Goodnight Mind (8 page)

Bring your awareness to your right foot. Tense the muscles in your foot by pointing and curling your toes as you turn your foot inward. Hold the tension in your foot. Notice how it feels to tense your entire foot. Hold for ten seconds. Now as you release the tension and relax your foot, focus all of your attention on the sensation of the release of this tension. Notice how different it feels from when the muscles in your foot were tensed. Let your foot relax very deeply. You may notice a warming or tingling sensation in your foot. Take fifteen seconds to continue focusing on the different sensation now that you have released the tension.

Note that you do not have to be 100 percent relaxed in order for this to be effective. Accept that in the beginning you may still hold some tension. PMR is about perceptually learning the difference between the two sensations. After fifteen seconds, switch to the left foot and repeat the process. (If you are making a recording, repeat the above passage, simply changing “right” to “left.”)

Once you have tensed and relaxed both feet, and paused for fifteen seconds, move on to the next muscle group.

Now bring your awareness to your right calf or the muscles in your lower leg. Tense these muscles by pulling your toes toward your head and notice how it feels when the calf is tensed. Now hold the muscle tension and your focus on this area for ten seconds. Now relax your calf and notice the difference in sensation from when the muscles were tensed. Focus your awareness on how relaxed the calf feels in comparison to when it was tense.

After fifteen seconds, focusing on the sensation of relaxation, repeat the process with your left calf. (If you are making a recording, repeat the above passage, simply changing “right” to “left.”)

Pause for fifteen seconds or more, and when you are ready, bring your attention to your right upper leg. To tense these muscles, you can try to straighten your leg while at the same time trying to bend your leg at the knee—but do not actually move your leg. Focus on the opposing actions of the two muscles working against each other.

Note: If your muscles cramp or spasm during any of the tension components of this exercise, you are exerting too much force. You merely need to produce some tension.

Focus on the tension in your upper leg and thigh. Notice the tightness in your leg muscles and hold for ten seconds. Now release the tension in your upper leg and focus on the sensation of release. Notice how different your leg feels as you relax it. Let it relax very deeply, and when it feels very relaxed, pause for about fifteen seconds.

Then repeat the process for your left thigh.

Now turn your attention to your hip and buttock area. Flex your buttock muscles and the sides of your hips. Focus your attention on this part of the body and the sensation produced by the flexion. If you are able, hold the tension for at least ten seconds. Now focus your attention on the release of these muscles. Notice the difference in sensation between the tension and the release. Focus your attention for at least fifteen more seconds on this part of your body.

Now focus on your stomach area. You will tense your stomach muscles by making your stomach as hard as you can make it. Notice how tight the area feels as you tense your stomach. Try to hold the tension for at least ten seconds. Now, relax your stomach and notice the release of air from your stomach and the release of your stomach muscles. Notice the difference between tension and relaxation as you let go of the tension in your stomach. Continue to focus on this sensation in your stomach for about fifteen seconds.

Now, focus your attention on the muscles in your upper torso. You will tense these muscles by inhaling and pulling your shoulder blades together. Do not exert too much force. Notice how it feels when your upper back and shoulders are tensed. Hold for ten seconds. Now exhale and release those muscles. Let go of all of the tension and notice how different that feels. Continue to focus on this area for another fifteen seconds.

Now, focus your attention on your upper right arm. Tense this area by bending your arm at the elbow and bringing your hand up toward your shoulder. Tense your bicep and study how the tension feels. Hold this tension for about ten seconds.

Note: As with every muscle group, if you feel pain or experience a spasm, ease up on the tension. You need only focus on the sensation of how holding tension in your muscles feels.

Now release the tension and notice how different the tension and relaxation feel. Continue to relax your bicep and focus on the sensation of relaxation for another fifteen seconds. Now move your attention a little farther down your arm, to the muscles in your hand and forearm. You can tighten these muscles by making a tight fist and holding it. Focus your attention on how the tension feels in this area of your body. After about ten seconds, relax your hand and forearm by opening your fist, letting your fingers unfurl effortlessly. As you do so, notice the sensations in your hand and forearm. Notice how the tension feels different from the relaxation. Continue to relax your hand and forearm and study the sensations for another fifteen seconds.

Repeat the preceding portion of the exercise for your left arm.

Having tensed and relaxed the muscles in your hands and arms, you can now move up to your neck. You can tense these muscles by pulling your chin toward your chest and at the same time keep it from touching your chest. Hold this tension for about ten seconds and focus all of your attention on the sensation of tension in your neck. Now release your neck muscles and focus your attention on the sensation of release. If you are lying down, allow your head to gently sink toward the floor, releasing all tension in your neck. Notice the difference between the sensations of relaxation and tension. Hold your focus on your relaxed neck muscles for about fifteen seconds.

Now move the focus of your attention to the muscles of your lower face. You can tense these muscles by biting down and, at the same time, pulling back the corners of your mouth. Hold the tension for at least ten seconds and really focus on how it feels to tighten these muscles. Now, as you relax the muscles and allow the corners of your mouth to fall forward, notice the difference between tension and relaxation. Continue to focus for another fifteen seconds on the relaxed muscles of your lower face. It does not matter whether your face is 100 percent relaxed. It is more important to notice the difference between tension and relaxation and focus on the sensation of release. In time and with practice, your relaxation will deepen.

Now focus your attention on the muscles in the central part of your face. You will tense these muscles by squinting (narrowing your eyes) as tightly as you can and simultaneously wrinkling your nose. Tense these muscles now, focusing on how the tension feels. Feel the tightness and hold for ten seconds. Now let go of the tension in your face. Notice how it feels to release the tension and allow your eye muscles to soften and fall back into place and to allow the sides of your nose to soften and fall back into a relaxed state. Continue to relax these muscles for fifteen more seconds.

