Relaxation - what is it? Relaxation mechanism. General health of the body

Relaxation

(from the Latin wordrelaxatio - weakening, relaxation) - deep muscle relaxationaccompanied by the release of mental stress.

Relaxation can be either involuntary or voluntary, achieved as a result of the use of special psychophysiological techniques.

Involuntary relaxation (decreased toneskeletal muculatureup to complete immobility) can occur as a pathological conditionas a result of illness, or as a result of the use of special medications- muscle relaxants.

Conscious relaxation is an integral part of many (perhaps even most) mental, psychotherapeuticand hypnotictechnique, it is also very common in Buddhismand in eastern healing teachings(in Indian yoga, wushuetc.), is the most important stage in entering (according to Buddhisttechnique) in a meditative trance

Theoretical side

The theory behind muscle relaxation is that the mind and bodypeople are tightly interconnected. It is assumed that a person in a state of nervous tension also experiences muscle tension. And vice versa: a person in a state of muscle tension begins to experience mental tension.

Therefore, in order to relax the body, you need to relax the mind (and vice versa); and mental relaxation leads to physical and muscular relaxation.

Relaxation is the embodiment of this conclusion. The benefits of systematic relaxation sessions are recognized in modern psychotherapy.

Moreover, relaxation actually serves as the basis for most modern psychotherapeutic techniques.

Relaxation became especially important in the second half of the twentieth century., when in developed countries The pace of life has sharply increased, people began to sleep lessand become more susceptible to stress.

And the destructive influence of psychologicalstress on the body has been proven for a long time.

Muscle relaxation has become very important as a means of counteracting daily stress.

Muscle groups

Theoretically, all muscles of the human body can be relaxed, even those controlled by the cerebellummeaningless.

There are famous yoga masters who, after long training, have learned to relax even the myocardiumup to complete cardiac arrest, which was documented.

However, this art of muscle relaxation comes with years of training.

In general, there are 4 muscle groups that are not recommended to relax, these are:

• cardiac muscle (cardiac arrest causes clinical death);
• diaphragm (breathing stops due to lack of oxygen supply to the brain, which can lead to irreversible brain damage);
• muscles Bladder (relaxation of these muscles causes unwanted emptying of the bladder);
• intestinal muscles(relaxation of these muscles can cause disruption of the passage of intestinal contents - dynamic obstruction or unwanted bowel movement).

Relaxation techniques

The most important concept when practicing relaxation isgeneralization, that is, the spread of the relaxation effect.

The fact is that unsystematic and superficial relaxation exercises provide only a temporary, incomplete effect.

And only regular exercises using the correct method lead to a stable generalization of the effect - then a person’s muscle (and, therefore, mental) tension steadily decreases, resistance to stress increases, attention increases, and other positive effects of generalized relaxation appear.

There are several technique-independent rules that must be followed to achieve generalization as quickly as possible. :

• First two monthsYou should exercise daily, then you can gradually reduce the intensity to 2 times a week.
• In the first month, it is recommended to exercise 2 times a day for 20-30 minutes.. In the second month, once a day for 20 minutes. Then, when you reach a certain level of skill, 10-15 minutes.
• The best time to practice: after waking up, before eating, before going to bed. It's better to exercise at the same time every day. You should not exercise on a full stomach, as the digestion processinterferes with complete relaxation.
• To practice relaxation, you should choose a calm, comfortable, quiet place. To muffle extraneous noise, you can use the so-called. "White noise"(for example, turn on a fan or download the sound of a waterfall). Turn off your phoneand ask not to be disturbed during relaxation. Also important comfortable temperature and lack of bright light.
• To relax, you need to take a comfortable, relaxed position. Lying down is better, but a sitting meditative pose is also suitable. If you are lying down, then to better relax the neck muscles, you can not use a pillow and turn your head to the side. You need to close your eyes. It is better to remove tight clothes and uncomfortable jewelry.
• Before relaxation, you need to make a conscious decision not to worry about anything and take the position of an outside observer. During relaxation, everything should be taken lightly and passively.

