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The Relaxation Response (RR) is a quieting of
the sympathetic nervous system, the opposite response of the "fight-or-flight"
response. It results in a decrease in blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen consumption.
There are many techniques which have been used over centuries which can induce the
relaxation response. They include:
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• Focused breathing |
• Progressive
Muscle Relaxation |
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• Guided Imagery
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• Autogenic
Training |
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• Meditation |
•
Self-hypnosis |
All these techniques have two simple steps in
common:
1. Focusing one's mind on a repetitive
phrase, word, breath or action;
2. Adopting a passive attitude toward the
thoughts that go through one's head.
Extensive research has shown that regular
practice of techniques that bring about the RR decrease the responsiveness of the
sympathetic nervous system. In addition to the immediate results of decreasing heart rate,
blood pressure, breath rate, and oxygen consumption, regular practice over a month or more
seems to lead to a change in how the body responds to adrenaline. Research suggests that
there are decreases in anxiety and depression, and an enhanced ability to cope with life
stressors, after regular practice of RR techniques.
The Relaxation Response is not to be
confused with feelings of relaxation one may experience after reading a good book,
watching TV, or listening to music. While those activities may be enjoyable, they do not
result in either the immediate or long term physiological changes associated with the RR.
While the RR is a natural response of the body, it is only truly effective after a person
is specifically trained and regularly practices the techniques.
1. DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING
Deep abdominal breathing is the basic skill
necessary for most deep relaxation techniques. Most people have "unlearned" the
healthy abdominal breathing we all did as infants and children, after many years of
stress, tension and anxiety. We take short shallow breaths that result in our chest and
shoulders expanding on inhalation. Our abdominal muscles (and diaphragms) are often very
rigid and tight.
The goal is to learn to relax the diaphragm,
allowing expansion of the lung cavity, so that the lungs may fill more completely upon
inhalation. You can learn to do this by finding a comfortable place to recline or lie on
your back, wear comfortable clothes and practice the following: Place one hand on your
chest and the other over your belly button. Close your eyes and become aware of which hand
is rising and falling as you breathe slowly and deeply. Try to make the hand over your
chest remain fairly still, while you allow the hand over your belly button to rise (as if
a balloon were filling inside your stomach) each time you inhale, and to fall again as you
exhale.
2. MINI-RELAXATION PROCEDURE
For relaxation to be of the most benefit, you
need to learn how to relax and calm yourself instantly upon your awareness of tension or
irritability. While a 20-30 minute relaxation period is great, and very pleasant, you
cannot escape and listen to your tape or do your long practice when you are tense in
traffic or irritated with your family or coworkers. You must have developed good deep
relaxation skills, and have practiced them daily for many weeks, before you will be able
to perform mini-relaxations effectively.
A mini-relaxation is done as follows:
1. Take a deep breath and raise your
shoulders slightly (until you can feel increased muscle tension).
2. Starting at the top of your head, focus on
letting go of muscle tension (beginning with the muscles across your forehead). Allow
sensations of relaxation, release, and heaviness to flow downward from your forehead,
downward through your face, shoulders, arms, torso, and legs and imagine all the muscle
tightness and tension draining right out your feet. Exhale as you allow the tension to
drain away, and use your "key word" as you do so (this may be Relax, Peace,
Calm, Serene, Ocean or any other word or phrase that denotes deep relaxation to you).
Be certain that your deep breath was a deep diaphragmatic breath.
3. This whole procedure should take no more
than about 30 seconds (and can be done in as little as 10 seconds if that's all the time
you have). At the end of this period, go about your business regardless of how relaxed you
feel.
4. Repeat this process many times
during the day, at least 20. Use the colored dot procedure to remind
yourself to do a minirelaxation, preferably several times an hour. Place colored dots in
places you will see them often: your telephone, kitchen faucet, refrigerator, bathroom
mirror, the door frame of doors you walk through frequently, your notebook or appointment
book that you consult frequently, in the center of the steering wheel of your car, and
even cut a small part of the colored dot to place on your watchband. Whenever you see the
colored dot, that is your reminder to do a minirelaxation: deep breath, raise shoulders,
let go of muscle tension as you breathe out and drop your shoulders, while repeating your
"key word."
You will notice that you become better and
better at producing sensations of relaxation in a very short period of time, as you
practice this over days and weeks. Do not extend your minirelaxation more than one minute.
If you are still tense, continue with what you are doing, and do another minirelaxation
the next time you see a dot, or the next time you are aware of feeling annoyed.
NOTES: A note of caution regarding relaxation if you are driving your
car: Never practice long
periods of deep relaxation while driving. Never listen to a deep relaxation tape
while driving. However, you may use the "colored dot technique" while you are
stopped at stop signs or otherwise stuck in traffic.
Frequency is the key! The more you
practice relaxation, or minirelaxation, the better you will become at releasing stress and
tension quickly and effectively. It is a skill, just like playing tennis or the
piano. You cannot expect to be immediately skilled at these techniques. But you will
definitely get better the longer and more often you practice. It is a skill that will
serve you well over the rest of your life.
Click to review
Dr. Herbert Benson's
method of Deep Relaxation
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