Muscle Relaxation Therapy - is the title given to a common treatment used to treat anxiety and improve relaxation.
It was first used as far back as 1930 and is used as for a range of anxiety issues and not just sleep related ones.
A number of doctors believe that anxiety which can lead to stress and then sleepless nights - can be traced to tense and rigid muscles in the body.
This Progressive Muscle Relaxation can be used to reduce tension and relieve anxiety, leading to a good nights sleep.
How does it work then? It's a simple process where you basically go through and tense and relax different muscle groups.
It helped me and I've heard off quite a few other people who have found that it really did help their insomnia - both in their getting to sleep and getting a good relaxed night sleep.
Muscle Relaxation Therapy works on the principle that as you release tension in your muscles, your body relaxes and releases tension in your mind.
Combining this with deep breathing is something which helps further.
Detailed below are the basic instructions for if you want to try it.
Getting started...
1.
Wear loose clothing or your night clothes and lie on your bed.
2.
Make sure you have nothing on your feet.
3.
Take a few minutes to relax - breathing in and out with slow deep breaths.
4.
When you are feeling relaxed - concentrate on your right foot.
5.
Take a moment to focus on the way it feels.
6.
Slowly tense the muscles in your right foot - squeezing as tightly as you can.
Hold and count to 10.
7.
Relax your right foot.
Focus on the tension flowing away and the way your foot feels as it becomes limp and loose.
8.
Stay in this relaxed state for a moment, breathing deeply and slowly.
9.
Then repeat this another 4 times with your right foot.
10.
When you have finished with the right, focus your attention on your left foot.
Follow the same sequence of muscle tension and release.
11.
Move slowly through your body - contracting and relaxing the muscle groups as you go.
12.
When finished you should feel tired and relaxed - some people claiming to fall asleep before they have finished.
The usual Muscle Relaxation Sequence is as follows Move through the body one area at a time - remember tense each area 5 times and hold to 10 each time.
1.
Right foot 2.
Left foot 3.
Right calf 4.
Left calf 5.
Right thigh 6.
Left thigh 7.
Hips & buttocks 8.
Stomach 9.
Chest 10.
Back 11.
Right arm & hand 12.
Left arm & hand 13.
Neck & shoulders 14.
Face Here's hoping it gives you some helpful relief It doesn't cost a penny to try and it might just help take your mind off that clock watching and the negative thoughts about another sleepless night.
It's pretty easy to give it a go.
It was first used as far back as 1930 and is used as for a range of anxiety issues and not just sleep related ones.
A number of doctors believe that anxiety which can lead to stress and then sleepless nights - can be traced to tense and rigid muscles in the body.
This Progressive Muscle Relaxation can be used to reduce tension and relieve anxiety, leading to a good nights sleep.
How does it work then? It's a simple process where you basically go through and tense and relax different muscle groups.
It helped me and I've heard off quite a few other people who have found that it really did help their insomnia - both in their getting to sleep and getting a good relaxed night sleep.
Muscle Relaxation Therapy works on the principle that as you release tension in your muscles, your body relaxes and releases tension in your mind.
Combining this with deep breathing is something which helps further.
Detailed below are the basic instructions for if you want to try it.
Getting started...
1.
Wear loose clothing or your night clothes and lie on your bed.
2.
Make sure you have nothing on your feet.
3.
Take a few minutes to relax - breathing in and out with slow deep breaths.
4.
When you are feeling relaxed - concentrate on your right foot.
5.
Take a moment to focus on the way it feels.
6.
Slowly tense the muscles in your right foot - squeezing as tightly as you can.
Hold and count to 10.
7.
Relax your right foot.
Focus on the tension flowing away and the way your foot feels as it becomes limp and loose.
8.
Stay in this relaxed state for a moment, breathing deeply and slowly.
9.
Then repeat this another 4 times with your right foot.
10.
When you have finished with the right, focus your attention on your left foot.
Follow the same sequence of muscle tension and release.
11.
Move slowly through your body - contracting and relaxing the muscle groups as you go.
12.
When finished you should feel tired and relaxed - some people claiming to fall asleep before they have finished.
The usual Muscle Relaxation Sequence is as follows Move through the body one area at a time - remember tense each area 5 times and hold to 10 each time.
1.
Right foot 2.
Left foot 3.
Right calf 4.
Left calf 5.
Right thigh 6.
Left thigh 7.
Hips & buttocks 8.
Stomach 9.
Chest 10.
Back 11.
Right arm & hand 12.
Left arm & hand 13.
Neck & shoulders 14.
Face Here's hoping it gives you some helpful relief It doesn't cost a penny to try and it might just help take your mind off that clock watching and the negative thoughts about another sleepless night.
It's pretty easy to give it a go.
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