Source - Wikipedia.

The key to an active, fulfilling life, gaining peace of mind is the ability to relax. Strong, prolonged emotions invariably generate physical tension and are subject to destructive stress. nervous system and the whole body.

We notice bodily fatigue immediately, but we don’t pay attention to mental and mental fatigue, because we are already accustomed to living in constant nervous tension. It is absolutely necessary to listen to your body in order to help it in a timely manner: if it is difficult for you to concentrate on the action being performed, if you experience drowsiness, then your brain and psyche require rest.

To restore energy, relieve fatigue, take some time and practice relaxation (from the Latin relaxatio - relaxation, weakening). A big plus of such a holiday: it is applicable in any circumstances and does not require much time.

is effective means combating psychosomatic diseases, gives a general healing effect. It is actively used in psychotherapy, hypnosis, in many health systems, in Buddhism, yoga, wushu, and is an important stage in entering a meditative trance.

The action of relaxation is aimed at partial or complete relaxation of muscle tone, which provides psycho-emotional inhibition.

Muscle tone is an active multi-level process controlled by the central nervous system and providing our motor ability.

Relaxation of muscle tone reduces the flow of electrical impulses coming from the muscles to the reticular formation (activating system) of the brain, which ensures its waking state. This reduces the flow of information to the brain from the muscles, and hence the level of wakefulness, which allows the brain to rest and “reboot” for further active activity.

Benefits of relaxation

• Relieving muscle spasms accompanied by pain and stiffness of movement. The causes of painful tightness in the muscles of the limbs and neck can be both psychological (chronic stress, for example) and physical (osteochondrosis). More often, both occur at the same time.

• Restoring energy balance in the body. High-quality relaxation gives complete rest to the whole body, promotes better circulation of lymph and blood, which enriches all organs with oxygen, from the limbs to the brain. This normalizes all functions: digestive, respiratory, metabolism, etc.

• Restoring psycho-emotional balance.

• General health. The combination of all the above relaxation actions relieves the body of chronic tension and triggers hidden reserves for self-healing. Deep mental and muscle relaxation is beneficial for the autonomic nervous system, which regulates the activities of all internal organs.

Thus, the effect can be very different: from passive relaxation to recovery from a serious illness. The possibilities for relaxation are endless. It all depends on the level of knowledge, preparation and purpose for which it is carried out.

Types of relaxation

Long-term- sleep, hypnosis, pharmacological effects; short-term- replaced by tension.

Mental (figurative) and muscular.

Involuntary(arises as a result physical activity, before and during sleep) and free induced artificially under certain conditions.

Superficial(short rest) and deep(lasts 20 minutes or more, caused by special techniques). Deep relaxation has the most powerful healing effects.

Total(general) and local(differentiated).

Emergency(in cases where the need for instant relaxation arises) and prolonged(involves systematic use and long-term training).

A striking example emergency relaxation can be observed in birds when, exhausted from a long flight, they fall down like a stone. During a rapid fall, a reflexive muscle relaxation mechanism is triggered, thanks to which in a short moment the bird is restored for further flight.

This technique of muscle relaxation is also available to humans in order to create conditions for inner peace, relieve psychophysiological tension and restore strength.

Relaxation that combines several types at once is considered to be the most effective.

Relaxation rules

• Session space It is advisable to choose a secluded place, this could be a home corner, a comfortable chair or bed. Having studied relaxation techniques, you can easily transfer them into everyday life.

• Time to study you always have to correlate it with the rhythm of life and the goals of relaxation. You can practice in the morning after waking up, before eating, and in the evening before going to bed at night. Everything is individual.

• Duration: 10-20 minutes, but if time is limited, then shorter relaxation will also be useful.

• Periodicity: It’s better to make relaxation a daily procedure.

