Relaxation Therapy

Today, in our hectic lifestyle, there are so many sources of stress that we find it difficult to relax our mind. When we are unable to cope up with the mental tension, then it will lead to anxiety and various other health problems. In such a scenario, relaxation therapy is an excellent way of reducing the stress levels and stimulate peace and tranquility of the mind. When practiced regularly, it can make a lot of difference on both the physical and emotional health.

What is Relaxation Therapy?

Relaxation therapy can be defined as techniques that helps to improve the relaxation response of the body. Such techniques mainly focuses on relaxing the breathing and the muscles. Due to stress and anxiety, we face problems like high heart rate, respiration rate, blood pressure, muscular tension, etc. With the help of such therapy, one can get rid of all these anxiety symptoms. At the same time, it will boost up the memory, concentration, self-confidence, energy levels, productivity, etc.

Relaxation Techniques

There are several techniques that can be used for the purpose of stress management. Some widely used techniques are given below.

Deep Breathing: This is a simple yet effective relaxation technique. The best part of deep breathing is that it can be easily learned and can be practiced anywhere. Sit comfortably in a quiet place keeping your back straight and place one hand on the chest and the other on your stomach. Now take a deep breath from the stomach and then exhale the air as much as possible through your mouth. During inhalation, your hand on the stomach should move up and while exhaling it should move in. In this process, the hand kept on the chest should move very little. You can practice the same with lying down position as well.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation: This involves complete relaxation of the entire body and is considered as an excellent therapy for insomnia. When the mind is in a tensed condition, the muscles of our body tend to become taut and the body refuses to sleep. For this reason, focus is established on each of the muscle group of the body and help them loosen up. You should start from the leg muscles and move upward. Sit in a comfortable chair wearing loose clothes and take a few deep breaths. Put all your attention on the right foot and slowly squeeze the muscles tightly so that you can feel the muscular tension and hold the position and count till 10. Release the foot and you will find the tension easing off. Repeat the same with the left foot and other parts of the body like abdomen, back, neck, face, etc.

Mindful Meditation: This meditation technique involves engaging the mind in the present moment instead of dwelling in the past or worrying about the future. This is an excellent relaxation therapy for anxiety. You can use simple activities of daily life like walking or eating for this purpose. Suppose you are practicing walking meditation, then give all your attention on each of the step you are taking. Feel the touch of your feet on the ground or follow the rhythm of the breath. Similarly, you can meditate while eating where your attention is on each bite of your meals, chewing and swallowing. Thus, you can prevent eating in a rush which is quite common when the mind is under stress.

Visualization: This is also known as guided imagery and is a relaxation method for children. It can work well for stress relief for the adults as well. It uses a person's imagination to release the underlying stress and anxiety. The images to be created are often directed by a therapist. People undergoing the therapy need to close the eyes and is asked to think about a picture of his or her choice. Normally, thoughts of a natural set up like a tropical beach or any other favorite getaway spot needs to be nurtured. They are asked to involve all their senses in order to make the imaginary picture as vivid as possible. For this, they have to see the beautiful color of the sunset, hear the chirping sound of the birds, smell the fresh air and feel the cold water under the feet and so on.

These are some of the important relaxation techniques. Among them, you should choose the one which you find most interesting in order to derive the maximum benefits. Initially, keep at least 15-20 minutes in a day to practice them and later as you get used to it, you can increase the time up to an hour.