Last, focus on the muscles in your upper face. You will tense these muscles by raising your eyebrows as high as possible. Tense these muscles now. Feel the tightness in your upper face and focus on this sensation for about ten seconds. Now, relax your upper face; let your eyebrows drop, and feel the tension releasing from this area. Continue to relax and focus on the difference in sensation from the tension for about fifteen seconds.

With mastery of this exercise, you will be able to merely scan your body for any particular areas of tension and then release that tension.

Guided Imagery

You may experience anxiety as pictures of upsetting scenes flashing through your mind, along with sensations of fear such as a racing heart. For example, you may picture a scene of getting fired at work and wake up with your heart pounding. Many people find it useful to focus on imagery that can neutralize anxiety or even create opposite sensations such as relaxation and a state of peace and calm. Although it may take some practice, this kind of exercise may be very useful for you in teaching yourself to create a calming state. As with most relaxation practices, try to set aside at least twenty minutes a day.

The idea of guided imagery is to imagine a pleasant, calming scene. Below is a guided imagery exercise for a beach scene. You can adapt it to any scene you find particularly soothing. Do not restrict yourself to places you have been; feel free to imagine a place you’ve never visited or even one of your own invention. You may even enjoy a fantasy scene in which you are floating through the sky. If you create your own scene, describe it as vividly as possible and include as many of the five senses in your description as possible. Describe sights, sounds, smells, textures, and, if relevant, tastes too. We recommend that you make an audio recording, whether you are describing your own scene or reading the scene below, so that you can listen to it with your eyes closed during this exercise. Most people find it easier to focus on mental images if their eyes are closed.

THE BEACH

Lie down or get into whatever position is comfortable for you. Take a deep breath to mark the start of your practice. Slow your breathing down. Close your eyes to help you focus on slowing your breathing down and bringing your attention to the present moment. Scan through your body. Bring awareness to any areas that are currently tense. Breathe deeply, and imagine the breath flowing into whatever areas of your body seem tense. As you slow your breathing, in the distance you hear a seagull calling. In your mind’s eye, you look around and notice you are on a long stretch of the most beautiful white sand beach you have ever seen. The sun overhead feels warm on your face. Take a moment to just focus on the warmth. What does it feel like? What do you hear? What do you smell at the beach? The breeze is gently blowing through your hair. You take a deep breath of the salty sea air and close your eyes. The bright sun is peeking through your closed eyelids. Focus on the sensation of the warm sand beneath your feet. Look down and see your foot in the sand. Focus on the sensation. When you are ready, slowly start walking and focus on the sensation of the sole of your foot spreading deeper into the sand, the grains of sand filling the spaces between your toes. Feel the sensation as you roll up onto your toes and you step down with your other foot into the sand. Look back at your footprints behind you. Hear the gentle crashing of the waves. The waves are mesmerizing, as there is a rhythm to the tide. You feel yourself becoming more and more relaxed with every wave. Take a few moments to focus on the sound and sight of the waves and how each one brings you closer to relaxation. Imagine sitting on the sandy beach. Watch the waves for a moment. Feel your seat sinking into the soft sand, forming the perfect chair beneath you. The water is clear, and the tips of the waves are foamy and white. You see tiny fish swimming in the water. The sun is now low in the sky, and against the beautiful blue sky are orange, gold, yellow, and pink colors. You are again aware of the warmth on your face and arms. If there is any tension in your body, focus the warmth on the tense area and breathe warm air into it. You are in a state of calm and serenity. Stay here in your scene as long as you want.

Belly Breathing

Take a moment right now to observe your breathing. When you are calm, your breathing is deep and slow and often emanates from your belly. When you are anxious or tense, your breathing is quick and shallow and comes from your chest. Breathing from your belly, also called diaphragmatic breathing, can help you transition into a deeper state of relaxation. It takes some practice, but it is very effective at producing relaxation throughout your body and mind.

To begin, find a comfortable position. If you are comfortable sitting, shift in your seat to find an even more comfortable position but try to have your back straight. If you are lying down, shift until you find a comfortable spot. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach. You may find the sensation of resting your hands on your belly and chest comforting. Now, breathe in through your nose directly to the stomach. The hand on your stomach should rise. The hand on your chest should move very little. This may seem strange, and it may take a few breaths to coordinate the inhalation with your belly filling and rising. When you exhale, exhale through your mouth, pushing out as much air as you can while contracting your abdominal muscles. The hand on your stomach should move in as you exhale, but your other hand should move very little. Continue to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Try to inhale enough so that your lower abdomen rises and falls. Count slowly as you exhale.

You may find it most relaxing when you are able to inhale for a slow count of three, hold for a count of three, and exhale for a count of three. Doing so will slow down your breathing, and when your breathing is slow, the rest of your body will feel more relaxed. Do this for as long as you like. Practice consistently; set aside about twenty minutes to do this exercise daily. Eventually, you will be able to scan your body and readily detect when your breathing is shallow and correct it by slowing down your breathing and entering a state of relaxation. However, this will take considerable practice.

Yoga

There are many benefits to a yoga practice, such as increased flexibility, decreased pain, increased stamina and fitness, and, of course, relaxation. There are different types of yoga, including practices designed to strengthen your body and increase your energy. Two of the more common yoga practices for purposes of relaxation are Satyananda yoga and Hatha yoga. If you will be taking one of several classes offered by the same instructor, the instructor can recommend the class most suited for a relaxation practice. If you prefer to use a DVD or some other self-directed means of practicing yoga, be sure to read the description of the practice to look for key words like “relaxation.”