience the stress that was created by that action. You will then allow each muscle group to completely relax which will relieve all of the tension that was initially applied. Total Muscle Relaxation Exercise • Loosen your clothing, take your shoes off and lay down on your bed to get as comfortable as possible. Make sure that you always use a pillow to support your head while doing these exercises. • Tighten the muscles in your forehead which can be accomplished by raising your eyebrows as much as possible. As you continue to hold this position, you will feel the tension begin to intensify in those muscle groups. Maintain that tension for a few more seconds and then completely relax. You should try to focus totally on the feeling of relaxation that you are experiencing while the tension is fading away. • Next, close your eyes tightly. Maintain that tension for a few seconds and allow the tension to intensify. Then relax your eyes and again focus on the feeling of relaxation as the tension dissipates. • Next, tightly clamp your teeth together and press your tongue firmly against the back of your teeth. Then wrinkle up your nose and close your eyes tightly. Maintain this tension for a few seconds and allow the tension to strengthen. Then relax both of your eyes and your jaws while keeping your eyes closed. Then try to focus entirely on the feeling of relaxation as the tension leaves your face. Observe how limp and relaxed your entire face feels. If you’re having trouble falling asleep at night, make sure that your jaw and tongue muscles are totally relaxed. Quite often stress will automatically tighten your jaw and tongue muscles which may keep you from falling asleep. • Next, lay both arms down next to your body with your hands touching the sides of your thighs. Then lower your chin and allow it to touch your chest. Tighten your shoulder and neck muscles until you feel the tension beginning to build. Hold that position for a few seconds and then relax. As you begin to relax, observe the tension leaving your shoulders and neck area, which is now being replaced by feelings of relaxation. Notice the calmness of that feeling. • Next, with your arms still at your side, raise both of your hands (palm up) and bending at the elbow. Then make a fist with each hand and try to touch both of your shoulders. Tighten both of your arm muscles and hold that position for a few seconds while the tension begins to intensify. Then lower both of your arms and open both hands. Concentrate on the feeling of relaxation as the tension leaves the muscles in your arms. • Next, you will tighten the muscles in your stomach and abdomen as tightly as you can while holding your breath. Now maintain this position while the tension continues to build. After a few more seconds, take a very deep breath and relax. Notice how your abdomen now feels limp and totally relaxed. • Next, you will raise both of your knees while keeping your feet flat on your bed. Tighten the muscles in your calves and your thighs while trying to touch your heels to your buttocks. Now hold that position for a few seconds and then lower your legs to the bed and feel the tension immediately leave both of your legs, which now feel entirely relaxed. • Now, for the final part of this exercise. Bend your toes and try to point your toes towards the wall in front of you while keeping your heels on the bed. Make sure that you tighten your toes as much as possible. Notice how the tension is quickly building in both of your feet and in your ankles. Hold this position for a few more seconds and then relax both of your feet. While the tension is dissipating you will sense a feeling of relaxation replacing the tension. • Continue to lay on your bed for a few minutes with your eyes closed after completing this exercise. While you are laying still, think how each part of your body now feels relaxed and comfortable. Begin with your head, then your shoulders, your arms, your chest and stomach, your thighs, your calves and finally your feet. What you have just experienced is "Total Muscle Relaxation." I am recommending that every individual try this particular exercise the next time that they feel that they are being subjected to any form of stress. You will be amazed with the results that are achieved.
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Contributor's Note
If you smoke, you will be faced with stressful situations when you decide to quit smoking. This is just one way of dealing with that stress. Let me show how to become mentally prepared when you quit smoking, which will help to alleviate stress when you decide to become a non-smoker.
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This intel was contributed by crawfish
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May, 2012
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