• You shouldn't exercise on a full stomach, the digestion process will not allow you to relax completely.

• Silence. Choose a calm, quiet place. If extraneous sounds (the noise of the highway outside the window) are present, drown them out with “white noise” - turn on the fan, for example. You should turn off your phone and ask others not to disturb you.

• Lighting and temperature should be comfortable.

• Pose comfortable and relaxed. When lying down, the cervical spine should be relaxed: use a low pillow or turn your head to the side. If you can't lie down, sit in a chair or chair and relax.

• Cloth- free, not restricting breathing and movement.

Before a relaxation session, you need to tune in to the calm state of an outside observer, easily and passively relating to reality.

Exercises for muscle relaxation

Any relaxation involves muscle relaxation, which can be learned using the following exercises:

• In a sitting (standing) position, raise your arms alternately and then at the same time, and release them freely. Make sure they hang like whips.

• Drop your head onto your chest, like a person who has fallen asleep while standing or sitting.

• Raise your shoulders high and lower them freely. Do this standing or sitting, at the same time and in turn: left, right.

• While standing (sitting), swing your arms like pendulums, increasing and decreasing the amplitude.

• In a lying position, press with your whole hand on the surface of the bed and release. Feel the contrast. Do this with both hands and alternately.

• Stand on a low stand and swing your legs alternately, like a pendulum.

• In a lying position, lift your torso, focusing on your heels and the back of your head, relax.

• Lie on your back, arms along your body, palms facing up. Turn your head from left to right and vice versa, without lifting it, ten times. Feel the relaxation of your neck muscles.

All exercises are easy to perform and are aimed at relaxing muscle tone.

Relaxation technique

There are many relaxation techniques that can be used not only at home. Here is one of them.

We take a comfortable, relaxed position lying or sitting. Relax your muscles using the exercises described above. Or we imagine that they are “blown away” or spread out like a drop on the surface. Slowly close our eyes.

We tune in to silence, we stop internal dialogue. Let's watch our breathing. Each new exhalation takes us deeper into a state of relaxation. We do this until we feel deep relaxation throughout the body. We let silence and peace into our souls and enjoy this feeling.

Useful to complement a relaxation session visualization:

imagine in your mind a cozy place where nothing disturbs you, where you are completely safe. This could be a pleasant memory from childhood (your children's room, a distant corner of your grandmother's garden) or a picturesque place created by your imagination.

Stay in this calm place, feel the smells, tactile sensations, sounds associated with it. If this is the seashore, you can hear the sound of waves, the cries of seagulls, feel the coolness of the water and the warmth of the sun.

Listen to your body, it will tell you that it is sufficiently rested and invigorated. If relaxation is successful, you will feel warmth in your limbs.

End relaxation when it ceases to bring pleasure, when you want to return to active activity.

There is no need to rush or jump up. Stretch as if waking up from sleep, slowly open your eyes, smile at yourself and at the world.

Fragrances have always been considered the best aids to relaxation. By practicing relaxation before bedtime, you can significantly improve the quality of your sleep.

AND medicines. It is believed that relaxation helps relieve mental stress, which is why it is widely used in psychotherapy, hypnosis and self-hypnosis, yoga and many other health systems. Relaxation, along with meditation, has gained great popularity as a means of combating stress and psychosomatic diseases.

Relaxation is especially effective for people with increased muscle tone. It has been proven that increased muscle tone leads to the development of diseases. For people with reduced muscle tone, the relaxation effect will be less. A sharp or progressive decrease or increase in muscle tone may be the result of illness.

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Deep relaxation and relaxation.

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Relaxation in psychotherapy

The benefits of systematic relaxation sessions are recognized in modern psychotherapy. The theory about the positive impact of relaxation on the psyche is based on a statement about the relationship between mind and body. It is known that in a person under stress, muscle tone increases. It is assumed that there is Feedback: As muscle tone decreases, mental stress also decreases. In this case, mental stress can be reduced by deep muscle relaxation.

