Simple techniques teach relaxation

Last week I discussed various uses for self-control procedures. In my experience, some individuals learn these techniques easily and quickly; others have trouble with them for various reasons. Some individuals simply have trouble “letting go” and relaxation for them is extremely difficult.

One of the most common ways to learn the skill of relaxation is to find a quiet place such as a reclining chair or a bed and begin tensing and relaxing various muscle groups. Hold the fist clenched for about five seconds, then let go quickly. After going through these motions several times, you should feel a relaxed feeling in the hands and lower arms. Now, tighten the muscles in the legs, hold five seconds and release. The forehead, eyes, jaws, shoulders and other areas can be tensed and relaxed until the whole body captures the feeling of relaxation.

Another technique s visual imagery. Find a peaceful, quiet situation and visualize a relaxing, pleasant scene. You might be on the beach feeling the warmth of the sun while listening to the waves against the shoreline. Or you may sit beside a mountain stream listening to the water roll over the rocks, smelling the scent of trees and feeling the crisp, cool air. The more vividly one can imagine these scenes, the more deeply one can relax.

Autogenic therapy encourages the user to repeat a phrase to himself and then let his body experience what the phrase suggests. For instance, “My arms and legs feel heavy and warm.” A repetition of the phrase produces a feeling of relaxation.

Self-hypnosis also can produce a state of deep relaxation in individuals who know how to use it. While in a trance, individuals suggest things to themselves that can produce desirable thoughts and feelings after leaving the state of hypnosis. This technique is more complex than some other self-control procedures, and the individual must learn it from a trained professional in hypnosis.

Biofeedback, a useful technique that produces a controlled state of relaxation, employs the use of instruments to give information to the user about what is happening in the body. The information obtained can be used to change the bodily state and move toward the desired direction. A simple example of this is the bathroom scale, which tells users their weights and gives them the option of changing their behavior to produce a change in the scale’s reading. There are several types of biofeedback equipment. All teach the user to decrease physiological arousal, if this is the goal, and with practice maintain this emotional state.

I find that almost anyone can benefit from the use of self-control procedures. Simple uses, such as producing a relaxed state so that one can fall asleep, can be learned by doing a little reading in the area and practicing. Biofeedback, self-hypnosis and some of the other techniques require professional consultation by someone who is trained in these areas.

Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 1986