Stress Reduction Techniques 2: Progressive Muscle Relaxation By Sandi Anders At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

The experience of relaxation is necessary to offset the destructive effects of chronic stress on the body. Through the use of relaxation techniques, one can begin to undo this cumulative, detrimental process, and employ the body's tremendous potential for self-healing.

Progressive muscle relaxation, also known as a guided body scan is a very valuable stress relief technique. A guided body scan -- which seeks to find and release muscular tensions -- supports deep relaxation, as most of us carry unnecessary tension in several of our muscles. The location of chronic muscle tension can differ from person to person.

In progressive muscle relaxation, you shift your attention into different parts of your body and let go of any felt sensations of tightness or pain. With repeated practice, you can become more sensitive to your tension and find ways to let it go. Letting go of physical tension promotes soothing and a calm, quiet mind.

You can increase the relaxation by first tensing each muscle group, maintaining it for an instant, and then letting it go into deeper relaxation. Increasing the tension helps you become more more awake to how the muscle feels when it is tense, as well as making it possible to relax more deeply.

Try a "mini-body scan" right now as you are reading.

Start with deep, restful breathing. Then when you are ready, shift your attention sequentially through your body, starting at your head and slowly moving down until you end with your toes. Within each segment of your body, pause a moment and scan for tightness, tension, or chronic discomfort. Begin to allow yourself to release any pain or tightness that you become aware of.

In addition, you can imagine sending the warmth of your inhalation into the discomfort or pain, and then, with the out-breath, release and melt the tension.

Physical relaxation -- the release of muscular tightness -- in the body encourages the Relaxation Response. Your heart rate, breathing and metabolism slow down and your blood pressure becomes lower. Your mind becomes tranquil and relaxed, free of worry -- and is no longer sending out the signals that release the stress hormones to flow throughout your body.

As you become proficient in this method, or if you desire a more structured experience it is frequently useful to work with a teacher or to listen to a guided meditation CD. This will help you to stay focused on your breath and to pay attention to areas of your body which might otherwise remain unnoticed in the body scan.

We unintentionally elicit the Stress Response in our bodies through maintaining chronic muscle tension; through anxiety, worry, and catastrophic thinking; through lack of exercise and good sleep; through a hectic, fast-paced stressful lifestyle. The Stress Response leads to a compromised immune system, greater vulnerability to disease, and to more rapid aging.

The remedy to the Stress Response is the Relaxation Response, which negates the damaging effects that result from the body being chronically "revved-up", as if to fight or flee from peril.

Take a little time, today, to engage in progressive muscle relaxation. Twenty minutes of Relaxation Response once or twice per day can reverse the effects of chronic stress. Give yourself this gift -- you'll be happy you did.

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