The most important concept when practicing relaxation for psychotherapeutic purposes is generalization, that is, the spread and consolidation of the relaxation effect. Unsystematic and superficial relaxation exercises give a temporary, incomplete effect. Only regular exercises in compliance with the methodology lead to persistent generalization of the effect and long-term positive influence relaxation.

Psychophysiological relaxation techniques

Psychophysiological relaxation techniques refer to methods of relaxing muscles through the mind and exercise. To use these techniques, comfortable conditions are important: absence of bright light, comfortable temperature, non-constricting clothing, absence of disturbing noises and other irritants. It is not advisable to practice relaxation on a full stomach, since the digestion process interferes with relaxation.

Progressive muscle relaxation

Jacobson originally developed about 200 special exercises to tense all skeletal muscles of the body, including the smallest ones. But in modern psychotherapy it is considered sufficient to consistently exercise 16 muscle groups in this way:

1. Dominant hand and forearm (clench your fist as hard as possible and bend your wrist in any direction).
2. Dominant shoulder (bend your arm at the elbow and press your elbow firmly into your body or onto the nearest surface - bed, armrest, etc.).
3. Non-dominant hand and forearm.
4. Non-dominant shoulder.
5. Muscles of the upper third of the face (raise your eyebrows as high as possible and open your mouth wide).
6. Muscles of the middle third of the face (close your eyes tightly, frown and wrinkle your nose).
7. Muscles of the lower third of the face (clench your jaw tightly and move the corners of your mouth back towards your ears)
8. Neck muscles (pull your shoulder joints high to your ears and in this position tilt your chin to your chest)
9. Chest muscles and diaphragm (take a deep breath, hold your breath, bring your elbows in front of you and squeeze them)
10. Back and abdominal muscles (tighten your abdominal muscles, squeeze your shoulder blades together and arch your back)
11. Hip dominant (tighten the front and back of your thigh, keeping your knee in a tight, bent position)
12. Dominant shin (pull your foot towards you as much as possible and straighten your toes)
13. Dominant foot (extend your ankle and flex your toes)
14. Non-dominant hip
15. Non-dominant lower leg
16. Non-dominant foot

The word “dominant” means right for right-handed people and left for left-handed people.

Of course, there are more detailed methods of progressive relaxation (for 30, 40 muscle groups, and more) for those who want to achieve a high degree of mastery in relaxation.

For the first two months, Dr. Jacobson recommended exercising daily, then gradually reducing the frequency to 2 times a week. In the first month, it was recommended to exercise 2 times a day for 20-30 minutes. In the second month, once a day for 20 minutes. Then 10-15 minutes.

Once you reach a certain level of mastery, Jacobson recommended learning to induce relaxation simply by imagining the feeling of relaxation in a certain muscle, without tension.

Abdominal breathing

This method is considered one of the simplest. It is also called "diaphragmatic breathing." The method involves 1-3 approaches (with breaks) of 10 respiratory cycles (inhalations-exhalations), performed as follows:

• Inhale slowly through your nose. When inhaling, you should try to make the stomach “swell” as much as possible, and the chest does not swell as much.
• Hold your breath for a few seconds.
• Exhale slowly, preferably through the mouth. The exhalation should be longer than the inhalation. When exhaling, all the air must be completely expelled from the lungs, for which a slight effort must be made at the end of the exhalation.

When you inhale deeply, the stomach rises because the diaphragm - the main respiratory muscle - drops very low, as if “inflating”

“People who know how to relax not only have greater mental flexibility, but are also better able to cope with stress.”

R. Copelan

Relaxation as a phenomenon is often devalued and confused with idleness and “doing nothing.” In fact, this is a very effective and powerful method of psychotherapy.

Introduction to the method and the history of its origin

Relaxation(from the Latin word "relaxatio" - "relaxation") - a special method that appeared abroad in the 30-40s. XX century, aimed at relieving muscle and nervous tension using specially selected techniques.

