3 Minute Stress-buster: How to Use Your Body to Relax Your Mind
image by chelsearoberson
Progressive Muscle Relaxation is a popular exercise for relieving stress and anxiety. It's very simple technique that involves taking a few minutes out and working your way around your body tensing and relaxing each set of major muscles.
Here's a shortcut version you can use anywhere and anytime you feel anxious, or you feel there's tension building up in your body.
All you need to do is find somewhere where you won't be disturbed for 3-4 minutes and take yourself through the steps below:
3 Minute Muscle Relaxation exercise
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Sit down clench both hands into fists
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Notice the tension, feel it, look at your hands, see and feel the tension travel up your arm
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Squeeze even harder, put everything you have into it
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Now close your eyes and feel the tension fully
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Now take a deep breath in squeezing your hands as tightly as you possibly can
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And with full awareness of what happens, release your breath and relax your hands
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Let your out through your mouth as you uncurl your fingers. Feel the difference between tension and relaxation in your hands
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And sit a moment with your eyes closed taking deep steady breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth
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And feel the sense of relaxation spreading through your loose and relaxed hands, up your arms, invite it into your shoulders as you let them drop and soften
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Sit for a moment or two just noticing your body unwind
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Let your face relax, your chest, your stomach, your legs
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Imagine that you are releasing tension from your entire body
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Knowing that as your body relaxes, so does your mind
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When you are ready, take a deep breath and stretch, shrug your shoulders, and carry on with your day
Three Minute Stress-Buster podcast
Listen to the complete podcast and be guided through your mini muscle relaxation experience here:
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