EXERCISES TO HELP YOU RELAX - Stage III Relieving Stress

Stage III

Start each daily session lying comfortably on your back, breathing deeply several times and thinking about relaxation spreading through your body. Use your stimulus words and try to capture feelings of calmness. After you feel tension begin to drain away, move on to the next steps:
• Imagine a scene you find very relaxing: a sunny beach, a cabin in the woods, a snowy evening, a mountain lake, a fireside. Savor the scene for a few minutes. This is your “personal relaxing image” and, like your key stimulus words, can be used to diffuse tense situations as you become adept at reacting to it.
• Sit comfortably in a chair, with eyes closed arms at your sides. One at a time and then together, raise your arms. Feel the tension of holding them up, and then let them flop down in release. Repeat, holding a deep breath as you raise your arms, and then exhaling as they flop. While your arms are up, concentrate on keeping the rest of your body relaxed.
• Stand up and try to recapture feelings of relaxation- especially in your shoulders, stomach and arms. With your eyes still closed, walk back and forth a short distance, swinging your arms gently and working to switch off any tension that may be creeping in.
• Breathe slowly and regularly while standing still and thinking about relaxation spreading slowly through your body. Use your stimulus words to deepen the feeling.
• Lie down and see how quickly you can regain a calm sensation all over your body. Then enjoy your personal relaxation image for at least one minute.

You may find one stage more helpful than the others. In that case, daily practice is the best way to learn which parts of the program are most helpful in making you feel better or respond more calmly to pressure. After awhile, your body’s own rhythm will tell you when you need to use the techniques.

“I use the techniques only on stressful occasions or when I am having trouble going to sleep.” says Valerie Shumski, a nurse. “But it still effects my day –to- day life. I am a lot more assertive, have self confidence and feel tense less often. Things that used to upset me don’t bother me so much anymore.”

Valerie’s experience is not unusual. Many other graduates of the course have improved the quality of their lives simply by learning these relaxation techniques. So can you.

Ask Sylvia

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