Relaxation is a voluntary or involuntary state of rest, relaxation, associated with complete or partial muscle relaxation. Occurs as a result of stress relief, after strong experiences or physical effort. It can be involuntary (relaxation when going to sleep) and voluntary, caused by adopting a calm posture, imagining states that usually correspond to rest, relaxing the muscles involved in different kinds activity.

Muscle relaxation methods are historically the earliest techniques of body-oriented psychotherapy and still remain its main methods. The emergence of relaxation techniques is based on eastern spiritual and religious practices that have developed their own psychoregulation techniques. When penetrating European culture, these esoteric methods were subject to processing, primarily from the point of view of a pragmatic approach.

The first Western specialists to apply the relaxation method in their work and develop their own muscle relaxation techniques were the American psychologist E. Jacobson and the German neuropathologist I. Schultz.

As a psychologist, E. Jacobson studied objective manifestations of emotions. One way to evaluate emotional state a person was used to record muscle tension. The specificity of changes in muscle tone was discovered in various psycho-emotional disorders, neuroses and psychosomatic diseases.

E. Jacobson called the discovered relationship between muscle tension and neuropsychic tension neuromuscular hypertension, which he considered as a manifestation of the reflex principles of the functioning of the nervous system. He proved that muscle relaxation helps relieve the state of hyperarousal of the nervous system, helping it to rest and restore balance.

Therefore, teaching a person the skills of muscle relaxation is useful both for relieving mental tension and for eliminating the symptoms of a number of diseases (such as headache and heart pain, gastritis, hypertension, etc.)

In addition, additional effects of muscle relaxation include improved sleep, elimination of “muscle tension,” emotional “release,” and increased performance.

Relaxation comes in different forms

There are a great variety of techniques, techniques and methods aimed at relieving tension and relaxation.

The relaxation stage is one of the main preparatory stages when providing psychological assistance to various categories of clients and it is no coincidence that it is a mandatory component of trainings of various types (including business trainings and personal growth trainings). Relaxation is one of the auxiliary techniques in sports and autogenic training, speech therapy work, acting etc. For human training independent use muscle relaxation skills and mental self-regulation There are special relaxation trainings.

A modern psychologist must have in his working arsenal a sufficient number of relaxation and meditative exercises. After all, it is known that relaxation is not limited only to the effect of relaxing the muscles of the body. Self-relaxation and self-regulation skills, as well as the ability to restore physical and psychological resources in short time are now in demand in the most various areas human activity.

The range of application of relaxation techniques is quite wide: it includes removing muscle tension, working through emotional trauma, treating psychosomatic diseases, and much more. In addition, training in various relaxation techniques Available for both adults and children.

Conventionally, we can distinguish several main types of relaxation.

By time: long-term - occurring during sleep, hypnosis, under pharmacological influences and relatively short-term - replaced by tension.

By way of execution: muscular and mental (figurative).

By origin: primary (natural, occurring spontaneously after physical activity) and secondary (purposefully caused, created under artificial conditions).

By depth: superficial and deep. Superficial relaxation is equivalent to a short rest. Deep relaxation lasts at least 20 minutes and is performed using special techniques. It is deep relaxation that has a powerful effect on the body and has known healing properties.

By speed of occurrence: emergency (emergency relaxation methods in case of urgent need) and prolonged (involving long-term training and systematic use for medicinal purposes).

As an example of emergency (fast) relaxation, one can cite the metaphor of M.E. Stormy, describing such “instant” relaxation.

The bird, exhausted from its long flight, falls like a stone from the cloudy heights. And in this rapid fall, reflex mechanisms of muscle relaxation are activated. Thanks to natural, natural saving relaxation, in a short moment of falling the bird has time to rest in order to continue its flight.

Likewise, a person who has mastered the techniques of muscle relaxation can, in a short period of time, create the conditions for the necessary inner peace in order to restore strength and relieve physical and psychological stress.

By scale of impact: general (total) and differentiated (local).

Differentiated (local) relaxation involves the elimination of local muscle tension through selective intense relaxation of individual muscle groups. The first stage of this exercise is self-observation, which is used primarily after stressful situations. The purpose of this observation is to find areas in the body of stagnant muscle tension, felt as pain or heaviness, especially aggravated in connection with unpleasant emotions. Then, along with a deep, long exhalation, you need to instantly relieve tension (“exhale with relief”). To achieve a greater effect of muscle relaxation, you can combine the described methods of general and differentiated relaxation with the respiratory relaxation technique - working with sensations in the area of ​​tense muscles using “directed” breathing.

When using this method in medical practice (for example, during manual therapy), each cycle of tension-relaxation ends with passive movements, performed with the help of a physician, to smoothly stretch the corresponding muscles ("post-isometric relaxation").

Well-known psychotherapeutic methods often combine several types of relaxation, which makes them most effective.

As an example, we can cite the methods of E. Jacobson and I. Schultz that we mentioned at the beginning.

E. Jacobson's method of progressive muscle relaxation is based on the principle that after strong muscle tension, their strong relaxation occurs. That is, in order to relax a muscle, you need to first tense it strongly. Straining alternately different groups muscles, you can achieve maximum relaxation of the whole body. This type of muscle relaxation is the most accessible, in game form it is used even with small children.

In autogenic training (AT) by I. Schultz, in order to achieve a state of relaxation, not real preliminary muscle tension is used, but an ideomotor modification of its tone (the “mental movements” method). This corresponds more general principle ideodynamics, according to which mental representation alone causes physiological response organism without the participation of consciousness (according to M. Sandomirsky). The main elements of relaxation here are sensory awareness and guided imagination. This is careful observation and memorization of bodily sensations of muscle relaxation, on the basis of which the skill of voluntarily reproducing these sensations, and, along with them, the necessary functional state is developed.

This type of relaxation can be called more advanced, since mastering it gives a person the opportunity to manage the state of his body independently and effectively cope with tension and stress.

What are the benefits of relaxation

Relaxation is a fairly common phenomenon and is understood differently by everyone. Therefore, you can get different effects from it: from passive “relaxation” with meditative music to curing a serious illness. It all depends on the knowledge and level of training of the person.

The effectiveness of relaxation special method has been studied and proven, its possibilities are limitless, but in practice it is mainly used in the following areas:

• As a means of relieving muscle “clamps”, accompanied by pain, local fatigue and limitation of movements. The appearance of painful lumps in the muscles of the neck and limbs can be associated with both psychological reasons, that is, chronic stress, and with initially physical reasons, disorders of the peripheral nervous system (osteochondrosis of the spine, musculofascial pain). More often, there are reasons for both types, which overlap each other (the “mutual burden” syndrome).
• As a way to restore the body's energy balance. Good relaxation helps restore the body's energy and gives all muscles and joints proper rest. Excellent physical state closely related to improved blood and lymph circulation. All organs, from the brain to the limbs, are enriched with oxygen, which stimulates the metabolic, respiratory, digestive and other functions of the body, and, in addition, the body gains strength to overcome stress.
• As a means of restoring mental balance and emotional response. When talking about relaxation as a psychotechnique for personal growth, it is necessary first of all to keep in mind its use as a subtle tool for creating transformational, altered states of consciousness in combination with the technique of sensory awareness.
• As a way to heal the body. All of the above functions of relaxation in their totality lead to the body getting rid of chronic stress and gaining access to new resources for survival and self-healing. In addition, the process of deep muscular and mental relaxation itself has a beneficial effect on the autonomic nervous system, which regulates the activity of internal organs.

To correctly understand the basis of changes occurring in the body, it is necessary to consider psychophysiological ideas about the mechanisms of muscle relaxation and its influence on the functional state of a person.

Psychophysiology of relaxation

As you know, muscle tone is not a passive state, but an active process, physiologically representing a reflex to muscle stretching, due to which, in fact, movement occurs. The system for regulating muscle tone is multi-level and controlled by the central nervous system.

When relaxing, the flow of electrical impulses (sensory impulses) coming from the muscles to the cerebral cortex, and from the muscles to the activating system of the brain (reticular formation), which maintains the cerebral cortex in a wakeful state, decreases. Thus, a decrease in muscle tone reduces the flow of information from the muscles to the brain. Such partial sensory deprivation reduces the level of wakefulness, which allows our brain to rest and “recharge” for further fruitful work.

Against the background of the described decrease in the level of wakefulness, general protective (according to I.P. Pavlov) inhibition of the cerebral cortex, its “conscious” parts, that is, the frontal lobes, “fall asleep” faster, which reduces their excessive activation. This is especially true for the frontal (anterior) cortex of the dominant, left hemisphere of the brain, which is initially in a more active and often “overexcited” state, which is often the cause of mental stress and neurotic disorders.

Relative sensory deprivation also creates conditions for local activation of the cerebral cortex, redistributing the processes of voluntary attention to its individual areas associated with viscero-sensory sensitivity and controlling the functional state of internal organs. Thus, the “inward” focus of attention that occurs during deep relaxation helps the body engage in problem areas and improve health.

Relaxation for men and women

Eat certain group muscles that have a special stimulating effect on the brain are the facial and masticatory muscles. Therefore, it is impossible to completely relax without relaxing the muscles of the face, tongue and lower jaw. By learning to relax this muscle group, you can learn to quickly relieve tension even in cases where it is not possible to lie down or sit comfortably in a chair. In autogenic training, the “Relaxation Mask” is used for these purposes.

Exercise "Mask of Relaxation" is done as follows.

1. To relax the chewing muscles with your head upright, silently pronounce the sound “y” and let your jaw drop.

2. Relax your tongue. This can be done using the silent syllable "te". If you are sitting, the tongue should “loose” relaxed in the space of the lower jaw, gently resting against the back surface of the lower teeth. If you are lying down, the tip of the tongue rests slightly on the back surface of the upper teeth (the lower jaw moves slightly downward).

3. Stay in this state for several minutes, observe how, with the relaxation of the masticatory muscles, a wave of relaxation passes throughout the body, how the facial muscles relax, the eyelids become heavier, and the gaze becomes blurred (this occurs due to the relaxation of the muscles that focus the lens).

4. The exercise must be completed with an exit, as in auto-training classes. If the exercise lasted less than 10 minutes and/or a deep autogenic state did not occur, it is enough to take several deep breaths and sharp exhalations, then, as you inhale, stretch your whole body and, as you exhale, open your eyes.

For women, it will be useful to add facial massage to the “relaxation mask”. Such a psychological massage can become an indispensable rejuvenating cosmetic procedure. Participants in our relaxation trainings really like to do this procedure: it not only calms and improves mood, but also slightly tightens the circular muscles of the face and smoothes out small expression wrinkles. This occurs due to the fact that when chronic tension is relieved from the face and jaw, blood supply and oxygen supply to the facial muscles increases, which leads to an improvement in turgor and the general condition of the muscles and skin of the face.

A similar procedure can be used as a mild sleeping pill if done at night, just before bed. Massage stroking can be done in combination with the “relaxation mask” or separately. It depends on what effect you want to achieve.

Stroking is done with your fingertips along the massage lines (from the center line of the face to the ears). Lightly touching with your fingers, like brushes (as in an elite “Royal massage”), you seem to sweep away the day’s fatigue from your face. At the same time, you feel how, following the touch, every cell of your skin relaxes, how your face smoothes out. Special attention pay attention to the area of ​​the eyes and forehead: by acting in a similar way on this area, you can reduce the tension of the eye muscles, which is very useful for tired eyes. While stroking the chin area, try to relax as much as possible, “let go” lower jaw. This procedure does not take long, just as long as you need to relieve tension. If everything is done correctly, then good mood and falling asleep quickly will be a reward for your concern for your health.

The body, which has a very favorable effect on it. Even if a person has little free time, he can always set aside literally a couple of minutes for relaxation. Thanks to this technique, you can really relax well, feel a surge of strength and vigor. And a rested person always performs work better and solves all kinds of problems. It's a pity that not everyone understands what great value has relaxation. It helps relieve stress and prevent depression. Relaxation keeps stress levels at an acceptable level without allowing them to rise.

Deep breath

This technique is reliable, effective and time-tested. Everyone knows about it, but in a stressful situation for some reason it slips out of their heads. If nervousness, anxiety or any negative emotions just go off scale, you should take a deep breath, then count to ten, and then exhale. At this moment you need to think that everything is going well for you. Everything will be fine. Such thoughts can calm and neutralize stress. If you have enough free time, you can use this technique several times; it is also recommended to engage in meditation, which will clear your mind. It is not enough to know the meaning of the word “relaxation”; you also need to practice it regularly.

Embrace

One of the best ways relaxation is hugging with children. Of course, provided that you have warm feelings for them. Children's little hands allow you to get rid of even the strongest worries, problems and bad thoughts. For those who don't have kids, you can improve your psychological condition hugging friends, loved ones or relatives. An interesting study was recently conducted. His results indicate that hugs help relieve even extreme tension. And this is really true. That's why it's worth hugging more. This will benefit both people. Today, many people know what relaxation is, but they forget about the benefits of hugs, which is a shame.

Massage

This technique is probably one of the most enjoyable, in addition, it has a positive effect on the body. But, unfortunately, it will not be possible to implement it quickly. But if a person has at least 30 free minutes or an hour, he can go for a massage. Sometimes it is impossible to do without this. There are even salons that offer express massages that last only 20 minutes. You can do it during a lunch break if a person’s activity is really stressful and constantly causes negative emotions. This is great relaxation. Every person should know what it is, because modern world cruel, he sometimes breaks and exposes even strong people to stress.

Candles

It is no secret that a person can continuously admire two elements: water and fire. This is explained by the fact that such contemplation is very relaxing. They are sold in stores with which you can achieve a double effect. Contemplating the fire will promote relaxation, and the pleasant smell will allow you to forget about all your problems. The aroma affects the human brain. The most effective aromatic oils are lavender, orange, mint, lemon and vanilla. If a person feels out of place, constrained and depressed, he needs relaxation. Many people learn what it is from psychologists.

Kiss

Everyone knows that a kiss is one of the most... effective ways relaxation. In the process, a person forgets about everything in the world. The only thing his attention is focused on is the kiss. This method is truly wonderful; it neutralizes anxiety, fatigue and allows you to get rid of unnecessary thoughts. Therefore, every day you need to kiss the object of your love.

Warm tea

Herbal teas have an effect on many organs and systems. It is not without reason that some doctors prescribe it as the main treatment. There are herbs that stimulate brain function. At the same time, they help to relax him. This stimulation allows you to feel good and energetic for 24 hours. Besides, herbal teas promote peace and drive away painful thoughts for a while. And this is exactly what many need modern people. Leisurely drinking tea is a wonderful relaxation. Everyone who is interested in psychology knows what it is.

Pleasant melody

Music can evoke very strong emotions. It can invigorate, relax, pacify, calm. Listening to a pleasant melody, a person may laugh or cry. Classical music sometimes works better than sedatives - it perfectly relieves nervous tension. Most often it is recommended to listen to Mozart. His music is truly healing and life-giving. There is something inexplicable and magical about her. Music for relaxation should be included in the selection of collections for every person exposed to stress.